Toxoplasmosis: Symptoms And Treatment In Humans

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Toxoplasmosis: Symptoms And Treatment In Humans
Toxoplasmosis: Symptoms And Treatment In Humans

Video: Toxoplasmosis: Symptoms And Treatment In Humans

Video: Toxoplasmosis: Symptoms And Treatment In Humans
Video: Toxoplasmosis | Acquired vs Congenital | Signs, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment 2024, March
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Toxoplasmosis, the disease develops against the background of the colonization of the body with parasites. Pathological changes occur in individual internal organs and entire systems. When examined, many people have antibodies in their blood. The condition suggests that the body is already familiar with the pathogen. What is toxoplasmosis and what symptoms does it have? Most often, the disease proceeds without any manifestations. It poses a great danger to a woman during the period of bearing a child.

Content

  • 1 Routes of entry
  • 2 Further development in the human body
  • 3 Manifestation of the disease
  • 4 How to identify the disease and how to treat
  • 5 Preventive measures

Entry routes

What is toxoplasmosis? The causative agent of toxoplasmosis is the Toxoplasma parasite, which is small in size and resembles a semicircle in shape. If it is in motion, it causes unpleasant symptoms. Damage to the heart, nervous, lymphatic, muscular system occurs, the eyes and other organs are affected.

In humans, infection occurs in several ways:

  • contact with animals, especially cats;
  • from unwashed, dirty food, raw meat and fish;
  • the source can be insect bites, abrasions and wounds on the body;
  • through the placenta, along with the blood, the infection penetrates the fetus during pregnancy;
  • rarely a blood transfusion or organ transplant is the cause.

It is noticed that in women, pathogens are found twice as often. In most cases, infection occurs from pets, especially cats. In their body, the parasite goes through all stages of development, multiplies and is excreted together with urine, saliva, feces. Cysts, along with cat feces, can continue to function for two years.

Further development in the human body

After penetration into the human body, Toxoplasma begins to multiply in the intestines and penetrate into the blood. Together with the blood, the parasite spreads to all internal organs, in the tissues of which they accumulate, pseudocysts are formed.

If a person's immunity is strong, then the parasite's stay in the tissues of the organ lasts only a couple of days. The development cycle stops, the false parasites disappear, but the true cysts remain. They live in the body for many years without making themselves felt.

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The manifestation of the disease

The classification of toxoplasmosis is based on the route of infection. In accordance with this division, the congenital and acquired types are distinguished.

The congenital form of the disease develops when the fetus is infected in the womb. This leads to its infection and causes various disorders in growth and development. If infection occurs in the first two trimesters, the fetus dies. Toxoplasmosis in women who are carrying a child in the last three months leads to the birth of a baby with serious malformations.

How is congenital toxoplasmosis manifested? It is difficult and affects all internal systems of the body. Acute toxoplasmosis is characterized by a rise in body temperature, convulsions, vomiting join. Against this background, pneumonia may develop. There are other signs of toxoplasmosis in humans:

  • increased fatigue, muscle weakness may appear;
  • pain in the head, joints;
  • the lymph nodes and organs of the digestive tract increase;
  • endocarditis develops;
  • eye diseases join.

If not all are affected, but individual internal organs or systems, then hydrocephalus and pathological changes in the visual organs most often develop.

Toxoplasmosis in men or women in the acute stage is extremely rare. The acute stage begins with a gradual increase in symptoms. Toxoplasmosis incubation period lasts 14 days. The symptoms of toxoplasmosis in humans are as follows:

  • can manifest itself as drowsiness, apathy, fatigue;
  • chills, heat in the body;
  • headache;
  • soreness of muscles and joints;
  • it is possible to identify toxoplasmosis by detecting enlarged lymph nodes;
  • the liver becomes larger than normal.

Why is toxoplasmosis dangerous? If the disease is not treated, complications such as loss of vision, cerebral edema, encephalitis, paralysis, epilepsy, and myocarditis appear.

