Evaluation of semi-quantitative PCR and IgG & IgM ELISA in diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in females with miscarriage.
One hundred female (age 20-42 yrs) patients were classified into group I: 40 patients presented with abortion in the first trimester; group II: 33 patients with abortion in the second trimester and group III: 27 patients with intrauterine fetal death (IUFD). The positive percentages of semi-quantitative PCR and both IgG & IgM ELISA were 38% and 35% respectively. Ten (26.3%) cases out of 38 were positive for toxoplasmosis by both PCR and ELISA-IgG, while 5 (13.2%) cases out of 38 were positive by both PCR and ELISA-IgM, whereas 16 (42.1%) cases out of 38 PCR positive cases were positive by both ELISA IgG & IgM. Sensitivity and specificity of both ELISA IgG and IgM were 81.57% & 93.54% respectively. False negative by ELISA were found in 7 cases out of 38 positive toxoplasmosis cases detected by semi-quantitative PCR. Three cases out of the 7 cases with false negative by ELISA were detected with a trophozoite copy load of 10(1) trophozoite /mL in the blood sample by semi-quantitative PCR. So, the semi-quantitative PCR detected low levels of parasite DNA recommending its usefulness especially in the early stages of the disease when low amount of antibodies can't be detected by serological method or even by the conventional PCR.
Abdel-Hameed
Dina M
DM
Department of Parasitology, and Clinical Pathology, Medical Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ain-Shams University, Cairo 11566, Egypt.
Hassanein
Omayma
O
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000469:parasitology*; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M