Progress in toxoplasmosis research

Immunopathogenesis of toxoplasmosis in pregnancy

“…This conversion could depend on environmental triggers such as pH, temperature via induction of heat-shock proteins, anti-mitochondrial drugs, nitric oxide and TNF-alpha. 4 The bradyzoite is a slowly dividing form giving cerebral or muscular cysts and responsible for a life-long immune stimulation of the infected host. Hosts can be infected by these three parasitic stages: oocysts by contact with contaminated cat feces, tachyzoites by transplacental contamination, bradyzoites by ingestion of raw meat-containing cysts.…”

“…14 Interestingly, recent preliminary results have shown that in infants with severe congenital toxoplasmosis the frequency of HLA class II allele DQ3 was increased though the frequency of this allele in the mother did not differ from that in the normal population. 4 In addition, marked differences in infection patterns have been observed between dizygotic twins compared to the similar patterns between monozygotic twins. 14 Sex Susceptibili W Female mice were found to be more susceptible to acute infection, as determined by higher mortality levels, than male mice.…”

“…An upregulation of adhesion molecules has been described in the pathogenesis of murine toxoplasmic encephalitis. 4 CAN A SEROPOSITIVE HOST TRANSMIT TOXOPLASMA TO THE FETUS?…”

“…Though Marry et al 38 reported a case of severe fetal toxoplasmosis resulting of toxoplasmic reactivation in an human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-I seropositive woman, this phenomenon appears very uncommon as proven by subsequent studies in cohorts of HIV-positive pregnant women. 39,4 Reinfection During Pregnancy…”