How to find out if a person has toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis: causes of the disease, its symptoms, diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is carried out only with the help of special tests.
The main carriers of infection are cats. But the disease has its own developmental characteristics, therefore, it can manifest itself in any organism, both human and animal.
The development cycle is directly related to the change of owner. Half of our population is infected with toxoplasmosis. The size of this microorganism is from 4 to 12 microns. The shape of the structure is similar to a crescent, but with a special tip. This structure makes it easy to get into the cells and adapt. Incubation period is from 10 to 23 days. Studies have shown that the life cycle of toxoplasma is represented by two stages: intestinal and extraintestinal (not tissue).
The life cycle of toxoplasma consists of 4 stages:
- Schizogony is the process of cell reproduction by the method of division.
- Endodiogenesis - reproduction by the type of internal budding.
- Gametogeny - reproduction by the method of combining gametes.
- Sporogonia is a process of division resulting from the fusion of the zygote's sexual individuals in sporozoans.
All stages of the life cycle of toxoplasma are a constant process of reproduction. Therefore, this is a fairly common disease. It is divided into congenital and acquired.
- Congenital - occurs with intrauterine infection. When a mother, being pregnant, gets sick, and toxoplasma penetrates the placenta. This carries a great danger to the child in various pathologies of development.
- Acquired - occurs in childhood or adulthood.
Infection pathways
There are many ways of infection. The most common are:
- the use of raw or semi-raw meat, or meat products;
- contact with infected animals, including cleaning the toilet for your pet;
- poorly washed hands;
- blood transfusion;
- infected cats.
Toxoplasmosis is sometimes asymptomatic. To find out what exactly caused the infection is quite difficult.
Main signs
The absence of symptoms does not guarantee the absence of the consequences of the disease. Therefore, it is worth considering the main signs of toxoplasmosis:
- periodically slightly increases body temperature;
- lymph nodes become inflamed;
- headaches may occur;
- the liver and spleen increase in size;
- working capacity decreases, memory worsens;
- apathy occurs;
- disturbed appetite, sleep.
Toxoplasmosis is divided into acute and latent. In humans, it occurs in a chronic or latent form and practically does not appear. In the acute period, the disease is quite rare. Very often, these people have a weak immune system or are HIV-infected. IN acute form causes the following symptoms:
- heat body;
- enlarged lymph nodes, spleen, liver;
- a rash or signs of jaundice appear on the body;
- vision problems;
- lethargy, drowsiness, decreased muscle tone.
These symptoms can occur in other diseases, so there are doubts: whether toxoplasmosis should be treated or is it better to begin to recover from other diseases. Given that this is a rather serious disease, at the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to immediately begin treatment. Inaction sometimes leads to destructive actions in the body.
Toxoplasmosis in men and women
Toxoplasmosis, both in men and in women, is congenital, chronic and acute.
In men, it almost always begins acutely. And if you do not recover from it, then it will go into a chronic form. Usually the disease manifests itself with simple symptoms: weakness, fatigue, poor appetite, sleep disturbance. At this time, various processes of damage occur in the body, and the consequences can lead to such diseases:
- adenoma;
- cystitis;
- inflammation of the prostate;
- sometimes loss of male dysfunction.
Toxoplasmosis in women has the same symptoms: high fever, inflammation of the lymph nodes, lethargy, skin rashes, vision problems, poor appetite and dream. But, unlike men, women are given a genital function. Therefore, the main problem is the birth of a sick child, if you do not get rid of such a diagnosis on time.
During pregnancy
If the future mother became infected in 1 or 2 trimesters, then there is a high probability of spontaneous miscarriage. If infection occurs in the 3rd trimester, then the baby is born with the same disease. Therefore, when a pregnant woman is registered in the clinic, the gynecologist always directs you to take an analysis for TORCH infection. Only the results of this analysis can verify the presence of antibodies. And if toxoplasmosis is detected, the consequences can be avoided by undergoing certain therapy.
In children
The child is congenital and acquired. With congenital toxoplasmosis in the baby, the nervous system can be affected, which leads to involuntary convulsions. Quite often, children with this disease suffer from various eye pathologies. And its effect on the baby’s brain is so great that often children are born with hydrocephalus, dementia, autism.
Acquired disease in children is usually expressed in acute form: fever, rash, chills, etc. And if this is not detected in time, then the disease becomes chronic, destroying the child’s body from the inside, leading to diseases of the Central nervous system and various organs.
Child creatures are restless and keeping track of them is not so simple. Dirty hands in the mouth or kisses with a cat cannot always be prevented. Toxoplasmosis is revealed to babies, having passed a certain analysis for TORCH infection.
Diagnostics
Toxoplasmosis can not be determined by routine clinical blood and urine tests. Today, diagnosis is carried out by certain methods of laboratory and allergic studies:
- serological examination;
- indirect immunofluorescence method;
- indirect hemagglutination reaction;
- intracutaneous test.
If the tests confirm the presence of toxoplasma in the body, you must consult an infectious disease doctor. The specialist knows how to cure toxoplasmosis and what drugs. Do not self-medicate.
Treatment
No specific dietary or dietary recommendations are required. It all depends on the symptoms and the degree of effect on individual organs. If the disease manifests itself acutely, then treatment of the disease in adults is best done in a hospital. Prescribe pyrimethamine with sulfadiazine, or doxycycline with spiramycin. Only with the use of these drugs, half of the patients manifest allergic reactions. These can be various skin rashes. Sometimes there are problems with circulatory system. Therefore, treatment is prescribed in several cycles, with intervals of one and a half weeks.
The full course of treatment should be under the strict supervision of an infectious disease specialist. If there are problems with the eyes due to toxoplasmosis, then the treatment is consistent with the optometrist. And so, for each disease, a profile doctor is involved. This is due to the fact that various pathological reactions can occur, and additional drugs must be prescribed.
Is it possible to cure toxoplasmosis and whether it is necessary to treat, depends on the specific case. If the disease is acute, then the therapy used removes the main symptoms, and treatment of toxoplasma gives a positive result. But it is much worse if the diagnosis showed chronic toxoplasmosis. In such cases, anti-allergic drugs and agents to increase immunity are used.
It is difficult to insure yourself, given that a feature of toxoplasmosis is its ability to quickly spread and multiply. But you will not be overcome by toxoplasmosis, the prevention of which will be observed by elementary rules of personal hygiene.
- Always wash your hands thoroughly. This is especially important after contact with animals or work in the garden.
- Vegetables and fruits should always be washed, even if they look clean.
- Meat that has not undergone proper heat treatment is a source of infection. Therefore, you can’t eat raw meat or meat products. And even more so try the stuffing.
- A pet may be infected. Therefore, do not kiss him. A pet toilet needs to be cleaned only with gloves. Prevention of toxoplasmosis in animals is also an important point. To date, there are certain tests for animals that are handed over in a veterinary clinic. And if toxoplasmosis is detected, treatment is also possible.
Prevention of toxoplasmosis is very important for every person, because it can both manifest itself and not show signs for a long time.
A person can live for years with this infection and only a doctor can prescribe a competent treatment that will lead the body to healing.
Toxoplasmosis infection among the population is high: in European countries the number of infected people is from 25 to 50%, in African countries the disease is diagnosed in 90% of the population, in Russia the situation is calmer - infection is diagnosed in no more than 35% of the population. It is most dangerous when a future mother or a person with low immunity becomes infected with toxoplasmosis.
Toxoplasmosis during pregnancy can lead to such consequences for the fetus as spontaneous abortion, infection of the unborn baby, malformations, stillbirths.
If people with immunodeficiency become infected with the infection, then the disease is extremely difficult, exacerbating the course of the underlying pathology.
The disease causes Toxoplasma gondi - an organism from the class of protozoa. A person has the most chances of contracting toxoplasmosis from infected animals. The causative agent of infection can be found in their milk, saliva and excrement.
In most cases, people become infected with this infection through food, if Toxoplasma gondi somehow appears in them.
Transmissible transmission routes of toxoplasmosis are rarely known - through the mucous membranes and skin integument in violation of their integrity. You can get infected even less through a blood transfusion or after an organ transplant. If toxoplasmosis is diagnosed in pregnant women, the causative agents of the disease easily penetrate the placenta to the fetus, thus, the fetus is infected.
If we summarize what pathways of infection are, you can pay attention to non-compliance with the rules when cutting and preparing raw minced meat and meat dishes, direct contact with animals, in particular, caring for them, insufficiently processed fruits and vegetables, and working in agriculture directly with the soil and much more.
But whether toxoplasmosis is transmitted from person to person, if we omit the topic of pregnancy, the question is ambiguous, since the household and sexual transmission of infection is excluded. That is, this happens quite rarely.
The development of toxoplasmosis (life cycle)
In asexual form, toxoplasma can be found in animals, in birds, or in humans. They become intermediate carriers of infection. In some, this fact can cause the development of the disease, while in others it can lead to behavioral changes.
Once in the human body, oocysts invade enterocytes duodenal ulcer, further to the mesenteric lymph nodes, provoking the development of the inflammatory process, necrosis, calcifications and granulomas in them. From the primary focus of infection, pathogens penetrate the systemic circulation and spread throughout the body, lingering in individual organs. The incubation period for toxoplasmosis lasts from 14 to 21 days.
Forms of Toxoplasmosis
There are two forms of the disease - congenital and acquired toxoplasmosis.
It is the result of infection of the fetus in the womb. If this happened immediately after conception, the fetus usually does not survive and is spontaneously rejected from the mother's body. When further development, he usually fixes the most severe organic pathologies of the central nervous system, for example, hydrocephalus, microcephaly, etc.
If fetal infection occurs after 12 weeks, congenital toxoplasmosis in newborns is diagnosed. Such babies are born with symptoms of a generalized infection and the defeat of many important organs. Most anomalies are incompatible with the life of the child, so most of these children die at an early age.
Acquired Toxoplasmosis.
It manifests itself in three forms - acute, chronic and latent course. More details about them are given in the following table.| Forms of Acquired Toxoplasmosis | Features of the course |
|---|---|
| ACUTE TOXOPLASMOSIS |
|
| CHRONIC TOXOPLASMOSIS |
|
| LATENT TOXOPLASMOSIS |
|
Congenital toxoplasmosis is more dangerous than acquired.
Symptoms
The signs of toxoplasmosis in humans are not easy to determine. Basically, the disease proceeds under the guise of other pathologies and inflammatory processes. Sometimes a disease from one stage quickly and smoothly passes into another, asymptomatic, thereby complicating the possible diagnosis.
In any case, toxoplasmosis in adults and children proceeds differently in both congenital and acquired forms of the disease. Sometimes symptoms come down to acute symptoms colds, less often - to oncological pathologies. In this case, the manifestations of the clinic in the carrier of toxoplasmosis always have a different severity. Consider how toxoplasmosis manifests itself, depending on the type of disease.
The acute form of toxoplasmosis begins with general intoxication of the body and hyperthermia. Persons who have encountered a disease begin to show signs of lymphadenopathy, an enlarged liver, a rash of a maculopapular nature. Symptoms of encephalitis, myocarditis, and meningitis sometimes develop.
Depending on the main syndrome, an encephalitis, typhoid-like and mixed form of pathology is detected. After the acute stage subsides, the disease becomes a chronic process.
Chronic Toxoplasmosis
The chronic form of toxoplasmosis is also characterized by various clinical manifestations. With this form of the disease, subfebrile condition is noted for several months and even years. As well as chronic intoxication of the body, which eventually leads to damage internal organs and systems.
Ailment causes defeat following systemswhich we will consider in the table.
Latent Toxoplasmosis
In this case, the disease is asymptomatic. A person is his carrier, but not dangerous to others.
Cerebral Toxoplasmosis (brain)
Today, cerebral toxoplasmosis or toxoplasmosis of the brain is a rare condition that is more common in people with immunodeficiency, for example, suffering from HIV infection. This form of the disease is considered life-threatening, since its treatment will be rather complicated, and even despite the measures taken, a person will always have stable neurological disorders after recovery.
Many after this form of toxoplasmosis never return to normal life, lose their ability to work and become disabled.
Cerebral toxoplasmosis occurs with symptoms of brain damage, the severity of which depends on the area and shape of the pathological process.
The congenital form of cerebral toxoplasmosis in children is characterized by a more severe course in comparison with adults. Asymptomatic cases of this pathology are rare.
Toxoplasmosis of the brain occurs in acute and chronic form, and is manifested by the following symptoms noted in the table.
Treatment is selected by a specialist based on the results of the examination, which should reveal the form of the disease and the degree of damage to the brain and other organs. After the diagnosis is made and the cerebral form of toxoplasmosis is revealed, the treatment regimen begins immediately.
Toxoplasmosis of the organs of vision
Toxoplasmosis of the eye is one of the causes of vision problems, which, unfortunately, many people rarely guess. Symptoms of this pathology are as follows:
- Pathological changes in the macular region, the formation of atrophic pigmented foci, complaints of deterioration in the quality of vision.
- Lack of transparency vitreous, defects in inflammation in the visual organ, peeling of the back membrane against this background.
- Optic Nerve Disorders.
Toxoplasmosis of the eyes in people with strong the immune system usually has an asymptomatic character, only sometimes people complain of myopia and pain when blinking.
Congenital ocular toxoplasmosis. Manifested by pronounced developmental pathologies eyeball, blindness, disorders of the spinal cord and brain.
Acquired eye toxoplasmosis. It becomes a consequence of the chronic form of the disease without pronounced clinical manifestations in related areas.
Currently, the disease is treatable with chemotherapy and antibiotics. But usually it is not possible to stop the pathological process and restore the lost health to the eyes, there are chances only to transfer the ocular toxoplasmosis to the stage of "freezing" so that the disease does not progress further.
Toxoplasmosis in children
If a woman during pregnancy was first infected with toxoplasma, then her child will be diagnosed with congenital toxoplasmosis at birth. Symptoms of this pathology may be noticeable from the day of birth or a little later.
Congenital toxoplasmosis in newborns depends on when the mother was infected. Let's consider in the table how the infection of the future mother is reflected in the child's toxoplasma.
If toxoplasmosis in children arose after birth, that is, the fetus was not infected in the womb, the disease will have the same causes and symptoms as in adults, but in a somewhat enhanced form. For example, the incubation period can be shifted up to 3 days.
Toxoplasmosis in men and women
Toxoplasmosis in men. The disease always has an acute onset, if you do not start timely treatment of the infection, the disease easily becomes a chronic process. As a rule, the pathology begins with banal symptoms, namely general weaknesssleep disturbances and appetite. During this time, destructive processes begin in the male body, and the pathology itself, if untreated, causes the following complications: cystitis, inflammation of the prostate, erectile dysfunction.
