Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-m8qmq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T10:38:25.524Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Toxoplasma gondii: the changing paradigm of congenital toxoplasmosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2011

D. S. LINDSAY*
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia – Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, 1410 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
J. P. DUBEY
Affiliation:
United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Natural Resources Institute, Animal Parasitic Disease Laboratory, BARC-East, Building. 1001, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
*
*Corresponding author: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, 1410 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA. Tel: +1 540 321 6302. Fax: +1 540 231 3426. E-mail: lindsayd@vt.edu

Summary

Researchers have learned much concerning the population biology of Toxoplasma gondii over the past 2 decades. It is now apparent that many atypical genotypes exist besides the typical 3 genotypes (type I, type II and type III) first described from samples from Europe and the United States. These genotypes can differ in pathogenicity and transmissibility from the typical genotypes that have been used in the majority of scientific research over the past 70 years. These differences impact much of what we used to believe as facts about congenital toxoplasmosis (CT) and will be important in developing new recommendations for prevention of CT and the monitoring of women at risk for developing CT. The present review highlights new information on T. gondii genotypes and how this information will change the way we convey information about CT to pregnant women, physicians and students.

Type
Review Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Ajzenberg, D., Cogné, N., Paris, L., Bessières, M. H., Thulliez, P., Filisetti, D., Pelloux, H., Marty, P. and Dardé, M. L. (2002). Genotype of 86 Toxoplasma gondii isolates associated with human congenital toxoplasmosis, and correlation with clinical findings. Journal of Infectious Diseases 186, 684689.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Azevedo, K. M., Setúbal, S., Lopes, V. G., Camacho, L. A. and Oliveira, S. A. (2010). Congenital toxoplasmosis transmitted by human immunodeficiency-virus infected women. Brazilian Journal of Infectious Disease 14, 186189.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bachmeyer, C., Mouchnino, G., Thulliez, P. and Blum, L. (2006). Congenital toxoplasmosis from an HIV-infected woman as a result of reactivation. Journal of Infection 52, e5557.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boumahni, B., Randrianivo, H., Flodrops, H., Kauffmann, E., Sauve, F., Chauvet, O., Renouil, M. and Fourmaintraux, A. (2004). Maternal toxoplasmosis before conception and chorioretinitis in twin sisters. Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Biology of Reproduction (Paris) 33, 248250.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cneude, F., Deliege, R., Barbier, C., Durand-Joly, I., Bourlet, A., Sonna, M., El Kohen, R., Locquet, A, Vittu, G. and Decoster, A. (2003). Septic shock due to congenital disseminated toxoplasmosis? Archives of Pediatrics 10, 326328.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Delhaes, L., Ajzenberg, D., Sicot, B., Bourgeot, P., Dardé, M. L., Dei-Cas, E. and Houfflin-Debarge, V. (2010). Severe congenital toxoplasmosis due to a Toxoplasma gondii strain with an atypical genotype: case report and review. Prenatal Diagnosis 30, 902905.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Demar, M., Ajzenberg, D., Maubon, D., Djossou, F., Panchoe, D., Punwasi, W., Valery, N., Peneau, C., Daigre, J. L., Aznar, C., Cottrelle, B., Terzan, L., Dardé, M. L. and Carme, B. (2007). Fatal outbreak of human toxoplasmosis along the Maroni River: epidemiological, clinical, and parasitological aspects. Clinical Infectious Diseases 45, e88e95.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Desmonts, G., Couvreur, J. and Thulliez, P. (1990). Congenital toxoplasmosis: 5 cases of mother-to-child transmission of pre-pregnancy infection. La Presse Médicale 19, 14451449.Google ScholarPubMed
Dollfus, H., Dureau, P., Hennequin, C., Uteza, Y., Bron, A. and Dufier, J. L. (1998). Congenital Toxoplasma chorioretinitis transmitted by preconceptionally immune women. British Journal of Ophthalmology 82, 14441445.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dubey, J. P. (2010). Toxoplasmosis of Animals and Humans, 2nd Edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA.Google Scholar
