Toxoplasmosis: The value of molecular methods in diagnosis compared to conventional methods

Abstract

Zineb Tlamcani, Zohra Lemkhenete, Badre Eddine Lmimouni Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection due to Toxoplasma gondii an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite. It is con­siderate one of the most common parasite worldwide. The contamination of the parasite is generally occurred via con­sumption of infected food or water or, undercooked contaminated meat. Toxoplasma gondii infection may lead to seri­ous illness when the organism is contracted while pregnancy or when it is reactivated in immune-suppressed persons. Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in humans is elaborated using various techniques such as detection of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies, mouse inoculation, histological revelation of tachyzoites in tissue sections or smears of body fluid, but the detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA by molecular methods has revolutionized prenatal diagnosis of congenital toxo­plasmosis and in immunocompromised patients. In this paper we will discuss the parasite and different methods of diagnosis including the usefulness of molecular methods.

Keywords

• Toxoplamosis, Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasmosis: The value of molecular methods in diagnosis compared to conventional methods

Öz

Toksoplazmoz, zorunlu hücre içi bir protozoan parazit olan Toxoplasma gondii’nin etken olduğu bir parazit enfeksiyonudur. Dünyada en yaygın parazitlerden bir olarak kabul edilir. Parazitin bulaşması genellikle enfekte yiyecek/su tüketimi veya az pişmiş kontamine et ile elde olmaktadır. Toxoplasma gondii enfeksiyonu hamilelik döneminde geçirilirse veya bağışıklığı bastırılmış kişilerde alevlenirse ciddi bir hastalık tablosuna yol açabilir. Insanlarda toksoplazmozis tanısı; anti-Toxoplasma antikorlarının saptanmasıyla, fare inokülasyon deneyiyle, doku kesitlerinden histolojik değerlendirmeyle veya vücut sıvılarından hazırlanan yaymalarda takizoitlerin araştırılması ile konabilir. Öte yandan Toxoplasma gondii DNA’sının moleküler yöntemlerle tespiti konjenital toksoplazmozun prenatal tanısında ve immün sistemi baskılanmış hastaların tanısında devrime yola açtı. Bu yazıda paraziti ve moleküler yöntemler dahil değişik tanı yöntemlerinin kullanışlılığını tartıştık

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Toksoplazma, Toxoplasma gondii, tanı

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