Toxoplasmosis in women. The disease has similar symptoms, therefore, after their appearance, diagnosis and treatment must necessarily follow. Toxoplasma can affect the woman’s reproductive organs, namely the uterus and ovaries, which subsequently causes complications such as adnexitis, endometritis, menstruation disorders and infertility. The treatment of the disease is better in the acute stage, since with the remission of toxoplasmosis, the causative agent already has time to firmly establish itself in the body and create colonies in the form of cysts. If a woman was infected before pregnancy, the fetus does not suffer.
Toxoplasmosis in pregnant and lactating mothers
As mentioned above, if a woman has been infected with toxoplasma 6 months or more before conception, the infection does not threaten the fetus. If less time has passed, then the risk that the mother is able to transmit the disease to the child is there, that is, the baby runs the risk of being born with a diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis.
If the diagnosis of acute or chronic toxoplasmosis is confirmed, this means that specific therapy is required to reduce the risk of infection of the fetus. But usually this kind of event does not solve the problem in full, that is, it will not be possible to 100% avoid infection with this pathology, and since toxoplasmosis in children infected in utero ends very poorly, most doctors insist on the only way - abortion, especially if it is is about the first trimester.
If a disease is detected in the second and third trimesters of the expectant mother, etiotropic treatment and a mandatory study of the condition of the fetal fluid are performed.
This happens quite rarely. In other cases breast-feeding cannot be a cause of concern for the transmission of this disease.
Toxoplasmosis and HIV infection
People with immunodeficiency are poorly protected from various infections, and toxoplasmosis in the presence of HIV is not something special. According to statistics, cerebral form of this disease is found in 95% of HIV patients.
Symptoms of pathology in such individuals are due to damage to the central nervous system. In many patients, this ailment leads to brain damage, with about 75% of patients experiencing mental problems, 33% with epilepsy, and 72% are diagnosed with causeless fever and headaches.
Toxoplasmosis in cats and dogs
The fact that cats and dogs can not only get this disease, but also transmit it to humans is a rather scary fact, which is why many people perceive toxoplasmosis in animals with caution. How to distinguish a sick animal from a healthy one?
The animal acts as an intermediate host in this pathology. Manifestations of the disease can be as follows:
- fever;
- lethargic behavior, frequent breathing;
- vomiting, diarrhea;
- neurological disorders: stupor, convulsions, etc .;
- eye diseases.
Toxoplasmosis in a cat is often accompanied by eye damage, that is, this symptom is detected more often compared to other signs. All symptoms may occur in an animal from a few days to several months. Wherein clinical manifestations in cats can vary depending on the defeat of specific organs, according to which it is necessary to individually select the treatment of toxoplasmosis for the animal.
IN light form characterized by an asymptomatic course, in severe - acute clinical manifestations: in 50% of respiratory disorders, in 25% of the digestive and 25% neurological. The disease in dogs is most often diagnosed at a young age, and the symptoms of pathology in this case are usually generalized.
Symptoms in dogs in case of toxoplasmosis are as follows:
- fever;
- dyspnea;
- lack of appetite;
- vomiting, diarrhea;
- cramps.
Unlike the disease in cats, the disease in dogs is not accompanied by eye damage.
Currently, a specific vaccine against toxoplasmosis for animals has not been developed. Prior to the appointment of treatment, animals should be examined, that is, it is necessary to do an analysis for toxoplasmosis. Diagnosis without laboratory diagnosticsis considered unreliable.
So, how to treat dogs and cats toxoplasmosis is shown in the following table.
Spiramycin can be used in pregnant animals.
When making a diagnosis, a specialist finds out the nature of toxoplasmosis - a disease or carriage.
Since the clinical manifestations of this ailment are very diverse, the diagnosis of pathology is seriously complicated. Therefore, all patients must be tested for toxoplasmosis, followed by a breakdown of the results, for example, in the Invitro laboratory, where they will tell in detail how to take tests to obtain an accurate study result. This is done in the following ways:
Immunological methods, the task of which is to determine the time of infection with toxoplasma. With the enzyme immunoassay (ELISA), experts identify antibodies in the blood to toxoplasmosis. For example, this can occur through an RIF technique or an immunofluorescence reaction that deciphers the presence of antibodies using light. If a bright glow is detected, this means that antibodies have been detected to toxoplasmosis, the ELISA is positive.
In general, when immunological diagnosis by ELISA, a study of the class of immunoglobulins occurs, for this, a blood test for toxoplasmosis from a vein is taken. The presence of antibodies G to the pathogen in the blood indicates that the person has already suffered toxoplasmosis or is at the stage of recovery. If the ELISA method reveals immunoglobulins M, which should not be normal, then we are talking about acute toxoplasmosis and the need for treatment.
Also in Invitro, you can identify the DNA of the pathogen in human biological fluids using the PCR method. Typically, venous blood is taken for toxoplasmosis for this purpose. When toxoplasma DNA is detected, we are talking about inflammatory process in organism.
Treatment
Treatment of toxoplasmosis in adults and children is based on the relief of the pathological process.
But toxoplasmosis does not require intervention in all cases. If during the study by ELISA, the patient was found to have IgG toxoplasmosis positive and there are no signs of the disease, there is no need for medication in this situation.
