Abstract
The goal of this study was to investigate the importance of IgG avidity testing in newborns (NBs) diagnosed with early congenital toxoplasmosis. We collected samples from 88 puerperae infected by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) and their NBs (48 acutely-infected puerperae (AIP) and 40 chronically-infected puerperae (CIP)), from two public maternity hospitals in Goiania city, Goias, Brazil, from 2010 to 2015. Specific anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG serum levels and IgG avidity tests were evaluated using chemiluminescence. Congenital toxoplasmosis was observed in 66.66% (n = 32) of NBs with AIP, 94.1% presenting low avidity (LA) and 51.61% presenting high avidity (HA) test results. The IgG and IgM levels of NBs with LA and their puerperae were higher in comparison with HA NBs and puerperae (p = 0.0001). The avidity tests showed 100% specificity and 50% sensitivity (p = 0.0001). NBs with LA had a 15-fold increased risk of developing congenital toxoplasmosis in comparison with HA NBs. The IgG avidity test could be used to assist in early congenital toxoplasmosis diagnoses in NBs and LA, identifying a greater probability of vertical transmission.
Highlights
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an obligate intracellular parasitic protozoan that causes toxoplasmosis [1,2]
Based on the results of IgG avidity testing, the NBs were divided into three groups: (a) two groups were composed of newborns (NBs) from acutely-infected puerperae: (a1) NB with low avidity of IgG
Our data showed that NBs exposed to T. gondii with low avidity (LA) IgG presented increased serum levels of specific IgM and IgG, exhibited more severe congenital toxoplasmosis symptoms, and had a 15-fold greater risk of developing toxoplasmosis than NBs exposed to T. gondii with high avidity (HA), data not previously described in the literature
Summary
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an obligate intracellular parasitic protozoan that causes toxoplasmosis [1,2]. This parasite can be acquired through contaminated food ingestion, blood transfusion, organ transplantation, and by vertical transmission [3,4,5,6,7]. The infection caused by T. gondii is usually asymptomatic but its most severe manifestation is congenital toxoplasmosis [5,8,9]. Congenital toxoplasmosis occurs in different regions of the world with an incidence of 1–14 cases per 10,000 pregnancies [10,11,12]. Studies have reported high seroprevalence of anti-IgG
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
