Chronic inflammation in pregnant women with latent toxoplasmosis and explanation of discordant results of serological tests for toxoplasmosis

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00023761%3A_____%2F25%3AN0000023" target="_blank" >RIV/00023761:_____/25:N0000023 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/00216208:11310/25:10505174

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.14411/fp.2025.021" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.14411/fp.2025.021</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.14411/fp.2025.021" target="_blank" >10.14411/fp.2025.021</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Chronic inflammation in pregnant women with latent toxoplasmosis and explanation of discordant results of serological tests for toxoplasmosis

Original language description

Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908), an intracellular parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, infects a third of the human population. Latent toxoplasmosis has been linked to altered immune responses, including elevated proinflammatory cytokines. In early pregnancy, the immune system adapts to balance inflammation and foetal tolerance. This study assessed whether pregnant women in the first trimester infected with Toxoplasma gondii have different cytokine levels than uninfected women. This study also examined whether women with discordant test results for toxoplasmosis represent a distinct group or a mixed group composed of infected women with unusually low levels of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies and uninfected women with high levels of cross-reacting antibodies. We measured 18 cytokines (IL-1(3, IL-1ra, IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-17A, Eotaxin, FGF basic, G-CSF, IFN-gamma, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1(3, PDGF-BB, RANTES, TNF-alpha) in 78 pregnant women, classified as Toxoplasma-positive, Toxoplasma-negative or Toxoplasma-discordant (negative by IgG ELISA, positive by complement fixation test [CFT]). Using exploratory factor analysis, we identified two factors, the first explaining 29.6% and the second 24.9% of the total variability in cytokine concentrations. Toxoplasma-positive women scored significantly higher in the second factor, primarily associated with cytokines linked to Th1-driven inflammation and cellular immunity. Specifically, these women exhibited elevated levels of IL-1(3, IL-1ra, IL-2, FGF basic and PDGF-BB compared to Toxoplasma-negative women. This finding suggests that pregnant women with latent toxoplasmosis experience some degree of chronic inflammation. Additionally, our results indicate that Toxoplasma-discordant women are likely Toxoplasma-negative individuals with detectable anti-Toxoplasma IgM antibodies. However, as this study focused on pregnant women, further research is necessary to validate these conclusions in broader populations.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

30202 - Endocrinology and metabolism (including diabetes, hormones)

Project

<a href="/en/project/GA22-20785S" target="_blank" >GA22-20785S: Effects of toxoplasma and CMV infection on cognitive performance – longitudinal, cross-sectional, and case-control studies</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Folia Parasitologica

ISSN

0015-5683

e-ISSN

1803-6465

Volume of the periodical

72

Issue of the periodical within the volume

July

Country of publishing house

CZ - CZECH REPUBLIC

Number of pages

12

Pages from-to

021

UT code for WoS article

001531371600001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105010199175