• About
  • Keywords

Toxoplasma gondii & Human Phenotype

Compendium of Known Effects and Ongoing Research

Toxoplasma/pathogenicity

Ocular toxoplasmosis past, present and new aspects of an old disease

October 30, 2014
Maenz, M., Schluter, D., Liesenfeld, O., Schares, G., Gross, U., Pleyer, U.
Progress in Retinal and Eye Research 2014; 39: 77-106
Click for abstract
Ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) is considered the most frequent form of infectious posterior uveitis and is caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The resulting vision loss frequently incapacitates patients and places a considerable socio-economic burden on societies in particular in developing countries. Although, toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis is a world-wide phenomenon stark regional differences with regard to prevalence and presumably route of infection exist. This review will discuss our current clinical understanding of OT including typical and atypical manifestations, patient characteristics which influence the course of disease and treatment options. Even though, congenital and acquired OT are not regarded as separate entities, certain differences exist, which will be assessed and evaluated in detail. A strong focus is laid on the disease causing parasite T. gondii, since solving the mystery of OT aetiology and the development of improved therapies will not be possibly with clinical science alone, but rather requires a precise understanding of parasitological and immunological pathomechanisms. Additionally, the biology and genetics of T. gondii form the foundation for novel and sophisticated diagnostic methods. Scientific advances in the recent years have shed some light on the different role of T. gondii strains with regard to OT manifestation and severity of disease. Genetic and environmental factors influencing OT will be presented and commonalities between OT and toxoplasmic encephalitis will be briefly discussed. Furthermore, the laboratory tools to study OT are crucial in our understanding of OT. In vivo and in vitro experimental approaches will be summarised and evaluated extensively. Finally, a brief outlook is given in which direction OT research should be headed in the future.

Tagged: Antiprotozoal agents/therapeutic use, diagnosis, differential, humans, ocular/diagnosis/etiology/immunology/therapy, risk factors, Toxoplasma/pathogenicity, toxoplasmosis

Physical health

New findings: Depression, suicide, and Toxoplasma gondii infection

October 9, 2014
Hsu, P.C., Groer, M., Beckie, T.
Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners 2014; 26: 629-637
Click for abstract
PURPOSE: This article provides an overview of the evidence of a potential pathophysiological relationship between depression, suicide, and the Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection. It discusses the role of inflammatory processes in depressive illness and the infection theory of psychiatric disease. It also provides guidelines for the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of depression for nurse practitioners (NPs). DATA SOURCE: A narrative review was conducted of the literature from PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar. References of identified articles were also reviewed. CONCLUSIONS: Seropositivity of the obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, T. gondii is related to various mental health disorders including schizophrenia, suicide attempt, depression, and other neuropsychiatric diseases. Depressive symptoms have been linked to interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) blocking T. gondii growth by inducing indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) activation and tryptophan depletion, which results in a decrease of serotonin production in the brain. Although exposure to T. gondii was considered unlikely to reactivate in immune-competent individuals, new findings report that this reactivation may be triggered by immune imbalance. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: NPs caring for patients with psychiatric illness need to understand the potential mechanisms associated with depression and the T. gondii infection in order to provide effective screening, treatment, and disease prevention.

Tagged: depression, etiology/psychology, humans, suicide/psychology, Toxoplasma/pathogenicity, toxoplasmosis/physiopathology/psychology

BehaviorMental health

Topics

  • Behavior 105
  • Cognitive functions 64
  • Mental health 439
  • Morphology 6
  • Motor functions 10
  • Personality 36
  • Physical health 134
  • Reproduction 36
  • Reviews 40
  • Sensory functions 3
  • Uncategorized 2

Archives

Recent articles

  • Mortality Patterns of Toxoplasmosis and Its Comorbidities in Tanzania: A 10-Year Retrospective Hospital-Based Survey February 6, 2020
  • The role of latent toxoplasmosis in the aetiopathogenesis of schizophrenia–the risk factor or an indication of a contact with cat? February 6, 2020
  • The Association between Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Risk of Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis February 6, 2020

Recent Comments

    Meta

    • Log in
    • Entries feed
    • Comments feed
    • WordPress.org

    Copyright © 2023 Toxoplasma gondii & Human Phenotype.

    ToxoBehavior WordPress Theme by Jelena Braum