The Clinical Manifestations and Laboratory Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis

Abstract

Since the topic which I have been assigned is quite broad and the allotted time definitely limited, it will not be possible for me to refer as completely as I should like to the contributions of others nor to acknowledge the sources of the many specimens which we have studied. My discussion will be divided into three parts: (a) the laboratory procedures which are considered to be most helpful for making the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis; (b) the clinical manifestations of infection with Toxoplasma in humans and animals; (c) epidemiological information obtained from the large scale application of some of the serological methods. A. The Laboratory Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis. The most precise way in which to gather laboratory support for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis obviously is to isolate the parasite from the ill human or animal. On this score I would strongly recommend that laboratory-reared mice be used for such attempts, since we have never encountered spontaneous toxoplasmosis in such animals.