Abstract:
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. T. gondii is found worldwide, with the possible exception of Antarctica. The parasite is capable of invading and replicating within almost all mammalian cells. It is estimated that approximately 25 to 35% of the world’s human population is infected with Toxoplasma. There are different clinical presentations depending on the immune status of the host. Infection with T. gondii in immunocompetent persons is generally asymptomatic. Acute infection is usually benign and self-limiting, and symptoms resolve within a few weeks to months without the need for anti-parasitic medication. However, T. gondii is an intracellular parasite that has successfully developed strategies to evade or manipulate the host’s immune response, forming tissue cysts in almost any tissue, although most commonly in the central nervous system, retina, myocardium, and muscle. As a result, T. gondii can survive throughout the host’s life as a latent longterm infection and potentially reactivate, usually in the brain or eye, if the host becomes immunocompromised. The aim of this narrative literature review is to identify diseases associated with acquired T. gondii infection in immunocompetent children. A review of the available scientific evidence from 2005 to 2025 was conducted in the electronic databases PubMed, Medline, and supplementary references. The following MeSH terms were used: ^Toxoplasmosis^ OR ^T.gondii^
We have found evidence that acquired T. gondii infection can cause disease in immunocompetent children. The different clinical presentations can be explained by the ability of the parasite to invade different organs via immune cells, such as monocytes and neutrophils.
The literature includes cases of epilepsy, facial paralysis, polyradiculoneuritis, and nephrotic syndrome that are usually reported as idiopathic because the Toxoplasma infection is not actively sought. It is therefore possible that T. gondii infection and toxoplasmosis, understood as the disease associated with acute or latent acquired infection, are underdiagnosed.
Biography:
Dr. med. Tania Hunziker is a Paediatrician with a degree from the University of Cartagena, Columbia. She is dedicated to clinical practice and research, especially in the field zoonotic diseases. She is an active member of the review board of the Global Journal of Pediatrics and works in the medical care Espace Health Gesundheitszentren, Huttwil, Switzerland.
