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A New Test For Toxoplasmosis

© Neal Rolfe Chamberlain

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasitic disease that rarely if ever causes illness in children or adults. About 90 percent of the people infected with this one-celled parasite have no symptoms at all. In some people symptoms of Toxoplasma gondii infection can include mononucleosis-like symptoms. In immunosuppressed patients (ex. AIDS patients) previous infection with this parasite parasite can start up again and destroy parts of the person's brain, liver (hepatitis), lungs (pneumonia), and/or eyes (retinitis).

There are two main means of getting this infection. The first is from cleaning out a cat's litter box. Many cats are infected with Toxoplasma gondii however they have no symptoms. The organisms dwell in the cat's intestines and are present in high numbers in their fecal material. The form of Toxoplasma gondii present in the cat's feces are called oocyts. The oocysts need a day or two to mature. After this maturation process they can infect other animals and humans. If the dust created by cleaning litter box contains mature oocysts a person can inhale the parasite and be infected.

Animals such at pigs, cattle, chickens, and sheep can also be infected by these oocysts. They don't usually clean out cat's litter boxes however cats do defecate in fields were these animals feed. After infecting the animal the oocysts change into a different form, a tachyzoite, and then infect the animal's muscles. Therefore, the second common means of human infection by Toxoplasma gondii  occurs following ingestion of raw or undercooked (rare, medium-rare, medium) meat.

If a pregnant woman is infected with Toxoplasma gondii the parasite can also infect the baby in her womb causing severe damage to her baby. In some cases death of the baby can occur. Many physicians will test a pregnant woman's blood to see if she is making antibodies to this parasite. If the pregnant woman's test is negative for Toxoplasma gondii then the woman is strongly encouraged to avoid eating raw and undercooked (rare) meat and handling the cat litter. If the pregnant woman's test is positive then physician has a problem. A prior infection with Toxoplasma gondii is not a problem for the baby. The parasite is not able to infect the baby. However, if the mother has just gotten the infection (an active infection) then the parasite can infect the baby potentially causing serious damage.

With many other infections an active infection or recent infection can be detected by looking for a certain type of antibody made during the early stages of most infections. These antibodies are called IgM antibodies. Usually IgM antibodies are produced early in an infection and will be broken down and eliminated from the blood stream within 2-6 months following an

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