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Antenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis: evaluation of the biological parameters in a cohort of 286 patients

  1. F. Pratlong Doctor (Parasitology)1,
  2. P. Boulot Professor (Obstetrics and Gynaecology)2,
  3. I. Villena Doctor (Parasitology)1,
  4. E. Issert Doctor (Paediatrics)3,
  5. I. Tamby Doctor (Parasitology)1,
  6. J. Cazenave Doctor (Molecular Biology)4,
  7. J.-P. Dedet Professor (Parasitology)1,*

Article first published online: 19 AUG 2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1996.tb09805.x

Issue

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Volume 103, Issue 6, pages 552–557, June 1996

Additional Information

How to Cite

Pratlong, F., Boulot, P., Villena, I., Issert, E., Tamby, I., Cazenave, J. and Dedet, J.-P. (1996), Antenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis: evaluation of the biological parameters in a cohort of 286 patients. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 103: 552–557. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1996.tb09805.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Montpellier, France

  2. 2

    Fetal Medicine Unit, Département de Gynécologie et Obstétrique, Montpellier, France

  3. 3

    Service de Pédiatrie néonatale, Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve, Montpellier, France

  4. 4

    Laboratoire d'Analyses de Biologie Médicale Ruffiés, Associés, Bordeaux, France

*Correspondence: Professor J.-P. Dedet, Faculté de Mtdecine de Montpellier, Laboratoire d'Histoire Naturelle Médicale et Para-sitologie, 163 rue Auguste Broussonet, 34295 Montpellier, France.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 19 AUG 2005
  2. Article first published online: 19 AUG 2005
  3. Received 10 February 1995 Accepted 29 September 1995

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Objective To evaluate the biological parameters obtained by cordocentesis and amniocentesis in the antenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis.

Design Nine-year retrospective study.

Setting Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Department of Paediatrics, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire, Montpellier, France.

Participants Two hundred and eighty-six pregnant women infected with toxoplasmosis between 7 and 34 weeks of gestation.

Methods Detection of abnormalities by ultrasound examination. Detection in fetal blood of Toxoplasma, of specific IgM and IgA and of nonspecific biological markers. Detection in amniotic fluid of Toxoplasma.

Results Out of 286 antenatal diagnoses, 211 were negative (1st group), 40 were positive (2nd group) and led to 8 medical abortions, and 35 were uncertain (3rd group). In the 1st and 3rd groups respectively, 7 (3.3 %) and 5 (14.3 %) cases of congenital toxoplasmosis were observed. Overall, 52 cases of congenital toxoplasmosis were detected: 12 were clinically apparent, 36 subclinical (of which 12 were in groups 1 and 3) and 4 were lost to follow up.

Conclusion There is substantial importance in making the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis antenatally in order to limit the number of medical abortions. In our series, the most accurate predictor was the detection of the fetal antibody response (specific IgM and IgA) to Toxoplasma.

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