Evaluation the Sensitivity of three Immunological Diagnostic Technique for the diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis

Background: Toxoplasmosis is widely recognized as a highly widespread parasitic infection in humans, capable of vertical transmission from mother to fetus. Clinical problems associated with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy include spontaneous miscarriage, premature labor, stillbirth, and fetal abnormalities.
Objective: to evaluate the sensitivity of three immunological methods for the diagnosis of Toxoplasma. gondii in the serum and placental tissue of aborted women.
Materials and Methods: 80 blood and placental specimens were obtained from women who underwent abortion and were admitted to the Maternity Ward and Child Hospital in Kirkuk City. Blood samples were analyzed for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies IgM and IgG using ELISA and the Combo Rapid test, and placental samples were tested for T. gondii antigen in the placental tissue using the immunohistochemistry technique.
Results: The presence of anti- T. gondii antibodies in women who have undergone abortions was 30% (IgG) when the Combo Rapid test was used and 16.3% (IgG) when ELISA was used. In all cases, neither the combo rapid test nor the ELISA demonstrated seropositivity of IgM. IHC examination revealed that 60% of tissues had toxoplasmosis infection, whereas 40% of tissues were negative.
Conclusion: the finding of this study indicates that IHC is a more sensitive immunological technique than a serological assay for the direct diagnosis of T. Gondii in the placental tissue of aborted women.