Any diseases that currently exist. These are viral infections, and fungal diseases, and even parasitic ones. One of these diseases is toxoplasmosis. In the article we will try to understand the following issues: what is toxoplasmosis, causes and symptoms, diagnosis of the disease.
We are accustomed to believing that if there is a disease, then there must be symptoms, but this disease differs precisely in that it can occur for many years without any obvious signs.
Causative agent of the disease
In the world of protozoa, there are a huge number of organisms that can cause various diseases in humans and animals. One of these parasites is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis - this is Toxoplasma gondi. The carriers of the disease are cats and dogs. And it doesn’t matter at all, a pet or a stray.
The parasite develops and multiplies in the body of these animals and, together with bowel movements, enters the environment. Caring for your pets, you are at great risk of catching this disease.
Often young children who play in the sandbox can accidentally come into contact with animal feces - this is already a good opportunity for the pathogen to enter the body. Even the usual grip of stray puppies or kittens can lead to infection if the animals are carriers of this parasite.
Toxoplasmosis is quite susceptible to external influences, so it is easily destroyed by heat treatment, as well as under the influence of chemicals.
If we compare this disease with others in prevalence, then it is much inferior. It is mainly found in countries of South and Latin America, where more than 90% of the population is infected with this pathogen.
Infection methods
If chronic toxoplasmosis was detected during examination in men, then infection could occur in several ways:
- Orally.
- Transplacental.
- During a blood transfusion or an organ transplant.
Very many animals are intermediate hosts of toxoplasmosis pathogens, so you can become infected by eating insufficiently processed meat. Also, if your pet has parasites in the body, then if it gets saliva on your skin and mucous membranes, infection can occur. To avoid this, try not to kiss your pets, wash your hands thoroughly after cleaning the animal tray and keep its dishes clean.
In the transplacental method, infection occurs through the placenta when the baby is still in the womb. Especially dangerous in this regard is the first trimester of pregnancy: if infection occurs at this time, then we can state congenital toxoplasmosis. Symptoms are manifested quite clearly, and the disease in 20% of cases is difficult.
Infection during blood transfusion or organ transplantation is very rare, but for people with weak immunity, the risk of catching the disease remains.
After entering the body, the parasite settles in the intestine, and then, having multiplied sufficiently, it reaches the lymph nodes with a lymphatic current. During this period, you can see their increase. After some time, pathogens are carried with blood flow throughout the body and can settle in all organs and tissues.
Varieties of Toxoplasmosis
When diagnosed with toxoplasmosis, the symptoms and signs may be different depending on the form of the disease. There are several types of disease:
- Acute toxoplasmosis.
- Cerebral.
- Congenital.
- Ocular.
- Common.
- Chronic.
All these species can still be divided into two groups: acquired and congenital toxoplasmosis. A child receives a congenital form from an infected mother during fetal development, and a person can get all forms of acquired toxoplasmosis at any time during his life.
Symptoms of chronic toxoplasmosis
Quite often, the acute form of toxoplasmosis becomes gradually chronic. This variety is characterized by periods of exacerbation and remission. Chronic toxoplasmosis has dangerous symptoms, among which the following can be noted:
- intoxication of the body;
- myalgia;
- arthralgia;
- irritability;
- memory impairment;
- muscle thickening;
- myocarditis;
- manifestations of vegetative-vascular dystonia (in some cases);
- disorders in the endocrine sphere.
It is very difficult to make a diagnosis, since the symptoms of chronic toxoplasmosis are very similar to many diseases. For example, herpes, chlamydia and some cancers have similar symptoms.
Chronic toxoplasmosis proceeds in waves, periods of exacerbations give way to short remissions.
Acute period of the disease
After the pathogens enter the human body, the incubation period lasts for 2-3 weeks. Almost everyone at this time begins to develop antibodies that form immunity without the manifestation of a disease. This condition is called primary latent toxoplasmosis.
To detect the presence of infection in the body is possible only with the help of tests. If a person has weak immunity, then chronic toxoplasmosis appears. Symptoms in this case are more pronounced. An acute phase occurs, which develops quite rapidly and resembles meningitis or encephalitis.
That is why it is so important to conduct a full examination of the patient in order to identify the causes of this condition and make the correct diagnosis. The most common symptoms of an acute form of the disease are:
- high temperature, which does not get off with antipyretic agents;
- throws a person, then in the heat, then in the cold;
- weakness throughout the body;
- rash on the body (in some cases);
- muscles lose their tone;
- vision problems;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- the development of pneumonia;
- sharp decrease in memory;
- disturbed sleep and appetite.
Symptoms of chronic toxoplasmosis are difficult to treat. Therefore, this form of the disease can generally be fatal. Sometimes, only in the course of a thorough examination can the symptoms of toxoplasmosis be indicated. And treatment will be required depending on the severity of the disease. If the therapy is successful, then recovery and translation of the disease into a latent form is possible.
Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis
Diagnosis is possible only after a comprehensive examination and laboratory confirmations. The prerequisites for the occurrence of this disease, that is, contact with cats, eating habits, professional affiliation, are also taken into account.
Methods that are used in laboratory diagnostics can be divided into two groups:
- Parasitological.
