Estimation of the avidity of immunoglobulin G for routine diagnosis of chronicToxoplasma gondii infection in pregnant women

  • G. J. N. Cozon
  • J. Ferrandiz
  • H. Nebhi
  • M. Wallon
  • F. Peyron
Article

Abstract

Present serological methods differentiate poorly between acute and chronic toxoplasmosis in pregnant women, particularly when immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies toToxoplasma gondii are present simultaneously. In the present study, a simple test for discriminating between high-avidity antibodies, which are usually present in chronic infections, and low-avidity antibodies, typical of acute infection, was evaluated. Sera were evaluated forToxoplasma gondii antibodies using a commercial enzyme immunoassay, but a duplicate well was washed in 6M urea to disrupt lowavidity complexes. Results are expressed as the percentage of antibodies resisting elution by urea. Equivocal sera (n=493) containing both IgG and IgMToxoplasma gondii antibodies from 309 pregnant women whose status as chronically or acutely infected had been independently determined using standard methods were evaluated for antibody avidity. A value of >35% elution-resistant antibodies was always associated with chronic infection and could absolutely exclude a recent (<3 months) infectious incident. Values of <35% require repeat testing four weeks later to confirm the patient's status, since a proportion of individuals with chronic toxoplasmosis maintain low-avidity antibodies over long periods. This inexpensive, simple method can provide reassurance to clearly chronically infected individuals and avoids the need for repeated testing in these cases.

Keywords

Urea Pregnant Woman Enzyme Immunoassay Chronic Infection Infected Individual 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© MMV Medizin Verlag GmbH 1988

Authors and Affiliations

  • G. J. N. Cozon
    • 1
    • 2
  • J. Ferrandiz
    • 1
  • H. Nebhi
    • 3
  • M. Wallon
    • 1
    • 3
  • F. Peyron
    • 1
    • 3
  1. 1.Unité d'Immunopathologie de la Toxoplasmose JE 1947Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1Lyon Cedex 08France
  2. 2.Unité d'ImmunologieHôpital de la Croix-RousseLyon Cedex 04France
  3. 3.Département de ParasitologieHôpital de la Croix-RousseLyon Cedex 04France

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