Epidemics of Toxoplasmosis in Taiwan

Ting-Yi Chiang, Dar-Der Ji

2011 Vol.27 NO.21

Correspondence Author: Ting-Yi Chiang

Abstract:

Toxoplasmosis has become one of the 4th category of National Notifiable Communicable Diseases in Taiwan since 2007. Among the 143 patients reported during 2008-2010, 68 cases were serologically positive for toxoplasma infection and 15 of them were primary infections. One patient with congenital infection was identified, vertical transmission from mother who might have ingested contaminated raw pork to the fetus was suspected. Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. The clinical presentation is more severe among immunocompromised patients and those with congenital infection; the subsequent medical and associated expenditure is enormous. Therefore, education targeting not only childbearing-aged women, but also general population should be reinforced. Physicians should be more alert and notification of suspected cases should be encouraged. This article addressed the current epidemics of toxoplasmosis in Taiwan, and also discussed the surveillance system in European countries. The later can be references for establishing our own surveillance system and control measures.