Related Experiment Videos
[Toxoplasma gondii and necrotizing retinitis: a case report]
1Service d'Ophtalmologie, CHU de Poitiers, 2, rue de la Milétrie, BP 577, 86021 Poitiers.
Journal Francais D'Ophtalmologie
|October 31, 2003
Summary
Toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis can present as diffuse necrotizing retinitis, especially in elderly patients. Early diagnosis and antiparasitic therapy are crucial for managing this opportunistic ocular infection.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Infectious Diseases
- Parasitology
Background:
- Toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis is an opportunistic retinal infection often seen in immunocompromised and elderly individuals.
- Diagnosis typically relies on ocular findings and serological support, but atypical presentations can occur.
Observation:
- A 74-year-old woman with a history of tuberculosis and agranulocytosis presented with blurred vision and diffuse necrotizing retinitis.
- The condition was initially misdiagnosed as acute retinal necrosis syndrome.
Findings:
- Ocular examination revealed diffuse necrotizing retinitis with significant vitreitis.
- Diagnosis was confirmed via PCR and histopathology, revealing ocular toxoplasmosis.
- The infection led to retinal detachment and substantial visual loss.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of recognizing atypical presentations of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis.
- Elderly patients may be more vulnerable to severe ocular toxoplasmosis due to age-related immune decline.
- Timely antiparasitic treatment is critical for preserving vision in affected individuals.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.
01:28Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
01:22American Trypanosomiasis
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...