Experimental ocular toxoplasmosis. II.

Abstract

Plan For several years sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine have been used in the treatment of human and experimental toxoplasmosis with varying reports as to their efficacy. Very little work has been done, however, with regard to the effects of these drugs in experimental ocular toxoplasmosis in animals. These studies were designed to determine whether sulfadiazine alone, or in combination with pyrimethamine,* would suppress or prevent a local or systemic infection in guinea pigs after inoculation of Toxoplasma into the vitreous humor. We have previously reported 1 on the technique for these infections, the type of inflammation produced, and the evidence of systemic spread from the eye. Materials Young female guinea pigs weighing approximately 400 gm. were used. They all had negative dye-test titers at a 1:16 dilution. The amounts of the drugs administered to the guinea pigs were based on average human dosages of 4 gm. of sulfadiazine daily and 75