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Contribution of a New PCR assay to the prenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis
Author(s) -
Cazenave Jean,
Forestier Francois,
Bessieres Marie Hélène,
Broussin Bernard,
Begueret Joël
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
prenatal diagnosis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.956
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1097-0223
pISSN - 0197-3851
DOI - 10.1002/pd.1970120207
Subject(s) - amniotic fluid , polymerase chain reaction , toxoplasmosis , prenatal diagnosis , ethidium bromide , toxoplasma gondii , parasite hosting , fetus , biology , amniocentesis , pregnancy , medicine , pathology , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , immunology , gene , dna , antibody , genetics , world wide web , computer science
A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay has been developed for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii . The target sequence (88 bp) is part of a rDNA repetitive gene. A signal can be observed with only one parasite. It is directly and rapidly detected by electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining. We report a prospective study of 80 documented cases of toxoplasmic seroconversions during pregnancy. The PCR assay of the amniotic fluids was compared with the current standard methods for diagnosis of fetal infection. Seventy specimens gave no PCR signal, and were negative according to prenatal tests and postnatal examinations. The presence of T. gondii was detected in ten specimens by PCR analysis. Four were confirmed by isolation of the parasite from the amniotic fluid; four by biological study of the fetal blood. For the remaining two, infection was diagnosed after birth. Together with ultrasonographic and biological data, this technique permits prenatal diagnosis within 1 day.