Abstract

Author(s):Fuad Mohammed Alsaide, Atif Abdurrahman Elagib, Intisar Elhag El-Rayah and Mosab Nouraldein Mohammed Hamad

This study was conducted to evaluate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to determine recent infections with Toxoplasma gondii in pregnant women. T. gondii DNA was detected by using the B1 gene as a target for amplification which is highly specific for T. gondii. The overall prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection was: PCR was positive in 32 subjects (8.0%) and 2 of controls (2.0%), 44 (11%) had positive IgM and 1.0 (1.0%) of controls had positive for IgM, whereas IgG antibody was positive in 176 (44%) compared to 29 (29%) was positive in the control group. There was no significant association between positivity PCR and abortion whereas there was a significant association between IgM positive and abortion. There was a significant association between eating raw or undercooked meat, contact with cats, contact with soil, and having domestic animals and positive IgM ELISA and PCR positive. There was no significant relationship between age, residency, educational level and either ELISA or PCR. This study showed that the use of PCR for a confirmatory test to detect primary acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women is very important. It demonstrates the possibility of defining and selecting the high-risk cases for mother-to-child transmission of infection by combining specific serology and PCR tests to formulate a specific approach.

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