This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (11)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Ophthalmology, Other  • Alert me on articles by topic  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Fiona Roberts, MD; Marilyn B. Mets, MD; David J. P. Ferguson, PhD; Richard O'Grady, MD; Carol O'Grady; Philippe Thulliez, PhD; Antoine P. Brézin, MD; Rima McLeod, MD

Arch Ophthalmol. 2001;119:51-58.

Background  Ocular disease is a frequent manifestation of congenital Toxoplasma gondii infection. There are only limited data available in the literature concerning early stages of this disease in fetuses and infants. The purpose of our study was to characterize histopathological features in the eyes of 10 fetuses and 2 infants with congenital toxoplasmosis.

Methods  Fifteen eyes from 10 fetuses, 3 eyes from 2 premature infants, and both eyes from a 2-year-old child with congenital toxoplasmosis were examined by light microscopy. Immunohistochemical analysis to identify inflammatory cells and T gondii antigens was performed. The findings in infected eyes were compared with those of age-matched control eyes.

Results  Retinitis (10/18 eyes), retinal necrosis (4/18 eyes), disruption of the retinal pigment epithelium (12/18 eyes), and choroidal inflammation and congestion (15/18 eyes) were characteristic findings. Optic neuritis was present in 5 of 8 fetal eyes with associated optic nerve available for evaluation. An eye obtained from a 32-week-old fetus showed retinal rosettes at the edge of a scar. T cells predominated in retinal lesions and choroid. Parasites were identified by immunohistochemical analysis in 10 of 18 eyes.

Conclusions  Ocular toxoplasmosis causes irreversible damage to the retina in utero. The fetus and infant mount inflammatory responses that may contribute to ocular damage. These findings have important implications for serological screening programs and in utero therapy.

From the Department of Medicine, Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, Ill, and the Department of Pathology, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, Scotland (Dr Roberts); Department of Ophthalmology, Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University, Chicago (Dr Mets); Nuffield Department of Pathology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University, Oxford, England (Dr Ferguson); Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago (Dr R. O'Grady and Ms C. O'Grady); Toxoplasmosis Laboratory, Institute of Puericulture of Paris, Paris, France (Dr Thulliez); Department of Ophthalmology, Hopital Cochin, Paris (Dr Brézin); and the Departments of Ophthalmology, Medicine, and Pathology and Committees on Immunology and Genetics, The University of Chicago (Dr McLeod).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

In Vitro Effect of TNF-{alpha} and IFN-{gamma} in Retinal Cell Infection with Toxoplasma gondii
Delair et al.
IOVS 2009;50:1754-1760.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Newborn screening for congenital toxoplasmosis: feasible, but benefits are not established.
Gilbert and Dezateux
Arch. Dis. Child. 2006;91:629-631.
FULL TEXT  

IFN-{gamma}-Regulated Toxoplasma gondii Distribution and Load in the Murine Eye
Norose et al.
IOVS 2003;44:4375-4381.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT