Original articleRespective Roles of Acquired and Congenital Infections in Presumed Ocular Toxoplasmosis
Section snippets
Methods
We analyzed retrospectively the charts of consecutive patients with a diagnosis of presumed ocular toxoplasmosis examined between November 1994 and July 2005 in a single referral center. The diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis was based on the clinical characteristics of the fundus lesions, and a positive toxoplasma serology. Cases with either active or scarred lesions, or both, were included. Patients with a known cause of immunodepression were excluded from the study. Retinochoroiditis was
Results
The study included 425 patients. Results of tests available to assess the origin of infection are shown in Table 1. Infection was acquired in 100 patients (23.5%): 69 (16.2%) definite and 31 (7.3%) presumed cases. Infection was congenital in 62 patients (14.6%): 52 (12.3%) definite and 10 (2.3%) presumed cases. This population included 34 children with congenital infection, referred for a systematic ophthalmic examination. The origin of the infection remained unknown in 263 cases (61.9%). Among
Discussion
Programs for the prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis have been tested or discussed in several countries or states.7, 8, 9, 10, 11 To our knowledge, France and Austria are the only countries in which testing for toxoplasmosis is required by law in women of childbearing age. France has the most stringent program, but its epidemiologic impact on ocular toxoplasmosis has not been assessed. No national registry is available, and data were acquired by asking patients or their mothers to recollect
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