Friday, August 21, 2009

Treatment with Spiramycin in pregnant women impair the production and the avidity maturation of anti T. gondii specific IgG

Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2009 Aug 19. [Epub ahead of print]

Treatment with Spiramycin of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnant women impair the production and the avidity maturation of anti T. gondii specific IgG-antibodies

Meroni V, Genco F, Tinelli C, Lanzarini P, Bollani L, Stronati M, Petersen E.

Department of Infectious Diseases University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Department of Infectious Diseases IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy; Clinical Epidemiology and Biometric Unit, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy; Neonatal Intensive Care Unit IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy; Department of Infectious Diseases Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby Aarhus, Denmark.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of treatment with spiramycin on the increase of IgG titre and IgG-avidity index (AI) in pregnant women with seroconversion from beginning of therapy, until delivery and after delivery. This group was compared with adult patients with recently acquired untreated toxoplasmosis. One hundred and four samples from 32 pregnant women with seroconversion for toxoplasmosis and/or very low IgG AI were followed from the beginning of therapy with spiramycin, until delivery. Twenty nine women were further followed some months after delivery and interruption of therapy. Thirty-eight samples from 16 untreated, non-pregnant patients were evaluated as the control group. T.gondii-specific IgG-antibody and T.gondii-specific IgG-avidity index were significantly delayed in pregnant women receiving therapy compared to non-pregnant controls not treated and the findings were consistent with assays from two different manufacturers. After birth the T.gondii-specific IgG-avidity index increased. Avidity maturation is delayed during pregnancy and treatment, and low avidty antibodies in pregnant women cannot be taken as a sing of infection within three to four months.

PMID: 19692628 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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