Symptomatic toxoplasma infection due to congenital and postnatally acquired infection

Aims: To determine the incidence and severity of symptomatic toxoplasma infection presenting during childhood due to congenital or postnatally acquired infection. Methods: Between 2002 and 2004, newly diagnosed children ( Results: Thirty eight children had confirmed toxoplasma infection. Twenty two (58%) were classified with congenital infection (cumulative incidence for England and Wales 3.4/100 000 live births; 95% CI 2.4 to 4.8), of whom 2 (9%) were stillborn, 7 (32%) live births had intracranial abnormalities and/or developmental delay (5 of whom had retinochoroiditis), and 10 (45%) had retinochoroiditis with no other abnormalities reported. A further 16 (42%) children were classified as infected after birth; all had retinochoroiditis. Conclusions: The low burden of symptomatic congenital toxoplasmosis combined with the lack of evidence of an effective treatment support current policy not to offer prenatal or neonatal screening for toxoplasma infection. Primary prevention strategies need to address acquisition of infection in childhood which accounts for half the ocular disease due to toxoplasma infection in children in the UK and Ireland.