Toxoplasmosis

I have had my second toxoplasmosis flare now. My first one was last year. My second flare occured exactly within a year. I have a healthy immune system or so I think. I dont have aids or hiv, I was already tested. My lymph nodes have always been swollen though. Even before I had my first flare up. I was tested for hiv, and or aids the first time, and came back negative. This time I was tested again and I came back negative again. I never had any type of problem when I was a child. But I do remember me one time getting a really high fever and a sore throat and weekness. I didnt go to the dr. This was before any of my flare ups. I have always had swollen lymph nodes, and they just never went away. My second flare-up was worse. I started to feel very weak, and I just had an overall sick feeling, I was also throwing up alot. The dr. now has me on 75mg daraprim daily, Azithromiacyn 250mg tablet daily,Folic acid 1mg tablet twice a day, oh and I was taking 4 prednisone 10mg. I have only stopped the prednisone tablets. I have been taking these meds now for about a week. My vision is starting to clear up now it is not so foggy. Will I have another flare up? Did I have another flare up because last year I wasnt treated with daraprim? Could it have stayed in my body active without me knowing? Last year I only took clindomiacyn the third day I had a reaction so I stopped. My eye cleared up in about only two weeks. What else should I be tested for? Will I have a greater chance of getting another flare up? Oh, I had an MRI done and dr. said that everything was normal. They tested me for toxoplasmosis through recovering blood and dr. said that I did have it. What else should I get tested for? Has there ever been a case to where toxoplasmosis never came back?

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

I'm sorry but I'm not able to give you all the answers you want.  I am not an expert in this field.  I do know that the organism and its cysts are very, very difficult to eradicate and a future reactivation is always a possibility.  I invite anyone else to chime in.

MJK MD

[George559]

Will you please ask someone that you know that has knowledge of this organism? Cysts are they eradicated with the use of daraprim, and azithromiacin? I am just very desperate for any answer. This is my second flare up. My first was about a year ago. How do they determine if I have congenital or aquiered? Is there anything else that could be going on?

Thank You,
George

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

It sounds like you might possibly have some compromise to  your immune system which make re-activation of tosoplasmosis even more likely.  You should be seeing an infectious disease specialist as well as ophthalmologist at major university teaching hospital to monitor your treatment.  If it is acquired, you would have had a significant illness and a rapid rise in recent antibodies - but that would have needed to be tested for right then.  SO  you may never know if it congenital or acquired unless you had those tests right before and right after the original illness.  No medicine can guarantee eradication of the cysts, especially if your immune system is down.

MJK MD

[George559]

I have been taking my medications(daraprim 75mg, Azithromiacin 250mg, and Folic acid 1mg 2 times a day) for about eleven days now. I saw my retinal specialist yesterday, and she said that I am on ther right path now. She said it is still active and that the border of the scar is active in certain spots. I still have a swollen lymph node on my right side of my neck, and very little ones that run down the back of my neck. Could cavities play a role in all of this? What else should I be tested for if you were in my situation? I feel much better except for my stomach it feels so bloated, gasy, and hurtfull at times. Could inactive TB compromise your immune system? I worked for a hospital for about three years, I worked on a woundcare team. Could I have caught something there? Or just what is it that If should be tested for next?

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

Doubt you got it from work.  Could be congenital infection or later infection from contaminated vegetables, undercooked meat, or unpasturized milk or other like cat litter.  Cavites unrelated.  The toxoplasmosis doesn't weaken your immune system but it can be more aggressive in immunocomprised people.  If you have toxoplasmosis then it should be readily apparent to your retinal specialist.  Ask her about any other testing she deems necessary.

MJK MD

[George559]

You know what, I was wondering could gastrointestinal worms suppress your immune system. Well, do you remember when I was telling you that I was getting very strong stomach pains? Well, it got so bad that I went to the E.R. they said that I had some traces of blood in my urine, so they thought that I might have kidney stones because of the meds that I was on. I didnt believe that. I went home and the pain was very intense. I could not even have a bowl movent but when I did I was shocked. It looked like a tape worm or something. I went to my Dr. app. the next day, and had my stools checked for parasites, and called me just a while ago and said that I defenatly have worms in my stools. I remember when I was yonger, I had many stomach problems. I might have gotten it from so many times that we went to Mexico. Over a period of time could this surrpress your immune system making me  suseptible to an opportunistic attack like toxoplasmosis? Or do you think that there might be a possibility that I might not even have toxoplasmosis? Please writte back and tell me what you think.

George

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

You may have gotten worms and toxoplasmosis the same way - through undercooked meat.  Just a thought.  You definitely need an infectious disease specialist.

MJK MD

[George559]

Okay I will talk to my dr. and have him refer me out to a disease specialist. Thank you very much for answering my questions.
George