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The past and present role of the Sabin-Feldman dye test in the serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis.

The dye test for the detection of Toxoplasma-specific antibodies was first described by Sabin and Feldman 50 years ago. The test is highly specific and sensitive and considerable information is available on the development and persistence of dye test antibodies after primary Toxoplasma infection. However, the test uses live Toxoplasma gondii and is now only employed in a few laboratories. It is still the reference method for the serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis, and a multicentre study comparing dye test results between different laboratories was much needed. We report in this article the results of a multicentre evaluation of the test involving nineteen laboratories in eight countries. The study revealed overall satisfactory standardization between the laboratories, but there were differences in the test protocols, the use of reference/standard preparations and the interpretation of results. There is still no agreement on the level of dye test values which reflect infection with the parasite, and conversion from titres to international units (IUs) did not improve standardization. However, the results indicated that a value of > 4 IU or a titre of 1:16 met the definition of positivity of most participants. We recommend that the dye test be retained as a reference method and that interlaboratory standardization be improved by the use of a common protocol and the expression of results in titres.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗

[Toxoplasmosis IgG avidity: what importance does it have in pregnancy?].

Avidity describes the binding strength of specific antibody to antigen. It was found to be low in the first phase after primary infection but then to increase over time. In addition to classic serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis, measurement of avidity provides information making it possible to distinguish between acute and chronic infection and is of particular interest in pregnant women. In 229 women we found IgG and IgM antibodies suggestive of acute infection. A total of 188 (82%) had an avidity index > 0.3, indicating that the infection had occurred at least four months earlier. Based on this additional information, repeated testing and unnecessary anxiety can be avoided.

Animals↗

[Congenital toxoplasmosis: presentation of a case].

We report a case of a 4 months old boy with esotropia of the left eye with large bilateral chorioretinal toxoplasmic macular scars. Chorioretinal scars are the most common eye finding in congenital toxoplasmosis and are often located in the macular region. Most infants with congenital infection are asymptomatic at birth but will develop retinal and/or neurologic damage later in life with consequent loss of vision. A routine examination of the fundus and computed tomography of the head can be negative. Serologic testing is essential for the diagnosis and the follow-up of the infection. Every infant with evident or suspected congenital infection by Toxoplasma gondii must be treated by Pyrimethamine, Sulphadiazine and Folinic Acid during at least the first year of life with regular serologic testing and ophthalmologic examination. Neurologic outcome is better with treatment and the risk of chorioretinitis seems reduced.

Child, Preschool↗

A case of cerebral toxoplasmosis.

A histopathologically proven case of cerebral toxoplasmosis in a young HIV positive patient has been presented. The clinical problems in management are highlighted.

Adult↗

[Diagnosis of materno-fetal toxoplasmosis].

The antenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis represents today an important application of molecular diagnostic methods such as PCR. Done directly in amniotic fluid, the PCR for T. gondii is able to detect in utero infected foetus with high probability. Doing so, it precludes to obtain foetal blood and to use more cumbersome and lengthy procedures such as inoculation to cell lines or to mice. Although it is use today in many centres, the molecular diagnosis of T. gondii by PCR is neither commercialized nor standardised. The objective of this report is to present the methodology used in our institution and to establish its degree of validation.

Female↗

Toxoplasmosis and the compromised host.

A high percentage of population shows antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii yet clinical manifestations of primary infestations are rare. Congenital and secondary forms (chorioretinitis) are serious medical conditions. An outburst in a compromised host is always serious and may be fatal. Therefore, patients subjected to immunosuppressive therapy or with pathologic immune suppression should be clinically and serologically screened and, when toxoplasmosis is diagnosed, treated for the entire period of immunosuppression.

Animals↗

A serological survey of toxoplasmosis in the Bloemfonetin area.

The IFA test revealed the presence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in 10, 3% (62) of sera from 600 pregnant women. The incidence of antibodies varied from 8,0% in the Black population to 10,5% in White and 12,5% in Coloured women. In the Coloured and Black populations the highest incidence of antibodies was found in the 31-40-year age group, while in Whites this occurred in the 21-30-year age group. Twenty-eight sera also contained complement-fixing antibodies. The results are discussed in relation to the epidemiology, complications, diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis.

Adolescent↗

Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in women with recurrent abortions/neonatal deaths and its treatment outcome.

Toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection, varies in its prevalence in various countries. Some studies have suggested its role in the causation of abortions. We reviewed the records of Microbiology Department at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar (Kashmir) and found that out of 2371 women with recurrent abortions and 310 women with neonatal deaths tested for IgM antibody against toxoplasma, 1260 (53.14%) and 215 (69.35%) tested positive respectively. One hundred and twenty-two women with recurrent abortions and 55 women with neonatal deaths who had tested positive for IgM antibody were followed during subsequent pregnancy and were treated with spiramycin; 115 94.26%) in current abortion group and 35 (63.64%) in neonatal death group delivered normal babies. We discuss the role of seropositivity for toxoplasma in women during reproductive period.

Abortion, Habitual↗

Contribution of new techniques for the diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis.

Congenital toxoplasmosis is still a concern, particularly in France, where the seroprevalence is high. For an efficient prevention program, reliable techniques are necessary. During the past ten years, biological advances have been made to improve the performance of antenatal diagnosis as well as the postnatal detection of infected neonates. In this review we will touch on three main points: 1) the dating of seroconversion during the course of pregnancy, 2) the value of antenatal diagnosis, 3) the new modalities for postnatal serological follow-up of newborns.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗

Cryotreatment of toxoplasmosis retinochoroiditis.