Treatment of acute toxoplasmosis
In combination with the above methods, toxoplasmosis is additionally treated with sulfonamides and antibiotics, in particular macrolides and tetracyclines.
The situation when toxoplasmosis and pregnancy coincide also requires treatment, but in this case it is important not only to stop the pathology in a woman, but to prevent the risk of infection of the fetus. For this purpose, the doctor prescribes an antibiotic of the macrolide group - Rovamycin from the 16th week of pregnancy according to the scheme:
- 1 tab (1,500 million units) 2 times a day for 6 weeks;
- 1 tab (3 million units) 3 times a day for 10 days.
Aminoquinol from the 9th week and Chloridin from the 16th can also be prescribed to pregnant women.
Treatment of chronic toxoplasmosis
Therefore, the chronic form of toxoplasmosis is treated with immunomodulators and antihistamines, in addition, UV radiation can be used.
Consider what the immunostimulating therapy looks like in the table.
Desensitizing therapy is carried out with antihistamines Suprastin, Tavegil, etc. It is aimed at blocking the activity of H1-histamine receptors to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction.
Some patients benefit from the use of an ASD fraction (Dorogov's antiseptic stimulant), which has a wide spectrum of action. The drug is not toxic, does not have side effectsIt is well tolerated by the body, and most importantly, compatible with other medications.
Toxoplasmosis treatment folk remedies should be carried out with the permission of the doctor. You can not refuse the official therapy prescribed by a specialist if treatment of toxoplasmosis is required in children and expectant mothers.
So which folk recipes effective with toxoplasmosis?
- Art. Spoon the collection of calendula, elecampane, aspen bark, calamus and eucalyptus, pour a glass of boiling water and leave for about an hour. Take 3 times a day according to Art. spoon.
- Chop young branches of bird cherry about 100 g and add 2 liters of water. Bring to a boil, keep on fire for another 20 minutes. Insist for 3 hours and drink 50 ml before meals 3 times a day for 1 month.
- 100 g of propolis pour 0.5 liters of vodka, insist for 14 days. Take 40 drops 3 times daily before meals. The course is 7 days, then a 7-day break and the course is repeated again, in total 4 such courses will be required.
Prevention
Prevention of toxoplasmosis is usually aimed at preventing infection of the population. It includes the following points.
Some pathologies make themselves felt very quickly, while others long time are asymptomatic. From this article you will learn everything about what is toxoplasmosis, what are the symptoms and treatment of this disease, what are the signs of infection and the causes of the disease.
What is toxoplasmosis?
Important! The most difficult course is toxoplasmosis in patients with a congenital diagnosis, so a woman should think about the future of her child while planning a pregnancy.
Toxoplasma is an infection that can infect not only people, but also animals. The main carriers of this microorganism are domestic cats and other representatives of the feline family.
Causes of infection
The causative agent of toxoplasmosis can be obtained mainly from domestic animals. From person to person, the disease is extremely rare. Toxoplasma can be found in animal saliva, excrement or milk. Food, water, and surfaces can be infected. When the pathogen enters the human body, it can circulate through the blood, and can be deposited in various organs.
You can distinguish these ways of infection with toxoplasmosis:
- through eating foods infected with Toxoplasma;
- due to poorly fried meat;
- due to the lack of good hygiene after cleaning cat's toilets;
- through blood transfusion;
- when transplanting organs in which there was an infection;
- from mother to baby during pregnancy.
For pregnant women, infection with toxoplasmosis is considered extremely undesirable, since for a child the consequences are fatal. The infection is dangerous because there is a high risk of spontaneous abortion or fetal death. If a woman becomes infected in the late stages, complications do not pose a threat to the life of the child, however, even after the birth of the disease, the disease can have an acute course and an unfavorable prognosis.
But can it baby during lactation to get an infection from the mother through milk? The probability is extremely small. Infection is possible only if toxoplasma is present in the mother’s blood, and there are bleeding cracks or wounds on the nipples.
Disease classification
There is a classification of toxoplasmosis, which divides the disease into types depending on the nature of the course and the affected area.
By the nature of the infection, there are:
- acquired form (throughout life);
- congenital (infection obtained from the mother and often leads to fatal consequences).
Acquired toxoplasmosis is of the following varieties:
- acute (sudden onset of the disease with vivid symptoms);
- chronic toxoplasmosis (for a long time the signs are invisible, asymptomatic).
Depending on the affected area, the disease happens:
- meningoencephalic (toxoplasmosis of the brain);
- ophthalmic (eye damage with visual impairment);
- lymphonodular (lymph nodes suffer);
- cardiac (with heart pain, shortness of breath and other heart symptoms).
Regardless of which organs were affected by toxoplasmosis, the disease should be treated as soon as possible. Without adequate therapy, the infection can cause irreversible changes.
Symptoms of Toxoplasmosis
The sooner the patient discovers the first signs of toxoplasmosis, the more effective the treatment will be. Symptoms usually appear after the incubation period ends. When infected with toxoplasma, it lasts from 3 days to 3 weeks. Symptoms of the disease depend on the form in which the disease occurs.
