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Published June 26, 2017 | Version v1
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Point-of-care testing for Toxoplasma gondii IgG/IgM using Toxoplasma ICT IgG-IgM test with sera from the United States and implications for developing countries

Creators

  • 1. University of Chicago
  • 2. Hôpital de la Croix Rousse
  • 3. Stanford University
  • 4. Palo Alto Medical Foundation
  • 5. Gettysburg College

Description

Background: Congenital toxoplasmosis is a serious but preventable and treatable disease. Gestational screening facilitates early detection and treatment of primary acquisition. Thus, fetal infection can be promptly diagnosed and treated and outcomes can be improved.

Methods: We tested 180 sera with the Toxoplasma ICT IgG-IgM point-of-care (POC) test. Sera were from 116 chronically infected persons (48 serotype II; 14 serotype I-III; 25 serotype I-IIIa; 28 serotype Atypical, haplogroup 12; 1 not typed). These represent strains of parasites infecting mothers of congenitally infected children in the U.S. 51 seronegative samples and 13 samples from recently infected persons known to be IgG/IgM positive within the prior 2.7 months also were tested. Interpretation was confirmed by two blinded observers. A comparison of costs for POC vs. commercial laboratory testing methods was performed.

Results: We found that this new Toxoplasma ICT IgG-IgM POC test was highly sensitive (100%) and specific (100%) for distinguishing IgG/IgM-positive from negative sera. Use of such reliable POC tests can be cost-saving and benefit patients.

Conclusions: Our work demonstrates that the Toxoplasma ICT IgG-IgM test can function reliably as a point-of-care test to diagnose Toxoplasma gondii infection in the U.S. This provides an opportunity to improve maternal-fetal care by using approaches, diagnostic tools, and medicines already available. This infection has serious, lifelong consequences for infected persons and their families. From the present study, it appears a simple, low-cost POC test is now available to help prevent morbidity/disability, decrease cost, and make gestational screening feasible. It also offers new options for improved prenatal care in low- and middle-income countries.

Data availability

All relevant data are within the paper and its Supporting Information files. There are no other data to be made available.

Files

journal.pntd.0005670.pdf

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Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1371/journal.pntd.0005670
Other
oai:uchicago.tind.io:6641

Funding

National Institutes of Health
U01 AI77887
National Institutes of Health
R01 AI027530
Thrasher Foundation
Mann-Cornwell Family
Drago Family
Orlinskey/Goldberg Family
Allen Family
Rosenthal Family

UChicago Information

Division(s)
Biological Sciences Division
Department(s)
Genetics, Genomics, and Systems Biology, Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Pediatrics
Center(s) or Institute(s)
Center for Global Health, Center for Health and the Social Sciences