Volume 19, Number 12—December 2013
Dispatch
Acute Toxoplasma gondii Infection among Family Members in the United States
Despina G. Contopoulos-Ioannidis
, Yvonne Maldonado, and Jose G. Montoya
, Yvonne Maldonado, and Jose G. Montoya
Table 1
Demographic and clinical information for persons in the 18 group 1 study families identified from data on acute toxoplasmosis cases collected during 1991–2010 by the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Toxoplasma Serology Laboratory, Palo Alto, California, USA*
| IC patient no. | Clinical information for IC | No. additional household members tested | Infection status of additional household members | Clinical information for additional household members | Risk factors reported by ≥1 household member |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IC-1 | LN | 2 | Wife: acute infection | Pregnant, first trimester | Ate raw lamb |
| Daughter: no infection | NA | ||||
| (Baby girl: status not ascertained) | |||||
| IC-2 | 8 wks pregnant | 1 | Husband: acute infection | LN | NR |
| (Fetus: AF PCR–) | |||||
| IC-3 | 8 wks pregnant | 1 | Husband: acute infection | Asymptomatic | Contact with cat feces, eating undercooked meat, gardening |
| (Baby boy: could not R/O CT; no follow-up beyond 1 mo of age) | |||||
| IC-4 | 27 wks pregnant | 2 | Husband: acute infection | NA | NR |
| Son: acute infection | NA | ||||
| (Fetus: AF PCR–) | |||||
| IC-5 | 11 wks pregnant | 1 | Husband: acute infection | NA | None |
| (Fetus: AF PCR–) | |||||
| IC-6 | Infant with CT | 2 | (Mother: acute infection) | NA | NR |
| Father: acute infection | NA | ||||
| Brother: acute infection | NA | ||||
| IC-7 | LN, fever, headache | 3 | Wife: acute infection | LN | Poor cleaning of cooking surfaces |
| Daughter 1: acute infection | Posterior cervical LN | ||||
| Household member: chronic infection | NA | ||||
| Son/daughter 2: not tested | |||||
| IC-8 | 13 wks pregnant | 1 | Husband: acute infection | NA | Ate deer meat that had positive results for T. gondii by PCR |
| (Baby Boys A and B: status not ascertained) | |||||
| IC-9 | 22 wks pregnant | 1 | Husband: acute infection | NA | NR |
| (Fetus: NA) | |||||
| IC-10 | Pregnant, third trimester | 2 | Daughter 1: Recent infection | Asymptomatic | Children played in uncovered sandbox |
| Daughter 2: acute infection | Asymptomatic | ||||
| (Baby girl A: asymptomatic; CSF PCR–, could not R/O CT; baby girl-B: CT, macular scar, ascites, AF PCR+, CSF PCR+) | |||||
| IC-11 | Infant with CT† | 2 | (Mother: recent infection) | NA | NR |
| Father: recent infection | NA | ||||
| Sister: no infection | NA | ||||
| IC-12 | LN, fever, hepatitis | 3 | Wife: acute infection | LN | Ate raw lamb |
| Household member 1: acute infection | LN | ||||
| Household member 2: acute infection | NA | ||||
| IC-13 | 21 wks pregnant | 1 | Husband: acute infection | LN | Ate venison tartare |
| (Fetus: CT, ascites, hydrocephalus; abortion) | |||||
| IC-14 | Infant with CT | 1 | (Mother: acute infection) | NA | Ate bear meat; ate deer meat that had positive results for T. gondii by PCR |
| Father: acute infection | Fever, flu-like symptoms | ||||
| IC-15 | 9 wks pregnant | 1 | Husband: acute infection | NA | None |
| (Baby boy: status not ascertained) | |||||
| IC-16 | Febrile illness (fibromyalgia)‡ | 3 | Daughter 1: Recent infection | NA | Ate deer meat that had positive results for T. gondii by PCR |
| Daughter 2: no infection | NA | ||||
| Grandson: no infection | NA | ||||
| IC-17 | Eye disease | 3 | Son: acute infection | NA | NR |
| Daughter 1: acute infection | Asymptomatic | ||||
| Daughter 2: no infection | NA | ||||
| IC-18 | LN | 1 | Wife: Recent infection | NA | NR |
*Mother-infant pairs were counted as 1 unit/household member; infection status of these is shown in parenthesis. IC, index case-patient; LN, lymphadenopathy; NA, not available; NR, not reported; AF, amniotic fluid; R/O, rule out; CT, congenital toxoplasmosis; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid.
†Infant with CT with hydrocephalus, high bilirubin, abnormal liver function tests, low platelets, and positive PCR results on CSF.
‡Female patient taking chronic corticosteroids; patient died.
Page created: November 19, 2013
Page updated: November 19, 2013
Page reviewed: November 19, 2013
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