Know More About Toxoplasmosis Symptoms

When thinking about the toxoplasmosis symptoms you should know that in about 80% of the cases there are no symptoms at all. In case of adults who have a healthy immune system, it might be able to fight the virus and it won’t cause a serious illness. If you get infected, you will become immune to the virus.

General symptoms of toxoplasmosis

If you have any symptoms, it is possible for your lymph nodes to get swollen, especially at your armpits and your throat. Because of this you could have some signs that are similar to the symptoms of flu. These include aching muscles, tiredness, fever, sore throat and a feeling of sickness.

Toxoplasmosis SymptomsSymptoms of toxoplasmosis in case of pregnant women

In case you get infected before you get pregnant or right after, there are some chances for the baby to be affected by it as well. This condition is referred to as congenital toxoplasmosis. Although you may not feel any symptoms, in case you get affected by the infection there are some serious possible consequences.

These, even though you may not have any toxoplasmosis symptoms, could lead to miscarriage, meaning the loss of pregnancy during the first 23 weeks or the occurrence of a stillbirth. In this case the baby gets born after the 24th week, but he or she has no vital signs. Nonetheless this happens in less than 1% of the cases.

In about 30%-40% of the cases, the infected women pass the infection to their baby while he or she is still in the womb, leading to congenital toxoplasmosis.

Congenital toxoplasmosis and symptoms of toxoplasmosis

The possible symptoms depend on the moment when the mother gets infected. In the majority of the cases the symptoms are worse if the mother gets infected before getting pregnant or during early pregnancy. The sings could include hydrocephalus, meaning the presence of water on the brain.

Some other toxoplasmosis symptoms involve brain damage, jaundice (the skin and the eyes become yellow), epilepsy (affecting the brain and leading to seizures), deafness, enlargement of the spleen or liver, blindness or eye infections, growth problems or cerebral palsy affecting coordination and movement.

In case the mother experiences the symptoms of toxoplasmosis during the third trimester, it is possible for the baby not to have any symptoms at birth. Nonetheless it is possible that the complications will become visible at a later stage.

For instance, when it comes to toxoplasmosis symptoms it is possible for the baby to develop – months after birth – hearing loss, eye infections of learning difficulties.

People with weak immune systems

In case someone has a weak immune system, the symptoms of toxoplasmosis could be fatal. This is caused by the fact that the body cannot fight the infection. There are several conditions that could weaken the immune system, such as cancer, HIV and AIDS.

When thinking about the toxoplasmosis symptoms you should also know that treatments could weaken the immune system, such as chemotherapy. Immunosuppressant medications have the same effect on the immune system. In this case, it is possible to have permanent damage to the brain or eyes.

If the symptoms of toxoplasmosis affect the brain, the condition is known as encephalitis. This is known as one of the most common causes of death of the people who are AIDS positive. The symptoms of this condition include headaches, poor coordination, confusion, seizures, coughing blood, and chest pain.

Some other possible toxoplasmosis symptoms in this case involve fever, difficulties with breathing, lesions of the brain and problems with the eyes meaning blurred vision or floaters referring to small debris that prevent people from having a clear sight.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here