- Immunological
Since chronic toxoplasmosis symptoms have a variety of, and sometimes they are generally smoothed out or not appear, the diagnosis is difficult. This forces a comprehensive examination, including various methods.
Parasitological methods are based on the detection of the pathogen by conducting a bioassay. These include: microscopy of smears from tonsils, lymph nodes, studies of histological preparations of affected organs.
Most often, the second group of methods is used - immunological. They consist of serological reactions and an intradermal test. These analyzes are quite accurate and allow you to determine the state of infection and morbidity.
Toxoplasmosis Therapy
Most doctors are sure that toxoplasmosis is practically impossible to cure. The causative agents of the disease and antibodies to them will be in the body of a person who has toxoplasmosis (symptoms, diagnosis) for life. The treatment will be long. Despite the fact that it will not be completely cured, it is quite possible to prevent serious consequences.
Among the drugs that are used, we can name such:
- antiparasitic drugs;
- "Pyramethamine", "Sulfadimezin" (they are most often used);
- antibiotics from the macrolide group: “Clarithromycin”, “Spyromycin”;
- antifungal medications;
- antiviral drugs.
It must be recalled that treatment is carried out only if the diagnosis is fully confirmed.
Currently, medicine copes with acute toxoplasmosis with antibiotics and chemotherapy. The treatment is quite lengthy and consists of several courses. In each case, the symptoms of chronic toxoplasmosis are eliminated according to individual schemes.
Disease treatment
If with the healing of the acute form everything is clear, then the chronic is difficult to treat. Moreover, given that it is impossible to completely recover, there is only the possibility of a transfer to latent form.
Chemotherapy, which is effective in the acute phase, in this case will not give the desired result. The emphasis is on immunomodulatory treatment, which contributes to the mood of the body's immune system to counteract toxoplasma.
Typically, chronic forms of toxoplasmosis are treated only in an acute form, but there are some cases where it is impossible to wait for obvious manifestations.
Such exceptions include the threat of miscarriage during pregnancy or the likelihood of infertility, vision problems. The main direction in treatment is to eliminate the clinical manifestations of the disease and improve the patient's condition.
In the case of a mild form of chronic toxoplasmosis, “Pyramethamine” in combination with “Sulfadiazine” and folic acid are prescribed at the first stages. It must be noted that treatment can continue for a whole year.
Toxoplasmosis and pregnancy
Before planning a woman's pregnancy, toxoplasmosis is not so terrible. Symptoms and treatment may be different, but there are probably antibodies in the body.
If the infection occurs during pregnancy, then this already poses a danger to the baby and mother. It is worth considering that with an increase in the term, the risk of infection only increases. If in the first trimester it is 15%, then in the third it is already 60%. But the severity of the disease, on the contrary, is reduced.
A fetus infected in the first three months is almost doomed to death. If, nevertheless, the baby is born, it will have serious pathologies of the brain, liver, spleen and other internal organs.
What is the danger of toxoplasma
Toxoplasmosis is very rare, only 1-5% of all infected. In the rest, it is asymptomatic. Its bright manifestations can be seen in people with immunodeficiency. Such patients develop myocarditis, encephalitis.
Many believe that since the symptoms of chronic toxoplasmosis do not appear, then treatment is not required, but this is not at all. If pathogens have little effect on men, then in the woman’s body, especially if she is going to become a mother, they can become dangerous, as they penetrate the fetus through the placenta and cause irreparable harm to it. This may result in the death of the child or the development of various deformities.
Consequences of the disease
If a person acquires toxoplasmosis during his life, then the disease may well proceed without any symptoms. Most people do not suspect that their body has such a parasite.
The disease acquired during pregnancy will not go unnoticed for the baby. Infection at the end of pregnancy will lead to the fact that the baby will be born with an acute form of toxoplasmosis, which will manifest itself in fever, rash, and damage to internal organs.
In other cases, the disease will have a latent form, which occurs with exacerbations. At first glance, the child is quite normal, but a detailed examination reveals lesions of the nervous system and sensory organs.
In some cases, exacerbation can occur only in adolescence, when hormonal changes in the body are observed.
Currently, taking into account the insidiousness of toxoplasma, pregnant women make a mandatory analysis to detect infection in the antenatal clinic. But it is desirable that women, even at the stage of pregnancy planning, undergo such an examination and take all precautions in case of detection of the pathogen.
Toxoplasmosis Prevention
Since the disease poses a great danger to pregnant women, some measures must be taken to prevent it. We examined what constitutes toxoplasmosis, the symptoms of the disease. Prevention of such diseases plays a big, if not the most important role. Among the main preventive measures are the following:
- Do not eat uncooked meat and fish.
- When cooking cutlets do not have the habit of trying raw minced meat.
- Wash your hands thoroughly after contact with your pet, especially after cleaning its toilet.
- Examine pets for the presence of this pathogen.
- During pregnancy, try to avoid visiting friends who have domestic cats and dogs.
If a person (especially a woman) follows these simple rules, then it is quite possible to stay healthy and ensure your baby's normal development.
Take your health responsibly and seriously: if you find unusual symptoms, do not let everything go by chance, consult a doctor and undergo an examination. Then you will have every reason to avoid serious complications.