Dunn, D., Wallon, M., Peyron, F., Petersen, E., Peckham, C. and Gilbert, R. (1999). Mother-to-child transmission of toxoplasmosis: risk estimates for clinical counseling. Lancet 353, 18291833.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elbez-Rubinstein, A., Ajzenberg, D., Darde, M. L., Cohen, R., Dumètre, A., Yera, H., Gondon, E., Janaud, J. C. and Thulliez, P. (2009). Congenital toxoplasmosis and reinfection during pregnancy: case report, strain characterization, experimental model of reinfection, and review. Journal of Infectious Diseases 199, 280285.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fortier, B., Aissi, E., Ajana, F., Dieusart, P., Denis, P., Martin de Lassalle, E., Lecomte-Houcke, M. and Vinatier, D. (1991). Spontaneous abortion and reinfection by Toxoplasma gondii. Lancet 338, 444.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gavinet, M. F., Robert, F., Firtion, G., Delouvrier, E., Hennequin, C., Maurin, J. R., Tourte-Schaefer, C. and Dupouy-Camet, J. (1997). Congenital toxoplasmosis due to maternal reinfection during pregnancy. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 35, 12761277.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gilbert, R. E., Freeman, K., Lago, E. G., Bahia-Oliveira, L. M., Tan, H. K., Wallon, M., Buffolano, W., Stanford, M. R., Petersen, E. and European Multicentre Study on Congenital Toxoplasmosis (EMSCOT) (2008). Ocular sequelae of congenital toxoplasmosis in Brazil compared with Europe. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2, e277.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hennequin, C., Dureau, P., N'Guyen, L., Thulliez, P., Gagelin, B. and Dufier, J. L. (1997). Congenital toxoplasmosis acquired from an immune woman. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 16, 7577.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Howe, D. K. and Sibley, L. D. (1995). Toxoplasma gondii comprises three clonal lineages: correlation of parasite genotype with human disease. Journal of Infections Diseases 172, 15611566.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Khan, A., Dubey, J. P., Su, C., Ajioka, J. W., Rosenthal, B. M. and Sibley, L. D. (2011). Genetic analyses of a typical Toxoplasma gondii strains reveal a fourth clonal lineage in North America. International Journal for Parasitology 41, 645655.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kodjikian, L., Hoigne, I., Adam, O., Jacquier, P., Aebi-Ochsner, C., Aebi, C. and Garweg, J. (2004). Vertical transmission of toxoplasmosis from a chronically infected immunocompetent woman. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 23, 272274.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lebas, F., Ducrocq., S, Mucignat, V., Paris, L., Mégier, P., Baudon, J. J. and Gold, F. (2004). Congenital toxoplasmosis: a new case of infection during pregnancy in a previously immunized and immunocompetent woman. Archives de Pédiatrie 11, 926928.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marty, P., Bongain, A., Loiseau, S., Benoit, B., Chevallier, A., Gillet, J. Y. and Le Fichoux, Y. (2002). Lethal congenital toxoplasmosis resulting from reactivation of toxoplasmosis in a pregnant HIV-positive patient. La Presse Médicale 31, 1558.Google Scholar
Marty, P., Bongain, A., Rahal, A., Thulliez, P., Wasfi, D., Lambert, J. C., Le Fichoux, Y. and Gillet, J. Y. (1994). Prenatal diagnosis of severe fetal toxoplasmosis as a result of toxoplasmic reactivation in an HIV-1 seropositive woman. Prenatal Diagnosis 14, 414415.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marty, P., Le Fichoux, Y., Deville, A. and Forest, H. (1991). Congenital toxoplasmosis and preconceptional maternal ganglionic toxoplasmosis [in French]. La Presse Médicale 20, 387.Google ScholarPubMed
Pons, J. C., Sigrand, C., Grangeot-Keros, L., Frydman, R., Frydman, R. and Thulliez, P. (1995). Congenital toxoplasmosis: transmission to the fetus of a pre-pregnancy maternal infection. La Presse Médicale 24, 179182.Google Scholar
Remington, J. S., McLeod, R., Thuilliez, P. and Desmonts, G. (2006). Toxoplasmosis. In Infectious Diseases of the Fetus and Newborn Infant 6th Edn (ed. Remington, J. S., Klein, J. O., Wilson, C. B. and Baker, C.), pp. 9471091. Elsevier Saunders, Philadelphia, PA, USA.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sterkers, Y., Varlet-Marie, E., Marty, P., Bastien, P. and the ANOFEL Toxoplasma-PCR Quality Control Group. (2010). Diversity and evolution of methods and practices for the molecular diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis in France: a 4-year survey. Clinical Microbiology and Infection 16, 15941602.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Su, C., Shwab, E. K., Zhou, P., Zhu, X. Q. and Dubey, J. P. (2010). Moving towards an integrated approach to molecular detection and identification of Toxoplasma gondii. Parasitology 137, 111.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Villena, I., Ancelle, T., Delmas, C., Garcia, P., Brezin, A. P., Thulliez, P., Wallon, M., King, L., Goulet, V. and the Toxosurv network and National Reference Centre for Toxoplasmosis. (2010). Congenital toxoplasmosis in France in 2007: first results from a national surveillance system. European Surveillance 15, pii: 19600.Google ScholarPubMed
Villena, I., Chemla, C., Quereux, C., Dupouy, D., Leroux, B., Foudrinier, F. and Pinon, J. M. (1998). Prenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis transmitted by an immunocompetent woman infected before conception. Reims Toxoplasmosis Group. Prenatal Diagnosis 18, 10791081.3.0.CO;2-E>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vogel, N., Kirisits, M., Michael, E., Bach, H., Hostetter, M., Boyer, K., Simpson, R., Holfels, E., Hopkins, J., Mack, D., Mets, M. B., Swisher, C. N., Patel, D., Roizen, N., Stein, L., Stein, M., Withers, S., Mui, E., Egwuagu, C., Remington, J., Dorfman, R. and McLeod, R. (1996). Congenital toxoplasmosis transmitted from an immunologically competent mother infected before conception. Clinical Infectious Diseases 23, 10551060.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Weiss, L. M. and Dubey, J. P. (2009). Toxoplasmosis: A history of clinical observations. International Journal for Parasitology 39, 895901.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed