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Toxoplasma gondii antibody profile in HIV-infected pregnant women and the risk of congenital toxoplasmosis

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected pregnant women and to determine the association between serological profile and the risk of congenital toxoplasmosis. The study, conducted in a public maternity ward from May 2002 to April 2005, included all HIV-infected women who delivered live infants during the 36 months, and, as a control group, all HIV-negative women that delivered live infants in the first 12 months of the study. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 1,624 of 2,421 HIV-negative women (67%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 65–69%) and in 121 of 168 HIV-infected patients (72%; 95% CI 65–79%). A total of 547 HIV-negative and 103 HIV-infected patients were tested at delivery and had positive T. gondii-specific IgG. In HIV-negative women, the median of the specific IgG concentration was 79 (interquartile range 38–160), and in HIV-infected patients, it was 283 (interquartile range 94–704) (P < 0.001). In the group of co-infected women, the only infant with congenital toxoplasmosis was born to a mother with acute toxoplasmosis infection acquired during pregnancy who did not have a high specific IgG concentration or a positive result for specific IgM. We concluded that high T. gondii-specific IgG values were much more frequent among HIV-infected pregnant women, but it did not translate into an increased risk of maternal–fetal transmission of toxoplasmosis.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Denise Rovinski, Vanessa Camargo and Guilherme Guaragna for their help with the collection and processing of data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul—School of Medicine, Av. Ipiranga 6690, Porto Alegre, 90610, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    E. G. Lago, G. S. Conrado & C. S. Piccoli

  2. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul—School of Medicine, Av. Ipiranga 6690, Porto Alegre, 90610, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    R. L. Carvalho

  3. Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul—School of Pharmacy, Av. Ipiranga 6690, Porto Alegre, 90610, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    A. L. Bender

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  1. E. G. Lago
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Correspondence to E. G. Lago.

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Lago, E.G., Conrado, G.S., Piccoli, C.S. et al. Toxoplasma gondii antibody profile in HIV-infected pregnant women and the risk of congenital toxoplasmosis. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 28, 345–351 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-008-0631-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-008-0631-2

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