Toxoplasmosis


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Antibodies
Congenital toxoplasmosis
Congenital toxoplasmosis
Slit-lamp exam
Prevention

Avoid undercooked meats, or freeze meat to -20 degrees Celsius for 2 days. Protect children's play areas from cat and dog feces. Wash the hands thoroughly after contact with soil that may be contaminated with animal feces.

Pregnant women should have their blood examined for Toxoplasma antibody -- and those with negative results should take measures to prevent infection by avoiding exposure to cat feces (including not cleaning litter boxes), cooking meat thoroughly, and washing hands thoroughly after handling raw meat.

Patients with HIV disease should have toxoplasma antibody titers checked. If the results of the blood test are positive and if the CD4 count is less than 100, patients should be given prophylactic antibiotics (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is the medication of choice) with antiretroviral therapy until the CD4 cell count has risen.



Review Date: 02/13/2006
Reviewed By: Monica Gandhi, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.


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