This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
- Pranita Tamma, MD
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD
Toxoplasmosis is caused by infection with the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. Domestic and feral cats are the definitive hosts of T gondii. During acute infections, cats excrete oocytes, which can remain infectious for about 1 year. Humans can become infected by eating raw or inadequately cooked meat containing oocytes. People also can ingest oocysts inadvertently that cats have passed in their feces. Such exposure may occur from contact with cat litter boxes, contamination with soil from gardening, or the eating of unwashed fruits or vegetables. The incubation period in adults ranges from 5 to 23 days. In the acute stage, T gondii invades many cell types, including muscle, heart, liver, spleen, lymph nodes, and the central nervous system (CNS). Cell invasion results in the death of cells and acute inflammatory reactions.
In adolescents and adults, the severity of T gondii infection is correlated with the immune status of the infected person. Infections in immunocompetent hosts are asymptomatic or can result in lymphadenopathy, fever, and malaise. Such symptoms usually resolve within weeks to months without treatment. Infection in immunocompromised patients can be severe. Immunosuppression can result in …
Individual Login
Institutional Login
You may be able to gain access using your login credentials for your institution. Contact your librarian or administrator if you do not have a username and password.
Log in through your institution
Pay Per Article - You may access this article (from the computer you are currently using) for 2 days for US$25.00
Regain Access - You can regain access to a recent Pay per Article purchase if your access period has not yet expired.