| Presentation preference | Oral presentation |
| Title | Long-term Longitudinal Analysis of Retinochoroiditis in Children with Congenital Toxoplasmosis Identified through Neonatal Screening in Brazil |
| Accept poster if oral is not possible ? | Yes |
| Purpose | To analyze prevalence and emergence of new retinochoroiditis (RC) lesions, and their visual impact during the first 10 years of life in children with congenital toxoplasmosis (CT) identified in a population-based neonatal screening program (NS) in Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil. |
| Methods | A prospective study including neonates confirmed with CT after NS covering 95% of live-births in the state of MG during 6 months. Annual pediatric/ophthalmic assessment was accomplished, with data analyzed in the first 10 years of life, and statistical analyses including Kaplan-Meier survival curves. |
| Results | NS identified CT in 178 neonates, correponding to 1:770 live births between a six-month period. Of these, 169 (95.0%) were born to untreated mothers prenatally. On first examination at a mean of 55 days of birth, 79.8% displayed RC, predominantly in the posterior pole, with bilateral lesions in 63.5% and active ones in 39.9%. All children received classic therapy with sulfadiazine, pyrimethamine, and folinic acid in the first year of life. During follow-up, new lesions were most frequently observed at the ages of 4-5 years (asymptomatic) and 9-10 years (symptomatic and asymptomatic), being promptly treated with classic therapy, as active recurrences were detected. After 10 years of age, only 3.4% of children were free of RC. |
| Conclusion | RC is a hallmark of CT, with prevalence in Brazil significantly higher than in international studies. RC prevalence slowly increased during follow-up, particularly at 4-5 years, when most recurrences occurred in asymptomatic children. This highlights the need for close monitoring to allow prompt treatment and prevent irreversible visual loss. |
| Conflict of interest | No |
1
| Last name | BENETI |
| Initials of first name(s) | GC |
| Department | Hospital São Geraldo/HC da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais ( UFMG) |
| City | Belo Horizonte |
| Country | Brazil |
2
| Last name | LAGOS |
| Initials of first name(s) | AAR |
| Department | Hospital São Geraldo/HC da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais ( UFMG) |
| City | Belo Horizonte |
| Country | Brazil |
3
| Last name | ARRUDA |
| Initials of first name(s) | JSD |
| Department | Hospital São Geraldo/HC da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais ( UFMG) |
| City | Belo Horizonte |
| Country | Brazil |
4
| Last name | CARDOZO |
| Initials of first name(s) | SEM |
| Department | Hospital São Geraldo/HC da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais ( UFMG) |
| City | Belo Horizonte |
| Country | Brazil |
5
| Last name | AZEVEDO |
| Initials of first name(s) | DOM |
| Department | Hospital São Geraldo/HC da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais ( UFMG) |
| City | Belo Horizonte |
| Country | Brazil |
6
| Last name | ROMANELLI |
| Initials of first name(s) | RM |
| Department | Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais ( UFMG) |
| City | Belo Horizonte |
| Country | Brazil |
7
| Last name | CARELLOS |
| Initials of first name(s) | EVM |
| Department | Hospital das clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais ( UFMG) |
| City | Belo Horizonte |
| Country | Brazil |
8
| Last name | JANUARIO |
| Initials of first name(s) | JN |
| Department | Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais ( UFMG) |
| City | Belo Horizonte |
| Country | Brazil |
9
| Last name | VASCONCELOS-SANTOS |
| Initials of first name(s) | DV |
| Department | Hospital São Geraldo/HC da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais ( UFMG) |
| City | Belo Horizonte |
| Country | Brazil |
