Clinical, serological and therapeutic profile of ocular toxoplasmosis diagnosed at Batna University Hospital, Algeria

Objectives. Toxoplasmosis is a widespread parasitic infection worldwide, caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan called Toxoplasma gondii. Ocular toxoplasmosis is a common condition, being the main cause of infection affecting the posterior part of the eye. In Algeria, the actual prevalence of this infection remains poorly documented. It is in this context, we undertook this study with the aim of evaluating the seroprevalence of ocular toxoplasmosis diagnosed at Batna University Hospital and identifying the clinical and therapeutic characteristics. Materials and Methods. This prospective, descriptive, crosssectional study is conducted in the parasitology laboratory of Batna University Hospital, over a period of 27 months, from April 2020 to June 2023, sera of patients suspected of ocular toxoplasmosis as well as their retinal angiographies were received and analyzed. Diagnosis was established by measuring IgG and IgM by ELISA in the blood, compared with radiological, clinical and therapeutic data. Results. Among the 37 patients suspected of toxoplasmic chorioretinitis, 21 were serologically positive and no aqueous humor sample could be taken. The seroprevalence of probable ocular toxoplasmosis in our sample is thus 56.75%, there was a diversity of ages, ranging from 10 days to 65 years, the distribution by age shows that the two age groups that predominate in this study are those from 30 to 40 years, the levels of antitoxoplasmic IgG vary from 25 IU to 715 IU, in our series, the main reason for consultation was a decrease in visual acuity and the involvement was unilateral in the majority of cases, we collected isolated fresh foci 3 times, while the others presented a combination of fresh and scar foci, all patients in our sample followed an identical treatment regimen, combining two antibiotics (Sulfamethoxazole / Trimethoprim) and a bolus of corticosteroids. Conclusion: Ocular toxoplasmosis, whether acquired or congenital, remains one of the most significant clinical manifestations during infection with the T. gondii parasite