Toxoplasmosis

Content provided by National Organization for Rare Disorders

Important

It is possible that the main title of the report Toxoplasmosis is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

Synonyms

• None

Disorder Subdivisions

• None

General Discussion

Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease that can be caused by contact with a microscopic parasitic organism called Toxoplasma gondii. This parasitic infection, found worldwide, can either be acquired or be present at birth (congenital). The congenital type is a result of a maternal infection during pregnancy that is transmitted to the fetus and involves lesions of the central nervous system. These lesions may lead to blindness, brain defects and more serious conditions. The disorder may be most severe when it is transmitted to the fetus during the second through sixth month of pregnancy.



Millions of people are infected with the Toxoplasma parasite, but very few exhibit symptoms because a healthy person’s immune system usually keeps the parasite from causing illness. For people with a compromised immune system, such as those with HIV-AIDs, toxoplasmosis can be a serious disorder.



The most common ways in which the acquired form is spread include cleaning a cat’s litter box, eating contaminated meat that is raw or under-cooked, and drinking contaminated water.

Resources

The Arc (a national organization on mental retardation)

1010 Wayne Ave

Suite 650

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Tel: (301)565-3842

Fax: (301)565-3843

Tel: (800)433-5255

TDD: (817)277-0553

Email: info@thearc.org

Internet: http://www.thearc.org/



Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1600 Clifton Road NE

Atlanta, GA 30333

Tel: (404)639-3534

Tel: (800)311-3435

Email: http://www.cdc.gov/netinfo.htm

Internet: http://www.cdc.gov/



NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

6610 Rockledge Drive

MSC 6612

Bethesda, MD 20892-6612

Tel: (301)496-5717

Fax: (301)402-3573

TDD: (800)877-8339

Internet: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated:  4/25/2008

Copyright  1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1998, 2005 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.

Last updated:	April 25, 2008