John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Toxoplasmosis (toxo) is a disease caused by a parasite.
Toxo is acquired from contact with cats and their feces.
Toxo is also acquired from eating or touching raw or partly
cooked meat.
Toxoplasmosis symptoms can range from none to very severe.
A woman who contracts toxo right before or during pregnancy can
transmit it to her baby with catastrophic consequences.
People with immune deficiencies are at high risk for
developing severe signs and symptoms of toxo.
What is toxoplasmosis?
Toxoplasmosis (toxo) is an infection caused by a single-celled parasite called
Toxoplasma gondii. The infection is most commonly acquired from contact with cats and their feces or with raw or undercooked meat.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 60 million people in the United States may carry the
Toxoplasma parasite, but very few have symptoms because a healthy immune system usually keeps the parasite from causing illness.
What is the cause of toxoplasmosis?
There are only a few ways to acquire the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis:
Contact with cats or cat feces
Eating raw or undercooked meat
Drinking raw milk from an infected goat (Goats can be an intermediate host for the parasite.)
The word "rash" means an outbreak of red bumps on the body. The way people use this term, "a rash" can refer to many different skin conditions. The most
Liver disease can be cause by a variety of things including infection (hepatitis), diseases such as gallstones, high cholesterol or triglycerides, blood
Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites).
There are many symptoms involved in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. The first early pregnancy symptom is typically a missed period, but others
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which the person has seizures. There are two kinds of seizures, focal and generalized. There are many causes of epilepsy.
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the cause of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus, which infects
Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered
Hydrocephalus is an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain. The fluid is often under increased pressure and can compress
Uveitis is inflammation of the eye. Symptoms include blurred vision, eye pain, eye redness, photophobia, and floaters. Treatment may involve prescription
Optic neuritis is inflammation of the optic nerve, the structure that connects the eye to the brain. The precise cause of optic neuritis is unknown, but
Jaundice is a yellowish staining of the skin and whites of the eyes (sclerae) with bilirubin, the pigment found in bile. Jaundice can be an indicator of
Microcephaly is a genetic condition where the circumference of the head is smaller than normal due to underdeveloped brain. Microcephaly is caused by genetic
Cerebral palsy (CP) is an abnormality of motor function and postural tone acquired at an early age (even before birth). Cerebral palsy is generally caused
Women's health is an important topic area to guide a woman through the stages of her life, as well as knowing the conditions and diseases that may occur.
Birth defects have many causes and currently, are the leading cause of death for infants in the first year of life. Some of the causes of birth defects
Tonometry is a method of measuring the pressure in the eye. Tonometry is used to determine the pressure in the eye by measuring the tone or firmness of its surface.
