title: Profile of pregnant women and children treated at a reference center for congenital toxoplasmosis in the northern state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To describe the clinical and epidemiological profile of pregnant women and children treated at a reference outpatient clinic for congenital toxoplasmosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant women potentially exposed to Toxoplasma gondii were observed. Diagnoses were made using serologic tests compatible with acute toxoplasmosis. Children presenting with: Toxoplasma-specific antibodies (IgM or IgA or ascending IgG titers higher than maternal titers in the first 3 months of life) coupled with toxoplasmosis symptoms; intracranial calcifications (by transfontanelar ultrasound or cephalic segment tomography); or retinochoroiditis (by fundoscopy examination) in the first 8 months of life were also included in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-eight mother-child pairs were observed (mean age of the mothers was 22.1 years). Most patients lived in urban areas (86.2%) and had attended less than 8 years of school (51.7%). Diagnosis was made after birth in 19 (32.8%) children. Thirty-four (58.6%) women received some type of treatment during pregnancy. Most (72.4%) of the children did not present with clinical alterations at birth. The main findings were ophthalmological: 20 (34.5%) children with retinochoroiditis, 17 (29.3%) with strabismus, and 7 (12.1%) with nystagmus. Of the children with retinochoroiditis, 9 presented with subnormal vision. Ten (32.3%) out of 31 children presented with intracranial calcifications by cephalic segment congenital toxoplasmosis, and 9 (42.9%) children presented with delayed psychomotor development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results highlight a critical situation. Protocols for follow-up of pregnant women and their children must be created to improve medical care and minimize sequelae.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Saúde da Mulher e da Criança, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG.
authors.forename: Janer Aparecida Silveira
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Sílvio Fernando Guimarães
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Antônio Prates
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Caldeira
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004522:Educational Status; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes