Abstract
Congenital toxoplasmosis can cause severe consequences in the fetus, such as spontaneous abortion which is affected by parasite strain. Also, recent studies revealed the high genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii. This study aims to investigate the serological status of T. gondii in pregnant women, multilocus genotyping in aborted fetuses’ tissue, and archived formalin‐fixed paraffin-embedded placenta. This study was performed on 100 pregnant women with spontaneous abortion and their aborted fetuses, and 250 of the archived placentae in Iran. The blood and tissue were examined for seroprevalence and genotype determination of T. gondii using ELISA and multilocus nested-PCR–RFLP, respectively. Anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM were detected in 68 samples (68%) and 1 (1%) out of 100 serums. Toxoplasma DNA was identified in 1 (1%) aborted fetuses’ tissue and 32 (12.8%) placenta samples. Overall, ten positive DNA samples were successfully genotyped, and five genotypes were recognized (ToxoDB#1, #2, #10, #27, and #48). The obtained results indicated congenital toxoplasmosis is a severe risk in this region. As type I is highly pathogen and can lead to severe complications, the prevention of the infection should be considered in seronegative pregnant women.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.
References
Ajzenberg D, Yera H, Marty P et al (2009) Genotype of 88 Toxoplasma gondii isolates associated with toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised patients and correlation with clinical findings. J Infect Dis 199:1155–1167. https://doi.org/10.1086/597477
Arefkhah N, Pourabbas B, Asgari Q et al (2019) Molecular genotyping and serological evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii in mothers and their spontaneous aborted fetuses in Southwest of Iran. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 66:101342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cimid.2019.101342
Asgari Q, Fekri M, Monabati A et al (2013) Molecular genotyping of toxoplasma gondii in human spontaneous aborted fetuses in Shiraz, Southern Iran. Iran J Public Health 42:620–625
Bertranpetit E, Jombart T, Paradis E et al (2017) Phylogeography of Toxoplasma gondii points to a South American origin. Infect Genet Evol 48:150–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2016.12.020
Carlier Y, Truyens C, Deloron P, Peyron F (2012) Congenital parasitic infections: a review. Acta Trop 121:55–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2011.10.018
Carneiro ACAV, Andrade GM, Costa JGL et al (2013) Genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii revealed highly diverse genotypes for isolates from newborns with congenital toxoplasmosis in Southeastern Brazil. J Clin Microbiol 51:901–907. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.02502-12
Chaichan P, Mercier A, Galal L et al (2017) Geographical distribution of Toxoplasma gondii genotypes in Asia: a link with neighboring continents. Infect Genet Evol 53:227–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2017.06.002
de Moura FL, Amendoeira MRR, Bastos OMP et al (2013) Prevalence and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection among pregnant and postpartum women attended at public healthcare facilities in the City of Niterói, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 46:200–207. https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-1613-2013
Eslamirad Z, Mosayebi M, Hajihossein R (2014) Molecular testing for Toxoplasma diagnosis in aborted fetuses- Taleghani Maternity Hospital- Arak- Iran. Res Molecular Med 2:41–44. https://doi.org/10.18869/acadpub.rmm.2.3.41
Filisetti D, Gorcii M, Pernot-Marino E et al (2003) Diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis: comparison of targets for detection of Toxoplasma gondii by PCR. J Clin Microbiol 41:4826–4828. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.41.10.4826-4828.2003
Galal L, Ajzenberg D, Hamidović A et al (2018) Toxoplasma and Africa: one parasite, two opposite population structures. Trends Parasitol 34:140–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2017.10.010
Ghasemi FS, Rasti S, Piroozmand A et al (2016) Toxoplasmosis-associated abortion and stillbirth in Tehran. Iran J Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Med 29:248–251. https://doi.org/10.3109/14767058.2014.996127
Homan WL, Vercammen M, De Braekeleer J, Verschueren H (2000) Identification of a 200- to 300-fold repetitive 529 bp DNA fragment in Toxoplasma gondii, and its use for diagnostic and quantitative PCR. Int J Parasitol 30:69–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0020-7519(99)00170-8
Hosseini SA, Amouei A, Sharif M et al (2019) Human toxoplasmosis: a systematic review for genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii in clinical samples. Epidemiol Infect 147. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268818002947
Hosseini SA, Golchin E, Sharif M et al (2020) A serological investigation and genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii among Iranian blood donors indicates threat to health of blood recipients. Transfus Apheres Sci 59:102723. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.transci.2020.102723
Hosseini SA, Sharif M, Sarvi S et al (2020b) Genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in Iranian HIV positive patients using multilocus nested-PCR-RFLP method. Parasitology 147:322–328
Hosseini SA, Sharif M, Sarvi S et al (2021) Toxoplasmosis among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a population study based on the serological, molecular and epidemiological aspects. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 115:677–686. https://doi.org/10.1093/trstmh/traa112
Huson DH, Bryant D (2006) Application of phylogenetic networks in evolutionary studies. Mol Biol Evol 23:254–267
Kaye A (2011) Toxoplasmosis: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in congenitally exposed infants. J Pediatr Health Care 25:355–364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2010.04.008
