{"id":4479,"date":"2021-09-15T16:54:29","date_gmt":"2021-09-15T04:54:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.awanuilabs.co.nz\/central\/wellington\/?page_id=4479"},"modified":"2025-05-05T14:24:08","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T02:24:08","slug":"toxoplasmosis","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.awanuilabs.co.nz\/central\/wellington\/for-referrers\/microbiology\/how-do-i-diagnose\/toxoplasmosis\/","title":{"rendered":"Toxoplasmosis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Infection:<\/strong> Toxoplasmosis; <em>Toxoplasma gondii<\/em> infection<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-accordion ab-block-accordion\"><details><summary class=\"ab-accordion-title\">Brief description:<\/summary><div class=\"ab-accordion-text\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A type of protozoa that causes a systemic infection, which is most commonly asymptomatic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If symptoms occur, the commonest pattern is a short-lived systemic illness followed by cervical lymphadenopathy, which is bilateral and non-tender, and can persist for weeks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>After primary (acute) infection, the organism persists in the body life-long in a dormant state. May reactivate if a person subsequently becomes severely immunocompromised.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can cause congenital infection if first acquired during pregnancy. Seek specialist advice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-accordion ab-block-accordion\"><details><summary class=\"ab-accordion-title\">Did you know?<\/summary><div class=\"ab-accordion-text\">\n<p>Is acquired either by ingestion of eggs, which are present in the faeces of infected cats, or by ingesting undercooked meat from infected animals e.g. rare beef.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-accordion ab-block-accordion\"><details><summary class=\"ab-accordion-title\">Who should I test?<\/summary><div class=\"ab-accordion-text\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Consider testing in those with <strong>multiple enlarged lymph nodes<\/strong>, or nodes that are <strong>not reducing in size at 2 weeks<\/strong>. Keep in mind other <strong>more serious causes<\/strong> of lymphadenopathy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Testing in pregnant women with cat exposure but <strong>no symptoms<\/strong> is <strong>not<\/strong> <strong>recommended<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Test if abnormalities consistent with <strong>congenital <\/strong>infection seen on <strong>antenatal USS<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-accordion ab-block-accordion\"><details><summary class=\"ab-accordion-title\">Test of choice:<\/summary><div class=\"ab-accordion-text\">\n<p>Request <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/scg.labapps.nz\/#\/WEL\/details\/27430\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Toxoplasma serology<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Toxoplasma IgM <\/strong>is a marker of<strong> primary (acute) infection <\/strong>and usually appears<strong> within 1 week <\/strong>of symptoms. May persist for months or years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Good<strong> sensitivity &#8211;  <\/strong>a <strong>negative <\/strong>resultmakes the diagnosis<strong> very unlikely <\/strong>if &gt;1 week of symptoms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Moderate <strong>specificity<\/strong> &#8211; a <strong>positive<\/strong> result in someone with compatible symptoms is <strong>supportive<\/strong>, but <strong>cannot confirm<\/strong> toxoplasmosis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Toxoplasma IgG<\/strong> indicates infection <strong>at some point in time<\/strong> (can be acute <strong>or<\/strong> past infection). Usually appears <strong>within 2 weeks<\/strong> of symptoms and persists <strong>life-long<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Excellent<strong> sensitivity &#8211; <\/strong>a <strong>negative<\/strong> result <strong>excludes<\/strong> toxoplasma infection, unless within 2 weeks of infection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Excellent <strong>specificity<\/strong> &#8211; a <strong>positive<\/strong> result <strong>confirms<\/strong> infection at some stage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Conversion from <strong>negative<\/strong> to <strong>positive<\/strong> <strong>IgG<\/strong> confirms acute toxoplasma infection during the intervening period.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>IgG avidity testing<\/strong> can also be performed (discuss with microbiologist):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>High avidity<\/strong> suggests infection <strong>&gt;4 months prior<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Low avidity<\/strong> is less specific and can mean <strong>recent or old infection<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-accordion ab-block-accordion\"><details><summary class=\"ab-accordion-title\">Tests to avoid\/specialist tests:<\/summary><div class=\"ab-accordion-text\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/scg.labapps.nz\/#\/WEL\/details\/27428\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Toxoplasma PCR<\/a> <\/strong>is reserved for specialist use, e.g.:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To diagnose <strong>reactivation<\/strong> infection in severely <strong>immunocompromised<\/strong> people.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To confirm <strong>congenital infection<\/strong> via <strong>amniocentesis <\/strong>or<strong> placental testing<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-accordion ab-block-accordion\"><details><summary class=\"ab-accordion-title\">Other considerations:<\/summary><div class=\"ab-accordion-text\">\n<p>In the setting of possible <strong>congenital toxoplasmosis<\/strong> and a mother with a <strong>positive IgG<\/strong>, testing of the <strong>booking blood sample<\/strong> can sometimes be useful \u2013 discuss with a microbiologist.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Infection: Toxoplasmosis; Toxoplasma gondii infection","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":0,"parent":4222,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-left-sidebar.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4479","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Toxoplasmosis &#8211; Awanui Labs - Wellington<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.awanuilabs.co.nz\/central\/wellington\/for-referrers\/microbiology\/how-do-i-diagnose\/toxoplasmosis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Toxoplasmosis &#8211; Awanui Labs - Wellington\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Infection: Toxoplasmosis; 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