Introduction:

In May 2013, Instituto Evandro Chagas confirmed the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis in five individuals with a clinical presentation of lymphadenopathy and fever. They were all from the Municipality of Ponta de Pedras, Pará State, Brazil, where other similar cases were noted by Municipal Health Secretariat. An outbreak of toxoplasmosis was suspected and an investigation was conducted.

Objective:

To describe the clinical, laboratory, and epidemiological characteristics of an acute toxoplasmosis outbreak in Ponta de Pedras.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 270 individuals, symptomatic or not, were clinically examined and had their samples analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect IgG and IgM anti-Toxoplasma gondii. To confirm cases suggestive of acute infection (IgG+/IgM+), the IgG avidity index was determined by immunofluorometric assay. Information on socio-demographic aspects, behavior, and eating habits was obtained using a questionnaire. Identified cases were geographically mapped, and the resultant data were analyzed together with epidemiological parameters using geo-statistic methods.

Results:

During the investigation, 73 cases of acute toxoplasmosis were identified. Spatial correlation of cases was observed only with the consumption of açaí juice, sold in three places during the outbreak.

Conclusion:

The outbreak of acute disease in Ponta de Pedras was caused by T. gondii. The evidence suggests that the origin was açaí juice, probably contaminated with oocysts of the parasite.