Features of acute toxoplasmosis
The acute stage of toxoplasmosis develops in the case of an acquired form of the disease. The disease begins with problems with the lymph nodes. Although to the touch they remain soft and merged with the rest soft tissue, and the pain is not felt, they increase in size. The occipital and cervical nodes suffer most of all, less often axillary and inguinal lymph nodes are involved in the pathological process.
Sometimes, with toxoplasma, the liver and spleen are negatively affected by infection. These organs are enlarged. A papular rose-like rash may appear on the skin (it looks like you can see it in the photo).
After the virus multiplies in lymphatic system, the infection enters the bloodstream. After that, under the damaging effect of toxoplasma, any organs fall into the blood pathogen.
Possible violations:
- sensitivity change;
- dizziness;
- visual impairment;
- increased intracranial pressure;
- muscle tension on the back of the head;
- nausea and vomiting;
- severe headaches;
- hypertensive crises;
- instability of the emotional state.
With more extensive lesions of the spinal cord, it may appear nagging pain along the nerves. Sometimes there are complaints of numbness of the limbs, a decrease in pain sensitivity.
Features of chronic toxoplasmosis
The chronic form of toxoplasmosis is characterized by constant exacerbations. Although the clinical picture is erased, negative symptoms are present almost constantly. A person suffers from such phenomena:
- periodic headaches of varying intensity;
- general weakness;
- decreased performance;
- increase in body temperature to non-critical levels;
- dizziness;
- a sharp change in mood;
- irritability;
- failures in sleep mode;
- memory impairment;
- gradual decrease in visual acuity.
Less commonly, patients report unusual visual disturbances. Before my eyes there is a feeling of fogging, flash, point. Sometimes the clarity of the image is so reduced that it does not even lend itself to correction.
In more severe cases, the prolonged presence of toxoplasma in the body causes more severe disorders, namely:
Features of congenital toxoplasmosis
Congenital toxoplasmosis occurs in a newborn baby, provided that the infection has infected his mother during the gestation period. When the pathogen enters the body of a woman for up to 24 weeks, the pregnancy spontaneously terminates. In more rare cases, the baby is born with severe defects, including deafness, jaundice, enlarged liver and spleen. If the infection of the expectant mother occurred at a period of 24 to 40 weeks, a dropsy of the brain develops.
Treatment at home is not carried out, and the baby is given the first aid immediately after birth. After the acute stage of the course of the pathology passes, toxoplasmosis can provoke encephalitis, signs of an unstable psyche, obesity and sexual infantilism.
Diagnostic measures
So that the doctor can correctly prescribe medicationsIt is important to accurately diagnose the infection. It is especially important to timely pass all the tests during pregnancy.
A pregnant woman is examined immediately after registration. The study may consist of the following activities:
- skin test with toxoplasmin;
- serological tests for the determination of titers of immunoglobulins igG and igM.
If the igG toxoplasmosis test is positive, then igG antibodies are detected in the body. This indicates that the pregnant woman already had contact with the infection and she has strong immunity.
If the studies give a negative result, the studies are repeated in the second and third trimester. If during this period antibodies to toxoplasma appear in the blood, it means that the woman contracted the infection already during the gestation of the child. Treatment is performed after the second trimester.
In addition to a blood test for toxoplasmosis, such studies are carried out:
- spinal cord puncture;
- x-ray of the skull;
- toxoplasmin test;
- ultrasound examination of internal organs that have been exposed to infection.
If IgM immunoglobulins were detected during serological testing, this indicates the presence of an acute process. They appear in the blood 2 weeks after infection. As you recover, this indicator decreases, and the level of igG increases, which indicates acquired immunity. If there are immunoglobulins of both categories in the blood, then a person has encountered an infection in the last year. Thanks to these two indicators, it is possible to determine avidity for toxoplasma.
When diagnosing toxoplasmosis in newborns, the normal immunoglobulin values \u200b\u200bare compared with the data in the mother. In the presence of congenital infectious disease indicators in the baby will be 4 times higher than in women. If the indicators are identical, the study is repeated after 1-2 weeks. The interpretation of the results should be carried out only by a doctor.
Disease treatment
A prescription may include the following groups of medicines:
- sulfonamides;
- antibacterial agents;
- glucocorticoids;
- immunomodulators;
- vitamins
- antihistamines.
What medications to use, the doctor decides after examining the patient and receiving all the necessary examination results, Rovamycin is most often prescribed to combat the toxoplasmosis pathogen. This drug is usually prescribed for adults and patients older than 3 years with the exception of the congenital form of the disease.
Although some believe that folk ways may be effective, their use and neglect of the main treatment can lead to serious consequences and the progression of the disease.
Prevention
Prevention consists of the following activities:
- thorough hygiene and washing of fruits and vegetables;
- high-quality thermal cooking of meat products;
- wash hands after contact with pets;
- always wash your hands before eating.
Women should be especially careful during pregnancy. To make sure that pets are not carriers of infection, you can pass their feces for analysis.
Watch the video:
The disease bears a special danger during the period of gestation for both the woman and the unborn baby.
