Toxoplasma gondii antibody profile in HIV-infected pregnant women and the risk of congenital toxoplasmosis.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected pregnant women and to determine the association between serological profile and the risk of congenital toxoplasmosis. The study, conducted in a public maternity ward from May 2002 to April 2005, included all HIV-infected women who delivered live infants during the 36 months, and, as a control group, all HIV-negative women that delivered live infants in the first 12 months of the study. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 1,624 of 2,421 HIV-negative women (67%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 65-69%) and in 121 of 168 HIV-infected patients (72%; 95% CI 65-79%). A total of 547 HIV-negative and 103 HIV-infected patients were tested at delivery and had positive T. gondii-specific IgG. In HIV-negative women, the median of the specific IgG concentration was 79 (interquartile range 38-160), and in HIV-infected patients, it was 283 (interquartile range 94-704) (P < 0.001). In the group of co-infected women, the only infant with congenital toxoplasmosis was born to a mother with acute toxoplasmosis infection acquired during pregnancy who did not have a high specific IgG concentration or a positive result for specific IgM. We concluded that high T. gondii-specific IgG values were much more frequent among HIV-infected pregnant women, but it did not translate into an increased risk of maternal-fetal transmission of toxoplasmosis.
Department of Pediatrics, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Su, Porto Alegre, Brazil. eleonorolago@terra.com.br
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Lago
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Conrado
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Piccoli
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Carvalho
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Bender
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M