SUMMARY Infections by the protozoan parasiteToxoplasma gondiiarewidely prevalent in humans and animals in Brazil The burden of clinical toxoplasmosis in humans is considered to be very high The high prevalence and encouragement of the Brazilian Governmentprovidesauniqueopportunityforinternationalgroupstostudytheepidemiologyandcontroloftoxoplasmosis in Brazil Many early papers on toxoplasmosis in Brazil were published in Portuguese and often not available to scientists in English-speaking countries In the present paper we review prevalence, clinical spectrum, molecular epidemiology, and control of T gondii in humans and animals in Brazil This knowledge should be useful to biologists, public health workers, veterinarians, and physicians Brazil has a very high rate of T gondii infection in humans Up to 50% of elementary school children and 50–80% of women of child-bearing age have antibodies to T gondii The risks for uninfected women to acquire toxoplasmosis during pregnancy and fetal transmission are high because the environment is highly contaminated with oocysts The burden of toxoplasmosis in congenitally infected children is also very high From limited data on screening of infants for T gondii IgM at birth, 5–23 children are born infected per 10000 live births in Brazil Based on an estimate of 1 infected child per 1000 births, 2649 children with congenital toxoplasmosis are likely to be born annually in Brazil Most of these infected children are likely to develop symptoms or signs of clinical toxoplasmosis Among the congenitally infected childrenwhoseclinicaldataaredescribedinthisreview,severaldiedsoonafterbirth,35%hadneurologicaldiseaseincluding hydrocephalus, microcephaly and mental retardation, 80% had ocular lesions, and in one report 40% of children had hearing loss The severity of clinical toxoplasmosis in Brazilian children may be associated with the genetic characteristics of T gondii isolates prevailing in animals and humans in Brazil

Toxoplasmosis in humans and animals in Brazil: high prevalence, high burden of disease, and epidemiology.

Biological and genetic characterisation of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from chickens (Gallus domesticus) from São Paulo, Brazil: unexpected findings.

Serological screening and evaluation of exposure factors for Toxoplasma gondii transmission were conducted in 2126 pregnant women from southern Brazil. Specific antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii were presented by 74.5% (n=1583) of the pregnant women evaluated. Contact with soil was found to be the major factor for infection.

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Serological screening and toxoplasmosis exposure factors among pregnant women in South of Brazil Triagem sorológica e fatores de risco para toxoplasmose em gestantes no Sul do Brasil

/pdf/serological-screening-and-toxoplasmosis-exposure-factors-fm5pxlg37c.pdf

Serological screening and toxoplasmosis exposure factors among pregnant women in South of Brazil.

The authors present 17 cases of symptomatic acute toxoplasmosis acquired by the ingestion of raw mutton offered during a party in September 1993. The incubation period carried from 6 to 13 days (10.9 ± 7.0). Sixteen (94.5%) patients presented fever, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, and adenopathy (cervical or cervical/axilar). Hepatomegaly was found in 6 patients, splenomegaly in 4 and rash in 2. One patient presented clinical picture of chorioretinitis confirmed by ophthalmological exam. All patients showed increased serum levels of specific antibodies (IgG and IgM) on indirect immunofuorescence assay evidencing acute phase of toxoplasmosis. The patients were treated with specific drugs for toxoplasmosis and presented satisfactory clinical and laboratory response.

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/rsbmt/v30n1/0655.pdf

Surto de toxoplasmose aguda transmitida através da ingestão de carne crua de gado ovino

Levantamento dos resultados das reações de imunofluorescência indireta para toxoplasmose em 6079 pacientes de ambulatório ou gestantes no Rio de Janeiro realizadas durante os anos de 1971 a 1977.

C.A Marzochi

Papers

Levantamento dos resultados das reações de imunofluorescência indireta para toxoplasmose em 6079 pacientes de ambulatório ou gestantes no Rio de Janeiro realizadas durante os anos de 1971 a 1977.