Epidemiological aspects of ocular toxoplasmosis in patients from Machiques de Perija municipality in Venezuela. August 2004-July 2005

Abstract

A cross-sectional descriptive study of all the patients suffering from ocular toxoplasmosis treated at the Ophthalmology Services of the Machiques de Perija municipality in the state of Zulia , Venezuela , from August 2004 to July 30, 2004, was carried out. The objective of the study was to determine the epidemiologic aspects of the patients suffering from this condition. The universe of study was formed by 1132 patients treated in the consulting room and presenting as the main symptom a visual deficit. The sample included 67 patients whose visual defect was related to the clinical ophthalmologic diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis. The most affected age group was between 30 and 44 years of age, mostly males. Most of the patients lived in houses in poor condition; most of them lived with dogs and cats (32). More than half of the patients used to eat poorly cooked meats. The majority of the patients presenting a predominance of cicatricial plaques in the macular area were diagnosed with congenital toxoplasmosis. On the other hand, there were more active plaques and plaques of peripheral localization in those patients presenting acquired toxoplasmosis. The most common associated ophthalmologic illness was posterior uveitis. More than half of the patients remained with a vision lower than 0.01.