Disseminated congenital toxoplasma infection with a type II strain

François Kieffer1, Virginie Rigourd, Patrick Ikounga

  • 1Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Institut de Puériculture, Paris, France.

Disseminated congenital toxoplasmosis mimicking septic shock is unusual. We report a fatal case of disseminated congenital toxoplasmosis that was acquired after a third trimester maternal primary infection. The child had severe pneumonitis, purpura, and hepatitis. After 5 days of treatment, quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that parasite loads in the serum and in tracheal aspirates had decreased. The child died of refractory hypoxemia. Genotyping revealed a type II strain.

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