Korean J Parasitol.  2014 Oct;52(5):487-491. 10.3347/kjp.2014.52.5.487.

IgG Avidity Antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in High Risk Females of Reproductive Age Group in India

• Siddiqui N
• Shujatullah F
• Khan HM
• Rabbani T
• Khan PA

• KMID: 1792213
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2014.52.5.487

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan that is distributed worldwide. Recently, several tests for avidity of Toxoplasma IgG antibodies have been introduced to help discriminate between recently acquired and distant infections. The study was conducted in Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, India from February 2011 to September 2012. Serum specimens were subjected to Toxoplasma IgM ELISA and IgG avidity ELISA test. Out of 48 patients with abortions, 17 (35.4%) were positive for IgM ELISA, and 8 (16.6%) had low IgG avidity antibodies. Out of 48 patients with other obstetric problems, 23 (47.9%) were positive for IgM ELISA, and 17 (35.4%) had low IgG avidity antibodies. Combining both groups on avidity test, only 25 of 40 (62.5%) IgM-positive women had low-avidity IgG antibodies suggesting a recent T. gondii infection in these women. More importantly, 15 (37.5%) of the IgM-positive women had high-avidity antibodies suggesting that the infection was acquired before gestation The relation of IgM seropositivity with the following risk factors was not found to be statistically significant; contact with cats (0.13), non-vegetarian food habits (0.05), and low socio-economic status (0.49). While, for IgG avidity ELISA, only contact with cats (0.01) was significantly associated with seropositivity. All other risk factors have P-values of >0.05 (not significant). IgG avidity test when used in combination with IgM test was a valuable assay for diagnosis of ongoing or recently acquired T. gondii infection in India.

Keyword

Toxoplasma gondii; toxoplasmosis; IgG avidity test; high risk pregnant women; India

MeSH Terms

Abortion, Spontaneous/immunology
Adolescent
Adult
Animals
Antibodies, Protozoan/*immunology
*Antibody Affinity
Cats
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Food Contamination
Humans
Immunoglobulin G/blood/immunology/*physiology
Immunoglobulin M/blood
India/epidemiology
Risk Factors
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Toxoplasma/*immunology
Toxoplasmosis/epidemiology/*immunology
Young Adult
Antibodies, Protozoan
Immunoglobulin G
Immunoglobulin M