[Clinical features of ocular toxoplasmosis in an inmigrant population in the Barcelona area: Study of 22 patients]

Toxoplasma gondii in Cattle, Camels and Sheep in Isfahan and Chaharmahal va Bakhtiary Provinces, Iran

BACKGROUND

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite, which is assumed to have cosmopolitan distribution.

OBJECTIVES

Adopting a cross-sectional study design the current research aimed to determine the occurrence of the parasite in cattle, camels and sheep in Isfahan and Chaharmahal va Bakhtiary provinces of Iran.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Animals in the field and those brought for slaughter at abattoirs were included. Blood samples were randomly collected from animals and investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTS

T. gondii infections were detected in 0.00%, 6.60% and 17.9% of the sample cattle (n = 155), camels (n = 122) and sheep (n = 95) respectively. Sheep were more frequently affected in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiary (33.33%) compared to Isfahan (8.47%) (P = 0.005, 95%; CI = 6.88-43.35). No statistically significant difference was observed in infection prevalence between camels and sheep; and between the different sex categories in both camels and sheep.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence of T. gondii occurrence in sheep and camels was provided in the provinces under study. There is a need to investigate the potential risk factors of zoonotic infections. Furthermore, animal health and production losses caused by the parasite; and associated zoonotic implications in the area under study need to be explored.

[Ophthalmic manifestations of toxoplasmosis in a human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient. Description of a case]

Toxoplasmosis is an infection of worldwide distribution caused by Toxoplasma gondii, and infects a large proportion of the world population. Only under certain circumstances of severe immunosuppression can the parasite reactivate and cause disease. The most common form of presentation of this pathology in patients with positive HIV is the brain abscess. One of the extra-cerebral forms is toxoplasmic chorioretinitis, which could lead to a chronic active form of a slowly progressive retinitis. Diagnosis is made by observing the eye fundus and confirmed by the scarring obtained after specific treatment. We report a case of a patient with diabetes and positive HIV, in whom a toxoplasmic scar injury was detected in the annual retinography follow-up. A conservative therapeutic approach was decided, with regular check-ups for possible detection of disease activation.