Cryotherapy was utilized in 5 eyes of 4 patients with recurrent toxoplasmosis retinochoroiditis. Each patient showed slow gradual improvement in vision over several months following cryotreatment where previous medical management had failed. No recurrences have been noted during the follow-up period of 3 months to 3 years.

Adult↗

Intracerebral toxoplasmosis presenting as a mass lesion.

Intracerebral toxoplasmosis is an uncommon condition and for it a produce an intracerebral mass is rare. A case is reported in a patient also suffering from lymphosarcoma, who had received immunosuppressive therapy and who had recently had herpes zoster ophthalmica.

Brain Diseases↗

Prophylactic efficacy of recombinant IL-12, clindamycin alone or in combination against experimental reactivated toxoplasmosis.

Reactivation of experimental chronic toxoplasmosis was induced by daily i.m. injection of 0.1 ml hydrocortisone acetate (25 mg/ml) per mouse. Administration of clindamycin (5 mg/kg orally), rIL-12 (0.25 microg i.p.) or combination of both was done once weekly for 3 months course starting 2 days post suppression. The prophylactic effect was assessed by determination of both survival rate and brain cyst counts with histopathological examination of brain sections at different time points post suppression besides the influence of these drug regimens on interferon gamma (IFN-delta) production. All immunocompromised untreated mice exhibited increased brain cyst burdens and reduced IFN-delta production and died due to toxoplasmic encephalitis. Neither clindamycin nor rIL-12 prevented reactivation of chronic infection, however, the slight prolongation of survival was observed. Simultaneous administration of clindamycin and rIL-12 resulted in prevention of reactivation in 73.3% of the mice till the end of the experiment. The combination regimen produced significant higher levels of IFN-delta than either drug alone suggesting that both rIL-12 and clindamycin can act additively or synergistically to prevent reactivation of chronic infection with T. gondii most probably through enhancement of IFN-delta production.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

[A case of primary toxoplasmosis in an immunocompetent patient].

CASE REPORT: A case of an immunocompetent patient presenting primary systemic toxoplasma infection involving the eye (condition seen in less than 3% of primary infections). The patient showed reactivation of this primary focus two years later. DISCUSSION: Diagnosis of toxoplasm retinitis is based on a typical lesion consisting in an area of active retinitis adjacent to an inactive corioretinal scar. Differential diagnosis must consider other causes of retinal coroiditis in primary infection cases: sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, syphilis as well as viral and fungal infections. Ocular toxoplasmosis was confirmed by serum tests.

Adult↗

Anti-toxoplasmosis drugs.

The drugs most commonly used for treatment of toxoplasmosis combine folate inhibitors that frequently cause undesirable side effects. There is an urgent need for new drugs or drug combinations that are able to eradicate the tissue cysts responsible for relapses, particularly for patients intolerant to folate inhibitors. Although promising for its activity against cysts, atovaquone is still limited by its variable intestinal absorption. The recent demonstration that the apicoplast of Toxoplasma gondii could be a possible unique drug target for antibiotics such as macrolides and fluoroquinolones represented an important breakthrough in this area.

Animals↗

TORCH Infections. Toxoplasmosis, Other (syphilis, varicella-zoster, parvovirus B19), Rubella, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Herpes infections.

Perinatal infections account for 2% to 3% of all congenital anomalies. TORCH, which includes Toxoplasmosis, Other (syphilis, varicella-zoster, parvovirus B19), Rubella, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Herpes infections, are some of the most common infections associated with congenital anomalies. Most of the TORCH infections cause mild maternal morbidity, but have serious fetal consequences, and treatment of maternal infection frequently has no impact on fetal outcome. Therefore, recognition of maternal disease and fetal monitoring once disease is recognized are important for all clinicians. Knowledge of these diseases will help the clinician appropriately counsel mothers on preventive measures to avoid these infections, and will aid in counseling parents on the potential for adverse fetal outcomes when these infections are present.

Chickenpox↗

[Polymerase chain reaction in diagnosis of toxoplasmosis of the central nervous system: effect of methods for isolating DNA from samples of cerebrospinal fluid on results of the reaction].

We examined influence of the method of isolation of DNA from cerebrospinal fluid samples on results of PCR in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis of the central nervous system. Three different protocols of DNA isolation were used for DNA extraction from 360 samples made of cerebrospinal fluid spiked with tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii: thermic, enzymatic and enzymatic-filtering. Purified DNA samples were tested by PCR with primers T15 and T16 designed for the B1 gene of the parasite. Enzymatic method of DNA isolation appeared most effective allowing detection of T. gondii DNA in 50% of samples containing single parasite cell.

Animals↗

[Congenital toxoplasmosis].

Judged by the cases studied at the Hospital de Pediatría, congenital toxoplasmosis may be transmitted to several descendants and the infection capacity of the mother persists for a long time. The possibility of toxoplasma infection should be investigated in cases of hydrocephalus, convulsions, microcephalia, ocular lesions or pictures of neonatal hepatitis. To explain invasion to the central nervous system by Toxoplasma gondii, a pathogenic hypothesis is offered.

Child, Preschool↗