Infectious Disease

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasma gondii infection is usually asymptomatic or mild in immunocompetent people, but needs specialist management when it affects the eye, brain, pregnancy or fetus; keep these pathways separate.

Definition

Toxoplasmosis is infection with the intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. It is usually asymptomatic or mild in immunocompetent people but can cause cerebral or ocular reactivation in immunocompromised people and congenital disease after maternal infection.

First principles

Exposure creates lifelong tissue cysts

People acquire Toxoplasma gondii by ingesting oocysts from cat-faeces-contaminated soil, water or produce, or tissue cysts in undercooked meat. Acute tachyzoites disseminate and are then controlled as bradyzoite tissue cysts, which can persist for life, especially in brain, retina and muscle.

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