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Toxoplasmosis and pregnancy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2010

TG Overton*
Affiliation:
Postgraduate Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, London.
D Rajasingam
Affiliation:
Postgraduate Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, London.
PR Bennett
Affiliation:
Postgraduate Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, London.
*
Dr TG Overton, Postgraduate Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, Goldhawk Road, London W6 OXG

Extract

Toxoplasmosis is one of the commonest protozoal infections in man. The causative organism, Toxoplasma gondi has been estimated to have infected in the region of 25–50% of the world's population with evidence of serological infection ranging from 2 to 90% depending on the geographical area. The infection is usually harmless and subclinical, the primary infection being rarely diagnosed. However, it can lead to life threatening disease in the immunocompromised patient and a primary infection in pregnancy can have severe sequelae in the fetus.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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