Parasitologia hungarica

Author(s): Veréb, I., Szénási, Zs., Szabó, J., Jeszenszky, M., Endo, T., Yagita, K. & Nagy, E.
Title: Diagnosis of perinatal toxoplasmosis by nested PCR using urine samples
Title: Perinatális toxoplasmosis diagnosztizálása nested PCR segítségével vizelet mintákból
Year: 1998
Volume: 31
Pages: 5-11.

Abstract: A general screening project has been established in the region of Szeged, Hungary since 1987 for the early detection of congenital toxoplasmosis in pregnant women. Women with serological results raising the suspicion of acute toxoplasmosis were immediately treated with spiramycin during the course of pregnancy. No case of congenital toxoplasmosis has been found among the infants so far. We applied a molecular biology based method for the direct diagnosis of Toxoplasma genome by nested PCR in order to confirm the infection of infants delivered by women serologically positive in pregnancy. Thirty-three urine samples obtained from asymptomatic newborns of women with acute toxoplasmosis were examined by PCR to compare the findings with their serological results. Only two of the examined 33 urine samples showed the Toxoplasma-specific PCR product after the first step PCR and 14 more samples after the nested PCR. Sixteen out of 33 urine specimens were positive for T. gondii B1 gene. Seventeen urine samples were found to be negative and we were not able to isolate the T. gondii B1 gene specific sequence.
Keywords: Congenital toxoplasmosis, urine sample, nested PCR, B1 gene

Journal: Parasitologia Hungarica
Journal abbreviation:
ISSN: 0303-688X
Publisher: Magyar Parazitológusok Társasága, Budapest
Editor(s): K. Murai, É., Thoma, A., Gubányi, A. & Tajti, T. Zs.