ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to test the utility of polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay to detect recent infections with Toxoplasma in pregnant women. T.gondii DNA was detected by using B1 gene as a target for amplification which is highly specific for T.gondii and is well conserved among all of the tested strains. This study revealed the following findings:[l] PCR was positive in 63 subjects, including 58 high risk cases [77.3%] and 5 of controls [12.5%].[2] 17 high risk cases [24.6%] had false positive IgM and 5 of controls [12.5%] had false negative result for IgM. [3] 17 high risk cases [32.7%] had false positive IgG and 5 of controls [12.5%] had false negative IgG. [4] No significant association between eating raw meat or contact with cats and positive ELISA for PCR but there is highly significant association between women with contact with soil and positive PCR. [5] No significant relation between residency and either ELISA or PCR. [6] Significant negative correlation between the age of the studied women and positivity of PCR. this study highlights the need for a confirmatory test to detect primary acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women. It demonstrates the possibility of defining and selecting the high-risk cases for mother-to-child transmission of infection by combining specific serology and PCR tests to formulate a specific approach