In most cases, there is a chronic and latent form of the disease. Signs of toxoplasmosis occurring in the chronic stage:

  • body temperature for a long time keeps at around 37-37.5 degrees;
  • the digestive organs increase;
  • decreased cognitive ability;
  • sleep, appetite is disturbed;
  • constant pain in the head.

How do you know if there is a problem? The patient becomes irritable, nervous, inattentive. Basically, in humans, the symptoms of toxoplasmosis depend on the organ that is most affected.

How to identify the disease and how to treat

The definition of a disease is carried out not only by the description of symptoms. A number of examinations are carried out to help identify the problem and prescribe the most effective treatment. It is necessary to check with an infectious disease doctor - it is he who will help draw up a complete list of examinations.

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Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in the laboratory is based on the study of blood. Also, smears are taken from the affected organs. MRI may be required to clarify toxoplasmosis. Identification of signs is carried out on the basis of ultrasound data.

To make a diagnosis, it is often enough to donate venous blood, in which class G and M antibodies are determined. Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis when antibodies of group G are detected indicates that the patient is already familiar with toxoplasmosis and has developed a response immunity. The detected group M immunoglobulin signals the course of the acute stage of the disease, therefore, treatment must be started. The diagnostic ELISA method is the most accurate.

Should toxoplasmosis be treated? Toxoplasmosis may require treatment only in the acute phase. It must be prescribed for congenital form of the disease. The chronic course of the disease does not need treatment. It is long, most often in courses.

How is toxoplasmosis treated? Most often, the treatment of toxoplasmosis in adults is accompanied by the administration of sulfonamides, chloridine or delagil. Antibiotics are also prescribed. If areas of the central nervous system are affected, then it becomes necessary to take glucocorticoids.

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Toxoplasmosis symptoms are most often treated with the following drugs.

  1. Fansidar. To get rid of the disease with this medication, two tablets are prescribed once a week for 2 months. A course of taking one tablet is possible in three days. Concomitant intake of folic acid is recommended.
  2. Delagil. In addition to the fact that the drug helps to get rid of parasites, it has an immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effect. Take 1 tablet 3 times a day for a week.
  3. The antibiotic Amikacin will help to get rid of the consequences of the disease. He is able to cope with intoxication and prevent the further spread of germs.
  4. Rovamycin. This is a drug with antibacterial action. You can take 4 tablets a day.
  5. Pyrimethamine. It has an antimicrobial effect, comes in the form of tablets, you need to take it for about a month. Prescribed to drink after meals 25 mg twice a day. 2-3 courses are carried out with a ten-day break.
  6. You can be cured with the hormonal drug Prednisolone. It is especially effective for visual impairment.

You can recover from toxoplasmosis in combination with traditional medicine recipes. On the basis of bird cherry, garlic, propolis, pumpkin seeds and medicinal herbs, effective formulations are made.

Consider a few recipes on how to cure toxoplasmosis using folk formulations.

  1. Bird cherry tincture will help remove parasites from the body. To prepare it, you will need tree branches, which are poured with water and boiled for about 20 minutes. After that, let it brew for about 3-4 hours. You need to take 30 ml before meals three times a day.
  2. A decoction of garlic and milk will help kill pathogens, increase immunity and relieve intoxication. Several cloves of a spicy vegetable are chopped and poured with milk, boiled for 15 minutes. Must be taken in small sips throughout the day.
  3. Pumpkin seeds are known for their bactericidal properties. A handful of peeled kernels are crushed and diluted with milk.

Preventive measures

Can toxoplasmosis be completely cured ? The disease is not completely treated: once it enters the body, the parasite settles in it for life. All therapeutic measures are aimed at ensuring that the internal organs are less influenced, and severe consequences are prevented. Not the last role is assigned to the prevention of toxoplasmosis.

It is especially important to observe prevention for pregnant women who have not yet encountered this disease. Prevention of toxoplasmosis is as follows:

  • meat must be thoroughly thermally processed before use;
  • foodstuffs must be rinsed well with boiling water;
  • if there are pets, the tray and feeding bowl should be kept clean;
  • you need to keep your hands clean, especially before eating.

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