Toxoplasma infection: Making the best use of laboratory tests

Monte S. Willis, Paul Southern, M. Jane Latimer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite found worldwide that commonly causes nonpathologic infections in humans; however, infection may cause harm in certain persons. In the United States, infection occurs mainly from the ingestion of undercooked meat containing the cyst form of the parasite. The serologic diagnosis can be complex. To address this, a panel of antibody tests has been designed to determine whether T gondii infection is recent or remote. The polymerase chain reaction assay to diagnose Toxoplasma infection has demonstrated high specificity but low sensitivity, making the test limited in its usefulness.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)522-532
Number of pages11
JournalInfections in Medicine
Volume19
Issue number11
StatePublished - Nov 1 2002

Keywords

  • Immunosuppression
  • Parasitology
  • Toxoplasma gondii
  • Toxoplasmosis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology (medical)
  • Infectious Diseases

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