Abstract

SO.20.12

Recurrence characteristics in human ocular toxoplasmosis

Garweg J. G., Scherrer J. N. 
Swiss Eye Institute and Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland

Objective: Ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) is associated with a substantial number of patient visits each year, thus reinforcing an interest for a better understanding of the disease.
Methods: In this descriptional case series, of 139 patients with OT were retrospectively contacted with the approval of the Local Institutional Ethical Committee, and 63 completed a questionnaire. The data were reconfirmed with those from clinical records. Parameters of interest included patient-reported age at first manifestation and in our records documented age at first presentation and of recurrences. Patients were then categorized according to median age at first OT manifestation. For all comparisons, the level of significance was set at p=0.05.
Results: The mean reported age at first OT was 23.9 (median 20.9, range 0–70.5, ±12.9) years. The clinical diagnosis was made 3.5 years later (p=0.0008). The mean follow up time had been 6.5 (median 5.0; 0.6–49.9, ±7.6) years. The two groups (group 1: <20.9 years; n=35; group 2: ³20.9 years; n = 28) differed in their recurrence rates with 66% for the former and 39% for the latter (c² Test, p<0.05). Patients reporting only one episode (n=16) had a mean age of 26.9 (median 25.6; range 10.6–70.5; ±14.3) years, those reporting two episodes (n=19) were younger at first presentation [mean age 17.9 (median 19.5; range 5.9–33.9; ±7.8) years; p<0.05]. The portion of patients developing a recurrence after their last episode remained with 50-70% stable, as did the time to recurrence with 1.0-1.7years.
Conclusions: Younger patients are at a higher risk for recurrences of their OT. After each OT episode two thirds of patients will develop a next episode after a surprisingly short time to recurrence.

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