Toxoplasmosis is a common worldwide parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. It is usually an asymptomatic infection, but it is related to several sequelae when acquired in utero, or related to cerebral abscesses due to its reactivation in immunocompromised patients (e.g. HIV/AIDS).
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Epidemiology
25-30% of the world's population is estimated to be infected by T. gondii, with a large range of prevalence between countries (10-80%) 1.
Clinical presentation
Patients typically present with fever, headache, and malaise. They may later develop personality changes and seizures.
Pathology
Human infection occurs via three primary routes 3:
ingestion of infected meat that has been inadequately cooked
ingestion of oocysts contained within feces passed by an infected cat
direct transmission from a woman to her fetus
Radiographic features
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History and etymology
The parasite was first described by Charles Nicolle and Louis Manceaux in 1909 2.
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