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AIM: To establish seroprevalence and provide characteristics of Toxoplasma gondii(TG) infection in children with recurrent headaches. METHODS: The study was performed in 178 children aged 7-17 years admitted consecutively to the Department of Pediatric Neurology from November 2009 to July 2011. The children were surveyed with a questionnaire with the help and assistance of their parents and blood samples taken on admission were studied for the presence of specific anti-TG Ig M, Ig G antibodies and Ig G avidity using enzyme immunoassay Platelia Toxo Ig M, Ig G. RESULTS: The study showed that 19 children(8 boys, 11 girls; 8-17 years old, mean age 14.36 years) hadhigh serum anti-TG Ig G antibody levels(range: 32.2 > 240 UI/m L, mean 120.18 UI/m L; positive value for Ig G was ≥ 9 UI/m L). The avidity index(AI) ranged from 0.202 to 0.925(scale: ≥ 0.5 high AI). The results for Ig M antibodies were all negative and the obtained results ranged from 0.113 to 0.25 U/m L(mean = 0.191 IU/m L) and all values below 0.8 IU/m L were considered negative. The most frequent complaints found in the seropositive patients were headaches that affected the frontal(13 children), occipital(4) and parietal areas(5). Headaches usually had a pulsating(in 7 patients) and squeezing(6) character and rarely were piercing, dull or expanding. Interestingly, 8 children did not feel discomfort during the headaches, probably because they did not have sufficiently increased intracranial pressure yet. The headaches usually appeared 1-2 times/mo, lasted for 2-6 h, and had a mean intensity of 5.5 points in a 10 point subjective scale. The comorbidities included epilepsy(5 patients), various infections in 3 children(chronic eustachitis, chronic rhinitis, chronic purulent tonsillitis, streptococcal pharyngitis, meningitis, allergic diseases), disturbances of behavior, deficits of attention, and ocular and motor concentration disorders in 1 child. The electroencephalographic and neuroimaging studies performed in our patients had a very limited value in establishing cerebral toxoplasmosis.CONCLUSION: Ten point six seven percent of the studied children had markedly increased serum anti-TG Ig G antibodies and high AI indicated chronic infestation. It is suggested that tests for TG infection should be introduced to routine diagnostics in patients with recurrent headaches.
AIM: To establish seroprevalence and provide characteristics of Toxoplasma gondii (TG) infection in children with recurrent headaches. METHODS: The study was performed in 178 children aged 7-17 years admitted consecutively to the Department of Pediatric Neurology from November 2009 to July 2011. The children were surveyed with a questionnaire with the help and assistance of their parents and blood samples taken on admission were studied for the presence of specific anti-TG Ig M, Ig G antibodies and Ig G avidity using enzyme immunoassay Platelia Toxo Ig M, Ig Hadhigh serum anti-TG Ig G antibody levels (range: 32.2> 240 UI / m L, mean 120.18 The avidity index (AI) ranged from 0.202 to 0.925 (scale: ≧ 0.5 high AI). The results for Ig M antibodies were all negative and the obtained results ranged from 0.113 to 0.25 U / m L (mean = 0.191 IU / m L) The most frequent complaints found in the seropositive patients were headaches that affected the frontal (13 children), occipital (4) and parietal areas (5). Headaches usually had a pulsating ( in 7 patients) and squeezing (6) character and rarely were piercing, dull or expanding. Interestingly, 8 children did not feel discomfort during the headaches, probably because they did not have have increased increased intracranial pressure yet. The comorbidities included epilepsy (5 patients), various infections in 3 children (chronic eustachitis, chronic rhinitis, chronic purulent tonsillitis , disturbances of behavior, deficits of attention, and ocular and motor concentration disorders in 1 child. The electroencephalographic and neuroimaging studies perfor medin our patients had a very limited value in establishing cerebral toxoplasmosis. CONCLUSION: Ten points six seven percent of the studied children had markedly increased serum anti-TG Ig G antibodies and high AI indicated chronic infestation. It is suggested that tests for TG infection should be introduced to routine diagnostics in patients with recurrent headaches.