[Role of toxoplasmosis in the development of central nervous system lesions in children].

Because of the high degree of infestation in women capable of bearing children in Europe (70 to 80%) with Toxoplasma gondii the authors have studied all babies admitted for clinical treatment at the institute of Paediatrics in Lublin for clinical and serological indications of a connatal toxoplasmosis. In the period between January 1977 and December 1978, 133 babies showed positive findings. The most frequently occurring findings were lesions of the central nervous system (hydrocephalus 21 X, microcephaly 8 X, porencephaly 18 X, convulsions and psychomotor retardation 11 X, subdural hygroma and haematoma 34 X, encephalomeningitis 7 X).

[Subdural hygroma in infants with congenital toxoplasmosis (author's transl)].

Cytological examination of the fluid from subdural hygromas revealed congenital Toxoplasmosis in 14 of 43 infants (32,5%). Conversely, subdural hygroma was a significant clinical symptom in 42 cases of congenital Toxoplasmosis. In 9 cases trophozoites or cystes of Toxoplasma Gondii were found in the subdural fluid, and in 4 of these in the cerebrospinal fluid as well.