Ocular toxoplamoi: a global reaement: . Part I: epidemiology and coure of dieae

Purpoe To update clinical information about ocular toxoplamoi. Part I review information about prevalence of dieae, ource of infection, relation of ocular dieae to time of Toxoplama gondii infection (congenital v. potnatally acquired), and coure of dieae. Deign Literature review. Method elected article from the medical literature, information from recent cientific meeting, and the authorʹ peronal experience were reviewed critically in preparation for the LX Edward Jackon Memorial Lecture. Reult The prevalence of T. gondii infection varie geographically and increae with age; in the United tate, the overall proportion i 22.5%. The proportion of infected individual in the United tate who have had epiode of ocular toxoplamoi i unknown, but may be approximately 2%. Prevalence of ocular involvement i ubtantially greater in other part of the world, including outhern Brazil. In addition to undercooked meat and unwahed vegetable, drinking water contaminated with oocyt may be an important ource of infection in ome etting. In contrat to traditional teaching, evidence ugget that mot individual with ocular toxoplamoi were infected potnatally. Ocular leion may firt develop many year after T. gondii infection. The rik of recurrent ocular dieae appear to be greater during the firt year after an epiode of toxoplamic retinochoroiditi than during ubequent year. Concluion Reaement of older publication in the light of recent obervation provide a richer undertanding of ocular toxoplamoi, although knowledge about the dieae remain incomplete. A better undertanding of the clinical characteritic and coure of ocular toxoplamoi will have important implication for developing more effective prevention and treatment trategie.