Diagnosis of congenital cerebral toxoplasmosis by detection of low avidity specific IGG antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid

To assess the role of congenital toxoplasmosis as a causative agent of the CNS disorders in human off springs, 105 newborns, infants, preschool and school children with these disorders were observed. They consisted of three groups. The first were 24 newborns and infants to mothers seroconverted during pregnancy, the second; 39 newborns and infants whose immunocompromised mothers were Toxoplasma chronically infected before pregnancy, the third, 42 children who were clinically free at birth but presented with CNS disorders 4-9 years later; their mothers were with chronic Toxoplasma seropositivity at the time of the survey. Anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were sought in the sera of mothers and sera and CSF of the off springs. Specific intrathecal IgG antibody production was estimated by calculating Goldman Witmer Coefficient [C] and by calculating the CSF to serum antibody avidity ratio [AR] exploiting an ELISA that included dissociation of antigen-antibody complexes with 6 Mure a solution. C value > 8 and AR value < 0.5 were detected in 5 [20.8%] members of the first group, 3 [7.6%] of the second and 4 [9.5%] of the third. These values corresponded with the response to specific therapy. The antibody avidity in the diagnosed newborn sera [

Prevalence of toxoplasmosis among hepatosplenic patients with or without lymphadenopathy

To study the prevalence of toxoplasmosis among patients with hepatosplenomegaly attending out patients clinic of Internal Medicine Department of Zagazig University Hospital, 53 patients [4 females, 49 males] were examined 14 of them were under specific chemotherapy at Oncology Unit and the rest were taken from the Internal Medicine Department. Ten healthy subjects were taken from the same different localities of Sharkyia Governorate as a control group. All subjects were thoroughly examined routinely investigated and their sera were tested for the presence of Toxoplasma antibodies by indirect hemagglutination test. Nineteen patients were found to be seropositive for toxoplasmosis [35.8%] among 53 patients, while only one case was seropositive from the ten healthy control group. Toxoplasmosis was more frequent among patients taken from the Oncology Unit presented by lymphadenopathy [78.5%] because they were under the effect of chemotherapy or immunosuppressive drugs. Also the prevalence rate was significantly higher among patients with Neutropenia and/or lymphocytosis or marked liver cell failure manifestations and especially with those patients presented with active schistosomiasis and those with positive history of Cat Contact or row food consumption. So toxoplasmosis must be taken in consideration as a pathogen and searched for in sera of altered hosts [hepatosplenomegaly with or without lymphoproliferative disorders under specific chemotherapy or immunosuppressive drugs] especially when they develop rapid deterioration