o R C H SCREENING IMPLICATIONS OF SCREENING FOR TOXOPLASMOSIS
Dr.T.V.Rao MD Today we get many queries in interpretation of testing the pregnant women after doing a TORCH screening, TORCH tests means (Toxoplasmosis, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes) refers to infections that may be a cause for miscarriage. Or congenital deformities, After many scientific evaluations these tests are not worthwhile for most patients. A positive TORCH test simply means the patient has positive antibody levels against that particular infection and is therefore protected against them.Many gynecologists do the testing in patients with bad obstetric history,However any test done without proper understanding will be counter productive, lead to errors in judgments, I wish the physicians should send the samples to a reference or accredited laboratories and certainly worrisome if performed by serology laboratories without any clinical understanding of the problems with privatization and commercial interests many physicians suggest to get the TORCH tests done as a routine matter and labs now offer "TORCH panel" testing on a routine basis.,A positive TORCH test simply means the patient has positive antibody levels against that particular infection, may be anytime in the past..
UNDERSTANDING SEROLOGY There are 2 types of antibodies - IgG and IgM. Thus, a positive Toxo IgG test means that the patient has anti-toxoplasmosis antibodies which protect her against a repeated toxoplasmosis infection. This means a positive test is actually a good sign and suggests that the patient is protected against that infection because she has been exposed to that infection in the past. As it was done historically aa RUBELLA PARTIES and many young and teenage girls exposed to RUBELLA infected patients so the young girls infected will have a productive immunity when in infected during pregnancy
WHY TOXOPLASMOSIS IS WORRISOME -Vertical transmission of the parasite through the placenta can also occur, leading to congenital Toxoplasmosis. Following primary infection, Toxoplasma gondii can remain latent for the life of the host; the risk for reactivation is highest among immunosuppressed individuals,The clinical microbiologists get lot of calls from Obstetricians on interpretation of TOXOPLASMA SEROLOGY .Seroprevalence studies performed in the United States indicate that approximately 9% to 11% of individuals between the ages of 6 and 49 have antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii.,Infection of immunocompetent adults is typically asymptomatic. In symptomatic cases, patients most commonly present with lymphadenopathy and other nonspecific constitutional symptoms, making definitive diagnosis difficult to determine, Severe-to-fatal infections can occur among patients with AIDS or individuals that are otherwise immunosuppressed. Trans placental transmission of the parasites resulting in congenital toxoplasmosis can occur during the acute phase of acquired maternal infection. The incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis increases as pregnancy progresses; conversely, the severity of congenital toxoplasmosis is greatest when maternal infection is acquired early during pregnancy. Sub clinical infection may result in premature delivery and subsequent neurological, intellectual and audio logic defects.Recent or acute infection with Toxoplasma gondii can be evaluated with TOXMP / Toxoplasma gondii Antibody, IgM, When we are diagnosing the Toxoplasmosis by Serum assay, never to forget no single test can give a appropriate results, a negative test does not mean all is well, the serological tests have a better value, if done as paired samples. The Toxoplasma IgG assay should not be used alone to diagnose recent Toxoplasma gondii infection. Results should be considered in conjunction with clinical presentation, patient history, and other laboratory findings
The clinicians should send the samples to Reference and accredited laboratories with support of Clinical Microbiologist .
NEVER TO FORGET Testing for ToRCH will have legal implication with litigation's when you wish to terminate pregnancy or miss the congenital infections when missed with improper testing and wrong interpretations
Reference - and better understanding read at Test ID: TRCHG ToRCH Profile IgG, Serum Mayo clinic Mayo clinical laboratories Dr.T.V.Rao MD Can be contacted at
doctortvrao@gmail.com
Mob +919961785124
Dr.T.V.Rao MD Today we get many queries in interpretation of testing the pregnant women after doing a TORCH screening, TORCH tests means (Toxoplasmosis, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes) refers to infections that may be a cause for miscarriage. Or congenital deformities, After many scientific evaluations these tests are not worthwhile for most patients. A positive TORCH test simply means the patient has positive antibody levels against that particular infection and is therefore protected against them.Many gynecologists do the testing in patients with bad obstetric history,However any test done without proper understanding will be counter productive, lead to errors in judgments, I wish the physicians should send the samples to a reference or accredited laboratories and certainly worrisome if performed by serology laboratories without any clinical understanding of the problems with privatization and commercial interests many physicians suggest to get the TORCH tests done as a routine matter and labs now offer "TORCH panel" testing on a routine basis.,A positive TORCH test simply means the patient has positive antibody levels against that particular infection, may be anytime in the past..
UNDERSTANDING SEROLOGY There are 2 types of antibodies - IgG and IgM. Thus, a positive Toxo IgG test means that the patient has anti-toxoplasmosis antibodies which protect her against a repeated toxoplasmosis infection. This means a positive test is actually a good sign and suggests that the patient is protected against that infection because she has been exposed to that infection in the past. As it was done historically aa RUBELLA PARTIES and many young and teenage girls exposed to RUBELLA infected patients so the young girls infected will have a productive immunity when in infected during pregnancy
WHY TOXOPLASMOSIS IS WORRISOME -Vertical transmission of the parasite through the placenta can also occur, leading to congenital Toxoplasmosis. Following primary infection, Toxoplasma gondii can remain latent for the life of the host; the risk for reactivation is highest among immunosuppressed individuals,The clinical microbiologists get lot of calls from Obstetricians on interpretation of TOXOPLASMA SEROLOGY .Seroprevalence studies performed in the United States indicate that approximately 9% to 11% of individuals between the ages of 6 and 49 have antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii.,Infection of immunocompetent adults is typically asymptomatic. In symptomatic cases, patients most commonly present with lymphadenopathy and other nonspecific constitutional symptoms, making definitive diagnosis difficult to determine, Severe-to-fatal infections can occur among patients with AIDS or individuals that are otherwise immunosuppressed. Trans placental transmission of the parasites resulting in congenital toxoplasmosis can occur during the acute phase of acquired maternal infection. The incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis increases as pregnancy progresses; conversely, the severity of congenital toxoplasmosis is greatest when maternal infection is acquired early during pregnancy. Sub clinical infection may result in premature delivery and subsequent neurological, intellectual and audio logic defects.Recent or acute infection with Toxoplasma gondii can be evaluated with TOXMP / Toxoplasma gondii Antibody, IgM, When we are diagnosing the Toxoplasmosis by Serum assay, never to forget no single test can give a appropriate results, a negative test does not mean all is well, the serological tests have a better value, if done as paired samples. The Toxoplasma IgG assay should not be used alone to diagnose recent Toxoplasma gondii infection. Results should be considered in conjunction with clinical presentation, patient history, and other laboratory findings
The clinicians should send the samples to Reference and accredited laboratories with support of Clinical Microbiologist .
NEVER TO FORGET Testing for ToRCH will have legal implication with litigation's when you wish to terminate pregnancy or miss the congenital infections when missed with improper testing and wrong interpretations
Reference - and better understanding read at Test ID: TRCHG ToRCH Profile IgG, Serum Mayo clinic Mayo clinical laboratories Dr.T.V.Rao MD Can be contacted at
doctortvrao@gmail.com
Mob +919961785124
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