Use of Real time -PCR in the follow up of aborted women with Toxoplasmosis before and after treatment

number: 
3276
English
Degree: 
Author: 
Haleema Salman Salih
Supervisor: 
Dr. Huda T. Al-Marsomy
Dr. Elham A. Al-Aswad
year: 
2013
Abstract:

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide infection that may cause severe disease and is regarded as a serious health problem in world. it is one of the most well-studied parasites because of its medical and veterinary importance, and its suitability as a model for cell biology and molecular studies with a unicellular organism (Dubey, et al., 2005). Toxoplasmosis is also a major opportunistic infection in immunocompromised individuals, often resulting in lethal toxoplasmic encephalitis (Contini , 2010). If a woman was infected for the first time during pregnancy the parasite may be transmitted transplacentally to the fetus, this can result in death of the fetus, central nervous system abnormalities, or eye disease and affecting the quality of life of the child throughout its life time (Dubey, et al., 2009). Toxoplasma gondii was the subject of disease burden estimations. As a result of the severe clinical symptoms and life long implications, the disease burden of T.gondii is high (Holland, 2010). Primary infections with T.gondii acquired during pregnancy are usually asymptomatic for the pregnant woman but can lead to serious neonatal complications (Linguissi, 2012). Toxoplasma infection stimulates both humeral immune response characterized by antibody production of ( IgM and IgG ) and cell mediated immunity (CMI) which are essential for the host control of intracellular infections , so the protection against Toxoplasmosis is mediated by cellular defense ( Joanna, 2008) . The seroprevalence varies from 5% to 90% depending on geographical location, age, habit of eating raw meat or unwashed fruit and vegetables, and general level of hygiene. The incidence of infections is higher in warmer and humid climate and increases with age. ( Evering and Weiss , 2006 ) .Serological tests including the detection (and quantification) of T.gondii antibodies in serum are used to establish whether a pregnant woman has been infected and, if so, to determine whether the infection was acquired recently or in the distant past. If serological test results suggest a recently acquired infection, an effort is made to determine whether the infection was likely acquired during gestation or shortly before conception. If so, the fetus is at risk (Linguissi, 2012). In Iraq, many studies were accomplished concerning the sero prevalence of Toxoplasmosis by using different techniques including Indirect haemagglutination test (IHA) , Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Technique (IFAT) , and Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay( ELISA) (Rai , et al., 1995) .Detection of the parasite by molecular methods like Real time PCR is crucial for diagnosing the disease. Real time- PCR can be used as an additional diagnostic tool for the rapid detection of T.gondii in various clinical materials (Su, et al., 2010). The use of the macrolide antibiotic Spiramycin has been reported to decrease the frequency of vertical transmission (Rovamycine, 1994) .However, carefully designed; prospective studies that demonstrate this effect have not been recorded. The protection has been reported to be more distinct in women infected during their first trimester (Sebastian, 2008).Determine the effect of the drug (Spiramycin) on parasite load in infected women with Toxoplasma gondii, and follow up their response to treatment by using Real time-PCR technique.