title: Toxoplasma gondii infection during pregnancy: T lymphocyte subpopulations in mothers and fetuses.
abstract: Prenatal diagnosis of fetal toxoplasmosis is possible with the use of fetal blood sampling, amniocentesis and ultrasound examination. The purpose of this study was to describe T lymphocyte subsets (CD3, CD4 and CD8) in mothers and their fetuses when Toxoplasma gondii infection occurred during pregnancy. Maternal and fetal blood samples were obtained in 86 cases and 9 fetuses showed T. gondii infection. Control groups consisted of 30 healthy nonpregnant women and 30 pregnant women. Pregnant women with T. gondii infection showed an increase in the suppressor (CD8) T subpopulation and a significant depression in the total helper (CD4) T cells. These alterations were more important in mothers whose fetus was infected. We showed the progressive maturation of the fetal immune system with a regular increase of all T lymphocyte subsets. Marked alterations were observed in the 9 infected fetuses (depression of CD4 population and lower CD4/CD8 ratio). In the future these differences might be used as a new marker of the severity of fetal lesions and become a useful diagnostic tool.
authors.affiliation: Service de Médecine, Institut de Puériculture de Paris, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hohlfeld
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forestier
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marion
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thulliez
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marcon
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Daffos
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology