Women who become infected with Toxoplasma during pregnancy or within several months before pregnancy can pass the infection to their unborn infants. Most infected people have no signs or symptoms. Those who do might have flu-like symptoms, swollen lymph glands, or muscle aches and pains that last for a few days to several weeks. People with weakened immune systems can develop severe toxoplasmosis, which results in damage to the eye or the brain. Infants who are infected before birth can have serious mental or physical handicaps.
Diagnosis is by blood test.
In an otherwise healthy person who is not pregnant, no treatment is needed. Symptoms will usually go away in a few weeks. For pregnant women or persons with weakened immune systems, drugs are available to treat toxoplasmosis. More than 60 million people in the United States probably carry the Toxoplasma parasite, but very few have symptoms because their immune systems keep the parasite from causing illness. Pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems should take precautions to prevent toxoplasmosis.