Analysis for toxoplasmosis in a child. Congenital toxoplasmosis. In severe disease, there is

Infection can occur in several ways:

toxoplasmosis in children can develop with intrauterine infection from a sick mother;
when used meat products(pork, beef, lamb), which have not undergone sufficient heat treatment;
after contact with an infected animal;
through the bites of blood-sucking insects;
during organ transplantation;
when oocysts get on a fresh wound or mucous membranes;
after blood transfusion;
through dirty hands after contact with a cat tray, a pet, cutting fresh meat.

From the moment of infection to the appearance of the first symptoms, it can take from 5 days to 3 weeks. At this time, oocysts enter the intestine, then into the blood and to the internal organs, lymph nodes, where they begin to multiply actively, causing acute inflammation.

In most adults, the disease is almost asymptomatic in a latent form. But with intrauterine infection, Toxoplasma penetrates the placental barrier, severe damage to the brain, heart, central nervous system, liver, fetal eye. An infected person is only a carrier, but cannot infect healthy people even with close contact.

Clinical symptoms of toxoplasmosis in children

If there is intrauterine infection of a pregnant woman on early dates, then in most cases the fetus dies, dead babies are born. Toxoplasmosis in infants who managed to survive is manifested by irreversible damage to the central nervous system, eyes, internal organs, and brain. Children suffer from a severe form of mental retardation.

Acute toxoplasmosis in a child is characterized by the following symptoms:

increase in body temperature up to 38-39°C;
an increase in the lymph nodes of the cervical and axillary region;
papular rash all over body, except for hairy areas, feet and palms;
blurred vision, strabismus, clouding of the crystal;
enlargement of the liver, spleen;
lack of appetite;
yellowness of the skin;
headache;
myalgia, joint pain;
convulsions;
paralysis of the limbs of varying degrees.

Acute disseminated toxoplasmosis in children is observed with severe immunodeficiency. Patients are severely malnourished, with the spread of oocysts throughout the body, encephalitis, anemia develops, the disease causes convulsions, epileptic seizures, disorientation in space, loss of consciousness, coma.

ocular toxoplasmosis causes uveitis, chorioretinitis, iridocyclitis, strabismus, blindness;
lymphonodular type of infection is characterized by an increase and inflammation of the lymph nodes, liver, spleen;
generalized toxoplasmosis is manifested by the development of jaundice, pneumonia, ulcerative lesions of the intestine, myocarditis, lymph nodes, brain;
the cardiac type of the disease is accompanied by shortness of breath, palpitations, myocarditis, pericarditis;
the meningoencephalitic form causes the development of meningitis, vasculitis, increased intracranial pressure, severe headaches, paresthesias and paralysis.

Features of a congenital disease

In newborns, congenital toxoplasmosis is the most dangerous form of the disease, especially if the infection of the pregnant mother occurred in the 1st and 2nd trimester. During this period, the laying of all vital important systems and organs in the fetus. For this reason, doctors recommend termination of pregnancy when toxoplasmosis is confirmed.

If congenital toxoplasmosis is present, the symptoms depend on how early in the pregnancy the infection occurred. Infection of the mother in the 1st trimester (up to 2 months) threatens with abortion, fetal fading. If the infection happened from 2 to 6 months, an inflammatory process develops in the child, this leads to the formation of fibrosis in the tissues and disruption of the functioning of internal organs.

In the case of infection with toxoplasmosis at 6-7 months of pregnancy, newborns suffer from hydrocephalus, jaundice, anemia, convulsive syndrome, have underweight. Infection in the last stages is characterized by a generalized form of damage to internal organs and systems.

Not always manifestations of infection occur immediately after birth. The first symptoms may not be diagnosed until several months or years later. Toxoplasma leads to partial complete loss of vision, children lag behind in mental development from their peers, there are serious brain damage, abnormal formation of the skull bones. Often there are neuroendocrine disorders, epilepsy, schizophrenia, obesity, adolescents experience early puberty.

In most cases, toxoplasmosis in children over 7 years of age occurs in the chronic stage, manifested by general malaise, fever to subfebrile values, enlargement of the liver, lymph nodes, visual impairment, conjunctivitis. The immune system produces protective antibodies, after which all symptoms disappear without any treatment.

Methods for the diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis in children

To confirm the diagnosis, a serological study of blood serum is performed. According to the results of the analysis, the titer of immunoglobulins is determined, which rises 2 weeks after infection. According to the degree of concentration of IgM and IgG antibodies, acute and chronic stages are distinguished.

List of laboratory tests:

biochemical and general blood test;
bacteriological culture;
enzyme immunoassay for antibodies to toxoplasma - ELISA;
reaction with toxoplasmin.

In case of serious damage to the internal organs or the brain in children, MRI, computed tomography, ECG, examination of the fundus, X-ray of the skull are additionally performed. Generalized, lymphonodular congenital toxoplasmosis is diagnosed by examining the puncture of the lymph nodes, cerebrospinal fluid. To confirm congenital pathology, tests are taken from the mother and child.

Treatment of toxoplasmosis in children is carried out in a complex manner, with the use of immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, etiotropic (Chloridine + Bactrim) and pathogenetic drugs. Symptomatic therapy is also prescribed to eliminate the general symptoms of malaise. An etiotropic course must be taken for 5-10 days with breaks for 10 days, usually 3 cycles are required.

For general strengthening of the body and prevention of development side effects folic acid, multivitamin complex, probiotics are prescribed. To eliminate the rash drink antihistamines, with damage to the central nervous system, a course of glucocorticoids is indicated.

The doctor selects the drugs and the treatment regimen, taking into account the form of the disease and the degree of damage to the internal organs. The therapy is quite long, it can take from 1 month to a year. In the future, a child who has had toxoplasmosis should be registered with a pediatrician for 10 years, undergo an examination every six months.

If a child suffers from a chronic form of toxoplasmosis, then the disease is difficult to treat. First of all, it is carried out by strengthening the immune system, while it affects the body of the baby, it is covered with a shell and is in an inactive state, without causing symptoms acute infection. But in case of weakening of the immune defense, a relapse is possible.

With generalized congenital toxoplasmosis in infants, the prognosis is unfavorable, a fatal outcome is possible. In some cases, children remain disabled. If infection occurs in a child of 5–7 years, complications of varying severity develop. In adults with strong immunity, the prognosis is favorable.

Prevention of toxoplasmosis

Main preventive actions for pregnant women and children:

washing hands with soap after contact with pets, soil, raw meat;
timely treatment of cats, deworming;
sufficient heat treatment of meat and dairy products (above 70°C), preliminary freezing for at least 3 days at a temperature not lower than -18°C;
washing vegetables and fruits with running water;
treatment of dishes with boiling water;
you need to drink boiled, purified water;
Do not feed raw meat to pets.

Pregnant women should regularly undergo a medical examination, if possible, exclude contact with cats if the body does not have immunity to toxoplasma. In the presence of IgG antibodies in the blood of the expectant mother, there is no risk of intrauterine infection, so special preventive measures are not necessary.

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General information

Diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis

Diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis can be carried out in the antenatal and postnatal period. Antenatal examination involves the use of invasive methods with further laboratory tests. The absolute indication for their implementation is acute maternal toxoplasmosis in combination with fetal developmental disorders according to the results of obstetric ultrasound. The choice of research methodology depends on the duration of pregnancy. With gestation from 10 weeks, a chorion biopsy is performed, from 16 weeks - amniocentesis, from 18 - cordocentesis. To verify the infection, the obtained material is examined using PCR. Postnatal diagnosis includes the collection of anamnestic data and the conduct of clinical and laboratory studies. This measure is mandatory for all children at risk of intrauterine infection. Nonspecific diagnosis and its results depend on the symptoms and syndromes present. The list of studies may include OAC (anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukocytosis); chest x-ray (signs of lung infiltration); neurosonography and CT of the brain; a biochemical blood test with the measurement of ALT and AST, the determination of CRP, the level of bilirubin and its fractions (all indicators are above normal); ophthalmoscopy (retinal necrosis); lumbar puncture (signs of inflammation). Specific methods involve the serodiagnosis of biological fluids by ELISA, in which there is an increase in the titer of IgG antibodies by 4 or more times and high level IgM for 10-14 days. If necessary, PCR is performed to identify Toxoplasma DNA.

Treatment of congenital toxoplasmosis

Treatment of a newborn with a pronounced clinical picture of congenital toxoplasmosis is carried out only in a hospital, in the neonatal pathology department. Compliance with a specific regimen and diet is not required, their correction is carried out in accordance with the condition of the child. In the presence of a burdened history of the mother, etiotropic therapy begins from the moment a preliminary diagnosis is made. In other cases, laboratory tests are required before starting treatment. Used schemes: pyrimethamine and sulfadimezin for 1-1.5 months; spiramycin or other macrolides for 4-6 weeks. In some cases, systemic glucocorticosteroids - prednisone - are used. Symptomatic treatment depends on the symptoms present and the syndromes identified by the pediatrician or neonatologist. With a persistent increase in intracranial pressure or the development of hydrocephalus, surgical treatment is indicated. If necessary, further treatment can be carried out on an outpatient basis under the supervision of a pediatrician, infectious disease specialist and other specialists. Under the same conditions, subclinical and latent forms of congenital toxoplasmosis are treated. The decision to refuse to take drugs is made on the basis of clinical and laboratory parameters that are within the age norm, and the conclusion of all attending physicians.

Forecast and prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis

The prognosis for congenital toxoplasmosis depends on the trimester in which infection of the fetus occurred and the severity of clinical manifestations. With the development of pathology in the first trimester, spontaneous abortion and miscarriage or further development of severe forms of the disease can be observed, but organ anomalies do not occur. With adequate and timely therapy, the prognosis for life is favorable, for recovery - doubtful. Non-specific prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis includes limiting the contact of pets with a pregnant woman, observing hygiene standards, eating only thermally processed foods, thoroughly washing vegetables and fruits. If there are factors that indicate a possible infection of the mother, a specific diagnosis is carried out aimed at identifying T. gondii. When the diagnosis is confirmed, immediate etiotropic therapy is indicated. Specific prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis has not been developed.

How the symptoms manifest in children, in what forms the pathology proceeds, in what ways it is transmitted and how to treat, we will consider in more detail in the form step by step instructions in this article.

Symptoms of toxoplasmosis in children

The severity of symptoms directly depends on the immune status of the child's body. The incubation period is 3 days-3 weeks.

The disease begins with a sudden appearance:

headache;
weakness, malaise;
loss of appetite;
concentration disorders;
chills, fever;
drowsiness;
weight loss;
rashes on the body;
enlargement of the lymph nodes.

In severe cases of the disease, there is:

vomit;
convulsions;
paralysis of the limbs;
coma.

Symptoms may be single or combined with multiple foci in the brain.

General symptoms

The disease is especially dangerous for infants under 1 year old and immunocompromised patients. Pathologies immediately from the first moments proceed rapidly.

General symptoms:

fever;
the appearance of a hemorrhagic rash on the body;
lack of appetite;
weakness;
dizziness;
enlargement of the liver and spleen in size;
nausea in the morning.

Symptomatically, toxoplasmosis manifests itself in the same way as typhoid fever. This is a dangerous disease and in the absence of therapeutic measures can lead to serious complications up to death.

Toxoplasmosis in newborns: symptoms

The disease in newborns begins with an acute course. If unusual signs appear, you should urgently contact a pediatrician or call an ambulance.

The main symptoms in infants are easy to recognize:

loss of appetite, refusal to breastfeed;
lethargy, capriciousness, tearfulness;
chills, fever up to +39 gr;
signs of intoxication, vomiting, diarrhea;
sudden weight loss;
papular rash on the body;
a pronounced increase in the lymph nodes in the armpits;
convulsions;
signs of paralysis;
squeezing with legs, squeezing to the tummy;
impaired coordination of movements.

Attention! The disease in the acute stage proceeds rapidly. With the appearance of convulsions, cyanosis on the face, signs of suffocation, you should urgently consult a doctor.

latent form

Toxoplasmosis has a 3-stage course, proceeds:

in latent form. It is with her that the disease begins;
acute;
chronic form.

Symptoms of intrauterine infection of a child at birth may be absent, and only tests can reveal this form of the disease. Ultrasound, CT will indicate disorders in the central nervous system, signs of cerebral palsy of the extremities.

acute form

Toxoplasmosis in the acute stage proceeds rapidly and the symptoms in children are clearly expressed:

severe intoxication;
weakness;
temperature rise to high values;
headache;
decreased concentration;
rash on the body;
limb numbness.

Children with immunodeficiency are especially hard to endure the acute course. In case of damage to internal organs, the condition can become extremely severe and dangerous.

Chronic form

Toxoplasmosis in the chronic relapsing stage proceeds sluggishly.

Symptoms are absent or minor:

headache;
temperature rise to 37.5-38gr;
dull pain in the heart;
capriciousness, lethargy;
sleep disturbance;
lack of appetite;
weight loss even with a normal diet.

During the diagnosis, multiple lesions of the central nervous system, deviations in mental, mental, and physical development are revealed. Epilepsy, deafness or blindness may develop.

Causes of the disease

It is unformed immunity that often causes infection of children in the womb, when the body is not able to resist toxoplasma.

Infection is possible in three ways:

transplacental or through the placenta with intrauterine infection, which leads to rapid death of the embryo or the development of serious anomalies;
alimentary through poorly cooked, fried raw meat, infected poultry or food with cat excrement getting into them;
contact in case of infection of children after contact with an infected cat (dog).

Parents need to be vigilant and attentive towards children. Limit contacts of babies with stray animals, teach them to wash their hands from an early age and not put dirty objects into their mouths, especially on the street.

The main sources of infection

Carriers of toxoplasmosis: birds and animals that excrete calculi into the ground or sandboxes where children play. It is this source of infection that is the most common when babies do not wash their hands after the street, put dirty objects into their mouths, or have been in contact with stray infected cats and dogs.

Intermediate sources of infection:

pigs, sheep, cows, chickens, rabbits, goats, in whose brain cells Toxoplasma cysts can coexist almost throughout the life of their owner;
infected patients after contact with them;
blood transfusion.

It is cats and dogs that most often become the intermediate host of Toxoplasma and may well enter the human body.

Treatment should begin immediately! Protect yourself and your loved ones!

Congenital toxoplasmosis

A congenital disease is transmitted to children through the mother's placenta during intrauterine infection. If it is detected at the beginning of pregnancy, then a miscarriage is possible or the doctors will suggest an abortion to the woman.

Danger of congenital infection

The danger of congenital toxoplasmosis in the consequences:

abnormal malformations in the development of vital systems, organs and tissues in the fetus;
damage to the heart, blood vessels, brain. It can lead to death in the first days of a child's birth.

The danger of toxoplasmosis depending on the semester of pregnancy:

After birth, it appears:

delayed mental and physical development;
hemorrhagic rash on the body;
enlargement of the spleen and liver;
inflammation of the lymph nodes in the armpits;
development of chorioretinitis or inflammation of the retina;
strabismus;
deafness;
thrombocytopenia;
anemia;
neurological abnormalities;
cerebral palsy against the background of weakened immunity.

We have 2 dogs and a cat at home, we regularly carry out preventive measures against infection with helminths. We really like the remedy, because it is completely natural, and this is important for prevention."

Acquired toxoplasmosis

Acquired toxoplasmosis is less dangerous than congenital. Today it is being treated quite successfully. If left untreated, the disease will become chronic, and babies who have been ill once will suffer symptoms from time to time. As a rule, they are less pronounced and proceed sluggishly.

Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis

If a newborn child has at least some unpleasant signs, then it is better not to postpone visiting a doctor for a comprehensive diagnosis, examination of all systems: nervous, visual, auditory.

Basic diagnostic methods:

puncture, sampling of material from the cerebrospinal fluid;
punctate of lymph nodes to identify the type of pathogen;
a brain biopsy by taking brain tissue for examination;
MRI of the brain;
samples and tests from blood serum, when a fourfold increase in cyst titers is observed with toxoplasmosis;
ultrasonography for an increase in the ventricles, indirectly indicating infection with toxoplasma;
immunofluorescence for titers indicating infection of newborns immediately after birth at 1, 2, 3 weeks.

Disease prevention

In kindergartens and schools, adults need to constantly carry out sanitary and educational work, teach children to observe simple hygiene and prevention measures.

Pregnant women, in order to avoid the risk of infection with Toxoplasma, it is important to constantly conduct tests and not neglect the tests prescribed by the attending physician.

Prevention for children is:

compliance with personal hygiene standards;
washing hands, also vegetables and fruits before eating;
limiting contact with street cats, dogs.

For preventive purposes, doctors often prescribe Spiramycin, Rovamycin, sulfonamides (1 g per day), calcium folinate (treatment course - 3 weeks) to pregnant women to prevent possible infection with Toxoplasma.

Treatment of toxoplasmosis in children

If a blood test revealed the need for drug treatment to suppress the causative agent of the disease.

Mainly:

antibiotics (Pyrimethamine, Sulfadiazine, Clindamycin, Spiramycin, Dalacin, Clarithromycin);
dietary supplements, immunostimulating drugs to strengthen the immune system.

Treatment is supervised by a doctor. It is possible to prescribe joint groups of drugs, for example, tetracycline and penicillin groups.

In a chronic course, it is prescribed: Dalacin, Clindamycin as antibiotics designed to destroy Toxoplasma cysts in tissues. Treatment - stationary under the supervision of doctors.

Especially dangerous is a fresh infection during pregnancy, when you can no longer do without a course of chemotherapy. Many drugs are extremely contraindicated for women, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy and can lead to deformities, teratogenic effects on the fetus.

The doctor will look at the situation, suggest an abortion or prescribe:

antibiotics (Spiramycin, Clindamycin, Clarithromycin, Azithromycin);
glucocorticoids.

Symptomatic treatment

Symptoms of toxoplasmosis can be different, so the doctor, when developing treatment, will take into account the pronounced manifestations of the disease. If there are deviations from the central nervous system, then the patient will be redirected to a neuropathologist, if there are vision problems, to an ophthalmologist, or a gastroenterologist with severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

Can the disease recur?

Toxoplasma in both adults and children can stay in the body for decades, located in the shell of the sclera of the eyes, brain, deep tissues of internal organs.

As a rule, children who have had an infection earlier develop stable immunity. Rarely, Toxoplasma cysts can settle in organs and systems, the liver, kidneys, and spleen.

Under the influence of provoking factors, begin their reproduction again and lead to damage to the brain and eyes. Treatment is specific and based on the results of the tests.

If the primary disease is not treated, then the transition from the acute stage to the chronic one is inevitable. But this should not be allowed, especially in babies, also treated folk remedies and herbs. In case of suspicious symptoms, it is better to immediately contact a specialist. This is important for pregnant women, especially in the early stages of the first trimester.

Toxoplasmosis leads to sad consequences in children with intrauterine infection. Do not avoid deviations immediately after birth: deviations of the central nervous system, motor skills, psyche. Toddlers are doomed to a lag in mental physical development, practically to disability for life.

That is why it is so important for women to plan pregnancy, treat other chronic diseases in a timely manner and not refuse to undergo a full examination in the first stages after conception.

Toxoplasma is in human body under different conditions:

Eating contaminated meat.
Contact with earth, sand.
Cleaning a pet's litter box.
Dairy products that are not well processed.
Blood transfusion if the donor is infected with protozoa.
intrauterine infection. The risk of protozoan penetration increases as the fetus develops. If in the first months of pregnancy the probability of penetration of protozoa through the natural barrier (placenta) is 15%, then closer to childbirth, the risks increase and amount to 65%.

What consequences should be expected?

If the treatment of toxoplasmosis in children is not carried out in time, the situation worsens over time.

No less dangerous is congenital toxoplasmosis. If the protozoa entered the body in the early stages of pregnancy, irreversible changes take place in the organs: the eyes, the brain.

As a result, the probability of the patient's mental retardation increases, the child may be born blind, with various deformities. The worst case scenario is death.

What are the types of disease?

Congenital toxoplasmosis often does not manifest itself at birth, and sometimes, on the contrary, obvious signs of the disease are noticeable. It all depends on where exactly children's body settled protozoa, as well as the degree of damage to systems and organs.

In children, there is severe intoxication, clouding of the lens, development of strabismus

If there is a latent or latent stage of toxoplasmosis, the signs of the disease are often absent, sometimes the manifestations are mild. Immediately after infection, the body is able to overcome the infection, but this happens only if a small number of protozoa penetrate.

Children develop elements of a rash of red color

Symptoms of toxoplasmosis in children during an exacerbation:

Increase in body temperature
On the face common signs intoxication: weakness, nausea, with deterioration - vomiting
Fever
Some organs become enlarged: liver, spleen
There is a violation of the function of the central nervous system, with encephalitis, meningitis often developing
Headache
Paralysis.

In the acute form, a clear sign is a change in the structure of the organs of vision. Sometimes joint dysplasia develops.

The chronic form of toxoplasmosis is characterized by symptoms:

Irritability, aggressiveness
Weakening of the body
Sleep disturbance or drowsiness
Vision problems due to constant headaches
Allergy, usually manifests as a rash
Appetite suppression on the background of nausea, which leads to a slowdown in physical development
Muscle pain
Flatulence
Appetite suppression
Memory impairment.

Against the background of the described symptoms, there is often an increase in the size of certain organs. In parallel, diseases develop, for example, jaundice. Toxoplasmosis in newborns and older children is characterized by a change in the size of the lymph nodes (upwards).

How to diagnose?

If necessary, a highly specialized examination is prescribed individual bodies: brain MRI, ultrasonography, biopsy.

Congenital toxoplasmosis after childbirth is diagnosed by the Sabin-Feldman test.

How is the treatment carried out?

The main ingredient is pyrimethrin. At the beginning of treatment, the dosage is 2 mg / kg. The daily amount of the active substance should not exceed 50 mg. The drug is taken in the indicated dosage during the first two days. Further, the dose is reduced to 1 mg/kg. The duration of the drug course can vary from 2 to 6 months.

As a drug treatment, drugs are used: Rovamycin, Fansidar and Biseptol

Congenital toxoplasmosis is also treated with Sulfadiazine (100 mg/kg), Calcium Folinate (5-10 mg/day). The second of the drugs should be taken three times a day. In addition, as the treatment progresses and after the end of the course, it is necessary to undergo an examination of the organs of vision (ophthalmoscopy), to control the composition of the blood.

The nuances of the treatment of acquired toxoplasmosis

Effective drugs are: Biseptol, Fansidar, Rovamycin. The second of the funds contains pyrimethamine, sulfadoxine, the intake is carried out according to the scheme: 1 tablet / day, then a break for three days. Between doses take folic acid. Rovamycin treatment regimen: 1 tablet 3 rubles / day, then a break for 7 days. Combined drugs (Biseptol) are prescribed 1-2 tablets / day. for 1.5 weeks.

Useful video: Toxoplasmosis in a child, you need to know.

Toxoplasmosis belongs to the group of diseases with natural foci and is characterized by a fairly wide range of hosts. Toxoplasmosis affects wild animals - rats, hares, monkeys, as well as domestic animals - cats, dogs, cows. In view of the very close contact of these animals with humans, humans are also infected. Also, infection occurs through dirty hands. Toxoplasmosis (symptoms in children are detailed below) is often transmitted to children through animal meat and chicken eggs.

Causes of the disease

The main sources of infection

Toxoplasma oocysts are found in the ground, children's sandbox, cat litter, as well as in meat and eggs that have not undergone sufficient heat treatment.

Very often, children become infected from domestic cats and dogs, after eating poorly cooked meat and from infected animals.

Congenital toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is divided into two types: congenital and acquired. The congenital variant of the disease is transmitted to the child in the womb. This situation is very dangerous for the health of the baby. Thus, the transmission of the disease in early pregnancy almost always leads to spontaneous abortion. In the case when infection occurs in the second trimester of pregnancy, the fetus often receives irreversible damage to the central nervous system. In such cases, doctors refer the pregnant woman for premature birth. Pregnancy can end relatively favorably in cases where toxoplasmosis was detected in children in the third trimester. Symptoms of the disease in this case can be detected only at the birth of the baby. Maternal manifestations are possible, but they are not always possible to differentiate from the common cold, since in adults this disease proceeds quite mildly and imperceptibly. Detection of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women usually occurs by chance, during routine tests. Symptoms of toxoplasmosis in children can be noticed only after birth. Children infected in utero in the third trimester of pregnancy have a fairly high chance of recovery without critical complications.

Acquired toxoplasmosis

This type of disease for a child is much less dangerous and in most cases can be successfully treated or regresses on its own. Without treatment, the disease can also become chronic. Young children suffering from toxoplasmosis can carry this disease in acute and chronic forms. The second is diagnosed less frequently, as it often occurs without clinically pronounced symptoms. The acute form of the disease is difficult, but successfully treatable.

Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis

Doctors are trying to cover in detail the problem of infection of children with a disease such as toxoplasmosis. Symptoms, analysis, treatment in children are covered in detail in popular science articles and magazines for mothers. However, due to the fact that the disease most often occurs without pronounced clinical signs, mothers do not notice its onset and mistakenly take the symptoms of toxoplasmosis in the acute period for SARS.

To diagnose the disease, a serological blood test is performed to determine antibodies to the causative agent of the disease. An auxiliary role in the diagnosis can be provided by an examination of the ECG and EEG, as well as the study of the affected muscles.

Symptoms of toxoplasmosis

The incubation period after toxoplasma enters the body lasts from 2 days to 3 weeks, but can be extended up to several months. The duration of this period depends on the activity of Toxoplasma, the state of immunity of the child and the massiveness of infection.

Toxoplasmosis in children symptoms (treatment, causes are described in detail in this article) in the acute period has the following:

a sharp increase in temperature to + 38C;
an increase in the size of the liver and spleen;
weakness, headache and drowsiness of the child;
chills, muscle pain, joint pain;
loss of appetite;
generalized on the surface of the skin;
increase throughout the body;
violation of the eyes - may be expressed by clouding of the lens or strabismus.

Toxoplasmosis in children, symptoms, types of this disease are very similar to the manifestations of many diseases known to mothers - SARS, influenza. Therefore, with any alarming symptoms, you should consult a doctor.

Symptoms of toxoplasmosis in children that occur in a chronic form may not manifest themselves at all, however, parents should be alerted by the situation when the child periodically experiences mild symptoms listed above.

Disease prevention

Toxoplasmosis symptoms in children are mild, a child without health consequences can live with the disease all his life. However, not every organism is able to adequately resist the pathogen, so parents should take care of preventing the disease and protecting the child from infection.

Preventive measures should include the following:

Pets should be periodically checked for toxoplasmosis.
If there are sick animals in the house, the child's communication with them should be limited to the maximum extent possible. In particular, a child should not have access to a cat litter box, and cats should only sleep in strictly designated areas.
Meat and egg products must be thoroughly cooked.
Children's play areas should be kept clean.
The child must observe the rules of personal hygiene - wash hands before eating and after walking, eat thoroughly peeled fruits and vegetables.
Pregnant women must be tested for antibodies to Toxoplasma, and newborns must be tested at birth. Seronegative diagnostic methods should be repeated in each trimester of pregnancy.
During pregnancy, a woman should limit contact with animals and be careful about the choice of products.

Treatment of toxoplasmosis

Treatment of the disease is prescribed by an infectious disease specialist or therapist and is carried out under their control. During treatment, indicators of the hematopoietic function of the body, and indicators of kidney function are strictly controlled.

Toxoplasmosis kit usually includes hormone therapy(glucocorticoids), removal of allergic manifestations with the help of Stimulants of the hematopoietic function of the body, sedatives and vitamin complexes are also used.

Children who have had acute toxoplasmosis, as well as those who have the disease in a chronic form, are regularly examined by a neurologist, ophthalmologist and infectious disease specialist for reinfection and complications.