Anti-Toxo IgG

Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the intracellular protozoan organism Toxoplasma gondii, which has a complex life cycle. The final host of the parasite is felines, including domestic cats. Cats become infected by the alimentary route (by mouth). Toxoplasmas then penetrate into the intestinal cells, where micro- and macrogametes are formed. After that, oocysts are formed, which are excreted into the external environment with the animal's feces.  The toxoplasma enters the human body as oocysts in the same alimentary way, by ingestion of the pathogen due to poor hygiene. There are two stages of development of toxoplasmas in the human body:

Endozoite - an actively proliferating intracellular form that causes cell destruction and acute inflammation. The presence of endozoites is characteristic of the acute stage of toxoplasmosis;

Cysts - a globular form of the parasite surrounded by a dense envelope. This form is adapted to survive for a long time inside the human body and is protected against the body's immunity. The cysts can localize in the brain, retina and muscle tissue. There is no acute inflammation. The presence of cysts is characteristic of the chronic course of toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasmosis is especially dangerous for pregnant women. It belongs to the group of TORCH infections (toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes), diseases known to be dangerous to the intrauterine development of the foetus. When a woman is infected in the first trimester, congenital toxoplasmosis is found in children in 20% of cases and the course is usually severe. Infection in the third trimester affects the foetus in 65% of cases. The danger lies in the risk of spontaneous abortion and developmental abnormalities.

A distinction must be made between toxoplasma carriage and acute toxoplasmosis. For this reason, two tests are used for laboratory diagnosis: IgG and IgM antibodies to toxoplasmosis.

The test belongs to the serological diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections. The material to be tested is blood, in which antibodies to the pathogen are detected. Antibodies are components of the body's immune system that are produced to eliminate a specific foreign protein antigen. In this case, the antigen is toxoplasmas (Toxoplasma gondii). There are several types of antibodies: IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG and IgM.  However, the immune system cannot always cope with opistorchosis, even with very high antibody concentrations. Each of these antibodies has its own function and period of appearance.

IgM antibodies appear in the acute phase of the disease as early as the first week and reach a maximum concentration after 3 weeks. The antibodies gradually disappear after 2-3 months. In case of reinfection or acute exacerbation of the chronic form, IgM antibodies reappear. They are found in 75% of neonates with congenital toxoplasmosis and in 97% of adults with acute toxoplasmosis.

IgG antibodies occur during convalescence and persist for up to 10 years in the survivor. IgG is necessary for diagnosis of the period of recovery and to assess the strength of immunity after vaccination.

False-positive results are sometimes seen in patients with rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibodies.