Clinical Practice: Management of Toxoplasma gondii Infection during Pregnancy

Abstract

diagnosis and management of toxoplasmosis during pregnancy in the United States.A more comprehensive review of the subject can be found elsewhere [1]. CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS DURING PREGNANCYTransmission to the fetus occurs predominantly in women who acquire their primary infection during gestation.In rare cases, congenital transmission has occurred in chronically infected women whose infection was reactivated because of their immunocompromised state (e.g., from AIDS or treatment with corticosteroids for their underlying disease).Most pregnant women with acute acquired infection do not experience obvious symptoms or signs [1,9].A minority may experience malaise, low-grade fever, and lymphadenopathy.Rarely, pregnant women will present with visual changes due to toxoplasmic chorioretinitis [10] as a result of recently acquired infection or reactivation of a chronic infection.A recent study revealed that 52% of mothers who gave birth to congenitally infected offspring could not recall experiencing an infection-related illness during pregnancy or an identifiable epidemiological risk factor [9].In severely immunocompromised, chronically infected pregnant women (e.g., patients with AIDS and those receiving high-dose immunosuppressive therapy, including organ transplant recipients, patients with malignancies, and patients with connective tissue disorders), reactivation of