Pediatric Pearls. TORCH Infections: 7 Facts about Toxoplasmosis

July 11, 2023

As you all know, I am a big fan of using acronyms to remember information. It is probably what got me through medical school!

Now when working in the hospital, if I am caring for a neonate who is exhibiting seizure activity, I use the acronym, TORCH, to help me with a differential diagnosis. TORCH is an acronym for a group of infections that cause congenital issues if a fetus is exposed to them in utero. The letters stand for:

• Toxoplasmosis

• Other (syphilis, varicella-zoster virus or chickenpox, fifth disease or parvovirus, HIV)

• Rubella

• Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

• Herpes simplex

Pediatric Pearls looked at CMV and herpes simplex in previous posts. Let’s continue our march through TORCH infections with 7 Facts about Toxoplasmosis.