The concept of toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is a disease that mainly affects the area of \u200b\u200bthe liver, spleen and lymph nodes.
Often, an ailment for many years does not manifest itself in any way, and it carries a special danger to a person until the moment when helminths are not activated. If such a process occurs, then the patient will face complications.
Methods of infection
Toxoplasmosis is most common in countries that have a warm climate. Also, those who work closely with raw meat are at greater risk of contracting toxoplasmosis.
This disease is transmitted in different ways, but the most common include contact with domestic cats. It is in their body that helminths reach puberty and begin to multiply there actively.
How is toxoplasmosis transmitted from animal to human? Helminths are excreted along with urine and feces.
Scientists have found that toxoplasma live in cat feces for about two years.
Cysts are also transmitted through the saliva or milk of an animal through close contact.
Therefore, experts say that cats should not be kissed, because it is from them that infection can occur.
How people become infected with toxoplasmosis has become clear. But the most dangerous view infection is the transmission of helminths from the expectant mother to the baby during pregnancy.
If a woman falls ill with toxoplasmosis in the first trimester, then this process can lead to development birth defects in the fetus.
Types of disease
Toxoplasmosis in humans may not manifest itself for a long time. But everything in medicine, this disease is usually divided into several types.
The classification of toxoplasmosis is:
- Acute course. The incubation period of toxoplasmosis lasts from two weeks to several months. The course of the disease is quite severe, therefore, without proper and timely treatment, it can be fatal. The duration of the acute period is from seven days to two to three months. The disease is not completely cured.
- Chronic course. This type of disease is characterized by regular exacerbations. During remission, it proceeds without symptoms. When an exacerbation begins, the disease flows sluggishly. Toxoplasmosis can occur after the development of acute respiratory viral infections, influenza infection, as well as with prolonged use of immunosuppressants and cytostatics.
- Latent current. This type of disease in humans occurs almost without symptoms, so it is quite difficult to identify it.
Symptoms depend on the form of the disease.
Symptomatology
Separately, we need to talk about a disease of a congenital nature. If toxoplasmosis occurred in women during the gestation period, then the baby may die. If this does not happen, then the child will be born with various pathologies and external deformities.
Symptoms of toxoplasmosis in humans are manifested in:
- general malaise, weakness and fatigue;
- increase in temperature indicators to 38-39 degrees;
- pain in muscle and joint structures;
- swollen lymph nodes. At the same time, they can hurt when palpating;
- the onset of symptoms of meningitis or encephalitis;
- the appearance of rashes or white spots on the skin;
- enlarged liver and spleen;
- violation of visual and auditory function;
- musculoskeletal system disorder.
All of the above symptoms indicate that the patient has an acute toxoplasmosis.
If chronic toxoplasmosis occurs, symptoms in a person will manifest in:
- a slight increase in temperature indicators to 37.5 degrees;
- weakness in the morning after sleep;
- increased nervousness and irritability;
- manifestation of pain in the head;
- pain in the muscle and joint tissues;
- swollen lymph nodes, liver, and spleen;
- decreased appetite and pain in the abdomen;
- feeling of tightness in the chest;
- the development of myopia or chorioretinitis.
If toxoplasmosis occurs, the woman's symptoms will manifest themselves in the development of adnexitis. This condition can lead to infertility.
In the female half of the population there is a malfunction in menstrual cycle. Other gynecological processes can also form that lead to internal damage to the uterus, cervix or ovaries.
During the period of gestation, the expectant mother may complain of migraines, pressure surges, the appearance of rashes on the skin.
Toxoplasmosis in men is primarily manifested in impotence and impaired erectile function. Hypofunction of the thyroid gland may occur.
Complications
When toxoplasmosis occurs, what is it, patients try to find out immediately. But only an experienced specialist can tell in detail about what this disease is.
Also, the patient needs to know what is dangerous toxoplasmosis. With delayed treatment of an acute form, the ailment can be fatal, especially for young children.
The most dangerous is acute toxoplasmosis, which develops in a woman during the gestation period. On the early dates Pregnancy disease can lead to fetal freezing or miscarriage.
If all goes well, then the infected baby appears. In such cases, it is customary to talk about a congenital type of disease.
A child is born with severe signs of intoxication, enlarged liver and spleen, damage to the visual organ and yellowed skin.
In the first days after patrimonial activity the newborn has symptoms of encephalitis and a fever. A maculopapular rash also occurs. With this phenomenon, papules have a purple or burgundy hue.
After the treatment process, the child develops a chronic form of toxoplasmosis. It is characterized by hydrocephalus, oligophrenia, chorioretinitis, epilepsy, optic nerve atrophy, or blindness.
An infected child has a low chance of life. Often the above consequences are progressive.
If a woman was ill with toxoplasmosis before the conception of a child, she underwent a treatment course and has a chronic nature of toxoplasmosis, then the future baby is not in danger. Seventy percent of cases are born healthy.
Diagnosis
It is impossible to diagnose an ailment only by complaints of the patient. Then how to detect toxoplasmosis? A detailed examination is mandatory.
At present, the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis can be carried out by various methods. The patient may be asked to pass urine, blood or feces for analysis.
If the patient passes, the diagnosis primarily consists of laboratory tests.
When a patient is diagnosed, they are asked to undergo an additional examination to determine how affected the body is.
In such cases, the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis consists in:
- magnetic or computed tomography;
- ultrasound examination;
- x-ray examination;
- electrocardiography.
When the exact diagnosis is established and the form of the disease is recognized, you can begin the healing process.
Therapeutic measures
Can Toxoplasmosis Be Cured Forever? If treatment of toxoplasmosis in adults and children in acute form was started on initial stage, then you can overcome the disease. With a delayed treatment process, patients form complications, one of which is a chronic type of disease.
If a person has been ill with toxoplasmosis at least once in his life, then antibodies will form. Their presence can be detected only with the help of laboratory research.
Is it necessary to treat toxoplasmosis? This type of ailment refers to those that always require treatment therapeutic measures. If during the examination using the serological method were detected antibodies of the group, while there are no symptoms, treatment in such situations is not carried out.
If antibodies of groups M and A were found in the patient, and toxoplasmosis itself has vivid symptoms, then treatment is carried out using complex therapy.
The healing process depends on how affected the body is.
If the patient has toxoplasmosis, symptoms, treatment indicate the acute nature of the disease, then the patient is prescribed:
- Antimalarial drugs. These include Chloridin, Fansidar or Aminoquinol. The duration of the treatment course is from seven days to six weeks.
- This process negatively affects the development of the inert brain. So that there is no severe damage to it and tissue restoration is observed, it is necessary to take drugs with folic acid. At least six milligrams of the drug should be ingested per day.
- Antibacterial agents. This group of funds acts on any microbes depressingly. These include Biseptol, Sulfapyridazine, Linkomycin, Metronidazole. The duration of the treatment course is from seven to fourteen days.
How to cure chronic toxoplasmosis? The main task of the doctor and patient is to maintain immune function. Such a process will reduce the number of exacerbations.
Then patients are treated with such a treatment regimen, which includes:
- Immunostimulating agents. This group of medicines can include Cycloferon, Timogen or Tactivin.
- Taking antihistamines to reduce the manifestation of allergic reactions. The patient may be prescribed Suprastin, Fenistil, Zodak, Tavegil. The medicine is selected based on the age of the patient.
- The introduction of toxoplasmin. Before conducting this method, the patient undergoes an allergic test. After a day, doctors compare the results and identify how toxoplasmin affects the patient's body. After another day, the patient is administered a dosage more than twice. Also monitor the reaction of the patient. Thus, it is necessary to carry out five to seven procedures.
- Carrying out ultraviolet radiation. The treatment process begins with the appointment of a small biological dosage. Daily it is increased by a quarter, monitoring the response of the skin.
Therapeutic therapy may be adjusted. How toxoplasmosis is treated can only be said by an experienced doctor after an appropriate examination.
But it is worth noting that the symptoms and treatment for acute toxoplasmosis should be recognized immediately.
Prevention
Toxoplasmosis is rarely transmitted between people, since cats are the main carriers.
If the patient doubts whether he suffers from this disease, then it is possible to conduct tests for latent infections. If toxoplasmas are detected, the doctor will prescribe therapeutic therapy.
To exclude the development of the disease and repeated relapses, toxoplasmosis should be prevented.
It consists in:
- compliance with hygiene rules;
- reduced close contact with cats;
- excluding the consumption of raw or poorly cooked meat;
- thorough washing of vegetable and fruit crops;
- increase in immune forces.
If a cat lives in the house, then the prevention of toxoplasmosis consists in its regular examination. If this disease is detected, then it is necessary to urgently treat the animal, and after that all households should be checked.
In most patients, even with toxoplasma in the body clinical signs There are no diseases, therefore, a mandatory examination for toxoplasmosis is recommended for those at risk. This applies not only to pregnant women, but also to persons who:
- eat insufficiently processed meat;
- work on livestock farms, in zoos, in veterinary clinics;
- had a blood transfusion or an organ transplant took place.
How to detect toxoplasmosis in humans by direct methods?
It is most reliable to detect the virus visually. You can see it with multiple magnification under a microscope, but first you need to take liquid or tissue for examination. For the study by PCR, tissues are taken that are obtained as a result of a biopsy, or biological fluids of the patient (blood, saliva). PCR is used to isolate the DNA of the pathogen. However, this method is ineffective in the later stages of the disease or in latent form, when all microorganisms are localized in the organs.
How to determine toxoplasmosis in humans by serological methods?
One of the most effective wayshow to recognize toxoplasmosis is a serological method for studying blood serum, when not microorganisms are detected in the test material, but antibodies to them, which are formed after infection. Specific class M immunoglobulins are formed immediately after infection. After about a month, their number becomes peak, and then begins to decline. Instead, they develop class G antibodies. Their high titers indicate an acute form of the disease. In some patients, immunoglobulins of this group are preserved for life, so the resulting immunity will not allow to get infected again.