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Toxoplasmosis in Pregnancy

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Infections and Pregnancy

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Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is one of the most common foodborne protozoan diseases, responsible for congenital toxoplasmosis, one of the ‘T’ORCH infections, a morbid condition of infancy. Worldwide, 400–4000 children are born with congenital toxoplasmosis, representing the significance of prevention from this infection. It is contracted by ingestion of oocysts excreted in the cat feces accidentally, while dusting, eating unwashed vegetables and playing with cats, or eating improperly cooked meat containing tissue cysts. An acute infection is mostly subclinical in immunocompetent individuals but can prove lethal in immunocompromised patients and the fetus. Diagnosis of acute infection in pregnancy is imminent as chronic/latent infections do not cause congenital toxoplasmosis unless the pregnant woman is immunocompromised. The tests most commonly used for screening are serological assays using IgG and IgM antibodies specific to T. gondii and IgG avidity index, while DNA real-time PCR from amniotic fluid is used for confirmation. The two drugs used for antenatal treatment are spiramycin, which is given to prevent vertical transmission via placenta, and a combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine is used when fetal affection is confirmed, to limit the severity of the disease. Health education containing measures to prevent toxoplasma infection must be provided to all the women, and routine screening must be limited to areas with a high prevalence of infection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

    Shivangi Mangal, Nimisha Agarwal & Nilanchali Singh

  2. Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tom Baker Cancer Center, Calgary, Canada

    Nilanchali Singh

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  1. Shivangi Mangal
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  2. Nimisha Agarwal
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, Delhi, India

    Sumita Mehta

  2. Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, Delhi, India

    Anshul Grover

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Mangal, S., Agarwal, N., Singh, N. (2022). Toxoplasmosis in Pregnancy. In: Mehta, S., Grover, A. (eds) Infections and Pregnancy. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7865-3_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7865-3_14

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