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Content

Causes

Symptoms

Exams and Tests

Treatment

Outlook (Prognosis)

Possible Complications

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Prevention

 

Toxoplasmosis is an infection due to the parasite Toxoplasma gondii.

Causes

Toxoplasmosis is found in humans worldwide and in many kinds of animals and birds. The parasite also lives in cats.

Human infection may result from:

·       Blood transfusions or solid organ transplants

·       Handling cat litter

·       Eating contaminated soil

·       Eating raw or undercooked meat (lamb, pork, and beef)

Toxoplasmosis also affects people who have weakened immune systems.

The infection may also be passed from an infected mother to her baby through the placenta. This results in congenital toxoplasmosis.

Symptoms

There may be no symptoms. If there are symptoms, they usually occur about 1 to 2 weeks after contact with the parasite. The disease can affect the brain, lung, heart, eyes, or liver.

Symptoms in persons with otherwise healthy immune systems can include:

·       Enlarged lymph nodes in the head and neck

·       Headache

·       Fever

·       Mild illness similar to mononucleosis

·       Muscle pain

·       Sore throat

Symptoms in people with a weakened immune system can include:

·       Confusion

·       Fever

·       Headache

·       Blurred vision due to inflammation of the retina

·       Seizures

Exams and Tests

The doctor or nurse will perform a physical exam. Tests that may be done include:

·       Antibody titers for toxoplasmosis

·       CT scan of the head

·       MRI of head

·       Slit lamp exam of the eyes

·       Brain biopsy

Treatment

Persons without symptoms usually do not need treatment.

Medicines to treat the infection include an antimalarial drug and antibiotics. People with AIDS should continue treatment for as long as their immune system is weak, to prevent the disease from reactivating.

Outlook (Prognosis)

With treatment, people with a healthy immune system usually recover well.

Possible Complications

The disease may return.

In people with a weakened immune system, the infection may spread throughout the body, leading to death.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you develop symptoms of toxoplasmosis. Medical care is needed right away if symptoms occur in:

·       Infants or babies

·       Someone with a weakened immune system due to certain medicines or disease

Also seek medical treatment right away if the following symptoms occur:

·       Confusion

·       Seizures

Prevention

Tips for preventing this condition:

·       Do not eat undercooked meat.

·       Wash hands after handling raw meat.

·       Keep children's play areas free from cat and dog feces.

·       Wash your hands thoroughly after touching soil that may be contaminated with animal feces.

Pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems should take the following precautions:

·       Do not clean cat litter boxes

·       Do not touch anything that may contain cat feces

·       Do not touch anything that could be contaminated by insects, such as cockroaches and flies that may be exposed to cat feces

Pregnant women and those with HIV/AIDS should be screened for toxoplasmosis. A blood test can be done.

 

Source https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000637.htm

What is giardiasis?

Giardia (say gee-ar-dee-ah) is the name of a microscopic parasite that can live in the human bowel. The sickness that this parasite causes is called giardiasis (say gee-ar-dye-a-sis). Some symptoms of giardiasis are diarrhea, belching, gas and cramps. Although these problems are very unpleasant, the illness isn't usually dangerous.

How does a person get this disease?

Giardiasis is easy to catch if you drink untreated water. Many animals carry giardia in their feces and may introduce this parasite into rivers, streams and springs in rural areas. Infected stream water may look clean and safe when it really isn't. City water may also be infected if sewer lines flood or leak. If you travel overseas, you may get giardiasis by drinking water (even tap water) that hasn't been boiled or treated.

Some people who get giardiasis don't become ill, but they may spread the parasite to other people. Giardiasis may be spread in day care centers if workers aren't careful to wash their hands each time after changing diapers.

How can my doctor tell if I have this disease?

Your doctor can usually diagnose giardiasis by looking at stool samples under a microscope, although several samples may have to be checked before the diagnosis can be made. Sometimes other tests may be necessary.

How is this disease treated?

Giardiasis is usually treated with a medicine called metronidazole. It's usually taken 3 times a day for 5 to 10 days. Side effects may include a metallic taste in the mouth or nausea. If you take metronidazole, you should not drink any alcohol. This medicine shouldn't be taken in the early stages of pregnancy.

Children younger than 5 years of age may be treated with furazolidone. This medicine has fewer side effects and comes in a liquid form, but it shouldn't be given to babies younger than 1 month of age.

It's usually best if a whole family is treated at the same time, because giardiasis is so easily spread. In most cases, your doctor will want to check a stool sample after the treatment to be sure the medicine worked. Sometimes you may need to take medicine for a longer time, or your doctor may want you to take another medicine for a complete cure.

How can I prevent giardiasis?

If you are traveling or camping, be very careful about the water you drink. If someone in your family gets giardiasis, it's likely that this problem will spread to everyone in your home--especially to the children.

When camping, take bottled water or boil water before you use it. Wash your hands carefully with soap and water several times a day. When traveling, don't brush your teeth or wash dishes with water that hasn't been boiled. Peel raw fruits and vegetables before you eat them, and don't eat undercooked food.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

• My family is going camping. How can we prevent giardiasis?
• What should I do if I think I have giardiasis?
• Do water filters prevent giardiasis?
• What are the symptoms of giardiasis?
• Are there medicines that prevent giardiasis? Is there a vaccine for giardiasis?
• What medicines treat giardiasis? Are there side effects?

Source: http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/giardiasis.printerview.all.html