Khan A, Fux B, Su C et al (2007) Recent transcontinental sweep of Toxoplasma gondii driven by a single monomorphic chromosome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104:14872–14877. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0702356104
Khan A, Su C, German M et al (2005) Genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii strains from immunocompromised patients reveals high prevalence of type I strains. J Clin Microbiol 43:5881–5887. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.43.12.5881-5887.2005
Lehmann T, Marcet PL, Graham DH et al (2006) Globalization and the population structure of Toxoplasma gondii. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 103:11423–11428. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0601438103
Nowakowska D, Colón I, Remington JS et al (2006) Genotyping of toxoplasma gondii by multiplex PCR and peptide-based serological testing of samples from infants in Poland diagnosed with congenital toxoplasmosis. J Clin Microbiol 44:1382–1389. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.44.4.1382-1389.2006
Olliaro P (2004) Congenital toxoplasmosis. Clin Evid 3:1058–1061
Pena HFJ, Gennari SM, Dubey JP, Su C (2008) Population structure and mouse-virulence of Toxoplasma gondii in Brazil. Int J Parasitol 38:561–569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpara.2007.09.004
Rajendran C, Su C, Dubey JP (2012) Molecular genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii from Central and South America revealed high diversity within and between populations. Infect Genet Evol 12:359–368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2011.12.010
Retmanasari A, Widartono BS, Wijayanti MA, Artama WT (2017) prevalence and risk factors for toxoplasmosis in Middle Java, Indonesia. EcoHealth 14:162–170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-016-1198-5
Saeij JPJ, Boyle JP, Boothroyd JC (2005) Differences among the three major strains of Toxoplasma gondii and their specific interactions with the infected host. Trends Parasitol 21:476–481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2005.08.001
Sarvi S, Nayeri Chegeni T, Sharif M et al (2019) Congenital toxoplasmosis among Iranian neonates: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Epidemiol Health 41:e2019021. https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2019021
Shwab EK, Zhu XQ, Majumdar D et al (2014) Geographical patterns of Toxoplasma gondii genetic diversity revealed by multilocus PCR-RFLP genotyping. Parasitology 141:453–461. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182013001844
Su C, Howe DK, Dubey JP et al (2002) Identification of quantitative trait loci controlling acute virulence in Toxoplasma gondii. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99:10753–10758. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.172117099
Su C, Shwab EK, Zhou P et al (2010) Moving towards an integrated approach to molecular detection and identification of Toxoplasma gondii. Parasitology 137:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182009991065
Teimouri A, Mohtasebi S, Kazemirad E, Keshavarz H (2020) Role of toxoplasma gondii IgG avidity testing in discriminating between acute and chronic toxoplasmosis in pregnancy. J Clin Microbiol 58. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00505-20
Tenter AM, Heckeroth AR, Weiss LM (2000) Toxoplasma gondii: from animals to humans. Int J Parasitol 30:1217–1258. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0020-7519(00)00124-7
Wallon M, Peyron F (2018) Congenital toxoplasmosis: A plea for a neglected disease. Pathogens 7. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens7010025
Wang L, He LY, Di MD et al (2015) Seroprevalence and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in cancer patients in Anhui Province Eastern China. Parasit Vectors 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-015-0778-5
Weiss LM, Dubey JP (2009) Toxoplasmosis: a history of clinical observations. Int J Parasitol 39:895–901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpara.2009.02.004
Xiao J, Yolken RH (2015) Strain hypothesis of Toxoplasma gondii infection on the outcome of human diseases. Acta Physiol 213:828–845. https://doi.org/10.1111/apha.12458
Zia-Ali N, Fazaeli A, Khoramizadeh M et al (2007) Isolation and molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii strains from different hosts in Iran. Parasitol Res 101:111–115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-007-0461-7
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Parasitology Department of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences and Elite Researcher Grant Committee under award number [963443] from the National Institutes for Medical Research Development (NIMAD), Tehran, Iran, which we gratefully acknowledge.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
SAH, MS, SS, NM, SA, NA, AA, SG, DA, EA, TJ, and AD provided the research proposal, collected the samples, and performed laboratory works. SAH, AD, SS, SA, and MS supervised the project. AD, MS, and SA were scientific and lab diagnostic advisors to the project. SAH, JJ, DA, and EA analyzed the data. The manuscript was written by SAH and finally revised by AD. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
This study had approval from the Ethics Committee of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences (IR. MAZUMS No.1715). Also, written consent has been acquired from all pregnant women participating in this research project.
Consent for publication
All authors consent to publication.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Section Editor: Dana Mordue
Publisher's note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Hosseini, S.A., Sharif, M., Sarvi, S. et al. Identification and multilocus genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from congenital infection in north of Iran. Parasitol Res 122, 177–184 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-022-07714-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-022-07714-1