5 tilburðir við toxoplasmosis í Føroyum

Abstract

A historical review of toxoplasmosis is given, from the discovery of the parasite toxoplasma gondii in 1908 (Nicolle and Manceaux, North Africa, and Splendore, Brazil). Nicolle and Manceaux detected toxoplasma gondii among North African rodents, and Splendore found them among Brazilian rabbits. Since then numerous publications have been brought forward demonstrating toxoplasma gondii among hares, rats, pigeons, dogs, rabbits, hens, pigs, cows, sheep, minks, and cats.

In 1937 the first case of congenital toxoplasmosis was published, and in 1941 the first case of acquired toxoplasmosis described. Afterwards numerous cased have been published. In 1953 R. K. Rasmussen M. D. published the first case in the Faroe Islands. Toxoplasmosis is a rather new disease and its syndrome rather varied. During recent years 5 different types of the disease have been stated. To be sure, it is a rare disease, but is often overlooked. It is maintained that in Scandinavia
lymphoadenophaty is more frequent than myalgia, arthralgia, myocars ditis, and encephalitis. This is hardly correct; especially the encephalitic cases are often overlooked. The author describes 5 cases from the Faroe Islands. Next a typical pathological picture is instanced. First the patient is tired and irritable, a few days Iater a severe headache appears, followed by nausea and vomiting. Faints occur followed by convulsions, and many patients get heart troubles. Often the patients are removed to hospital for heart diseases or epilepsy. Finally is emphasized that the disease is more frequent than it is diagnosed.