Joint International Conference on Long-term Experiments ...

glaucoma, cataract, chorioretinitis, optic atrophy with cecity, deafness, encephalitis,
pneumonia, myocarditis, hemorrhagic syndrome). These forms are incompatible
with life; newborns survive, but exhibit severe sequelae: blindness, epilepsy,
psycho-motor retardation (they may appear within weeks, months or years since
birth)
• Moderate forms manifested as hepatosplenomegaly and lymphoadenopathy, in the
first two months of life, then with CNS and ocular affection (after months or years
since birth)
• Light forms manifested as ocular affection (isolated micro-ophtalmy, strabismus,
chorioretinitis), neurological affection (hypotonia, transient somnolence), or hepatic
affection (persistent icterus for several months afterbirth)
Children with congenital toxoplasmosis may exhibit at birth: prematurity, low weight,
icterus, petechiae, ecchymoses by thrombocytopenia, anemia, hepatomegaly,
splenomegaly, pneumonia, different degrees of ocular affection, mental retardation,
micro- or macrocephaly, hydrocephaly, cerebral calcifications, epilepsy, encephalitis.
Newborns without clinical signs of toxoplasmic infections may ulteriorly exhibit
ocular affection (chorioretinitis, strabismus, blindness), CNS affection (neurological and
psychological deficiencies, mental retardation, convulsions, learning disability),
ponderal deficit. The risk of ocular affection in these children is 1 in 3 cases.
5./ General prophylactic measures of toxoplasmosis
The acute toxoplasmic infection is difficultly prevented in the circumstances of the
existence of extrahuman natural focality (sick felines). A proof of this fact is the high
number of persons found positive at the IgG antitoxoplasma test. The importance of
acute infection prophylaxis is not evident at first glance, since it only leads to
symptomatic sickness or chronic infection in a small percent of cases. However, the
epidemiologic research demonstrates the severity of pathological consequences of
infection in the circumstances of immune response modification of the intermediary
host, due to the numerous immunodeppressive factors existing in the environment
which intervene at unexpected times.
Therefore, the following general measures are necessary:
• Neutralization of infective sources (sanitary-veterinary measures, with periodic
parasitological surveillance of domestic cats, hygienization of animals’ food, oocyst
pollution prevention)
• Measures of alimentary hygiene: consumption of aliments (meat, milk, etc.) only
after an adequate thermal processing, correct washing of fruit and vegetables
• Measures of individual, environmental hygiene (active epidemiologic surveillance
of risky professional domains)
• Prevention of infection transmission by blood transfusion or organ transplant
(exclusion of seropositive donors)
• Detection of acute infection and prompt treatment
• Sanitary education of pregnant women
• If the infection has occurred in the first trimester of pregnancy, therapeutic abortion
is highly recommended, if the infection has occurred after the third month of
pregnancy, the newborn is to be supervised and treated.
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