Cerebrospinal fluid has increased numbers of white blood cells, particularly mononuclear cells. Protein and glucose are normal or simulate those of bacterial meningitis. The patient s condition may steadily deteriorate, ending in death or survival with residual brain damage manifested by seizures or focal neurologic deficits. Chorioretinitis can surely be acquired, but it usually results from the congenital infection. An exception are AIDS patients who might initially present with eye disease.
Diagnosis can be extremely difficult.
Many serologic methods are available, and these are usually the primary means of diagnosis. It may remain positive for life. Rising titers in serum specimens that are taken 2 weeks apart indicate recently acquired infection. It is used for early diagnosis of congenital infection as well as acute infection in the acquired disease, or reactivation of latent toxoplasmosis. In immunocompromised hosts with reactivated disease,, patients with isolated active ocular toxoplasmosis it might be negative.