PCR-based detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in blood and ocular samples for diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis

PCR detection of Toxoplasma gondii in blood has been suggested as a possibly efficient method for the diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) and furthermore for genotyping the strain involved in the disease. To assess this hypothesis, we performed PCR with 121 peripheral blood samples from 104 patie...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of clinical microbiology 2014-11, Vol.52 (11), p.3987-3991
Main Authors: Bourdin, C, Busse, A, Kouamou, E, Touafek, F, Bodaghi, B, Le Hoang, P, Mazier, D, Paris, L, Fekkar, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Blood - parasitology
DNA, Protozoan - genetics
DNA, Protozoan - isolation & purification
Eye - parasitology
Female
Humans
Immunoblotting - methods
Male
Middle Aged
Molecular Diagnostic Techniques - methods
Parasitology
Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods
Sensitivity and Specificity
Toxoplasma - genetics
Toxoplasma - isolation & purification
Toxoplasma gondii
Toxoplasmosis, Ocular - diagnosis
Young Adult
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Summary:PCR detection of Toxoplasma gondii in blood has been suggested as a possibly efficient method for the diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) and furthermore for genotyping the strain involved in the disease. To assess this hypothesis, we performed PCR with 121 peripheral blood samples from 104 patients showing clinical and/or biological evidence of ocular toxoplasmosis and from 284 (258 patients) controls. We tested 2 different extraction protocols, using either 200 μl (small volume) or 2 ml (large volume) of whole blood. Sensitivity was poor, i.e., 4.1% and 25% for the small- and large-volume extractions, respectively. In comparison, PCR with ocular samples yielded 35.9% sensitivity, while immunoblotting and calculation of the Goldmann-Witmer coefficient yielded 47.6% and 72.3% sensitivities, respectively. Performing these three methods together provided 89.4% sensitivity. Whatever the origin of the sample (ocular or blood), PCR provided higher sensitivity for immunocompromised patients than for their immunocompetent counterparts. Consequently, PCR detection of Toxoplasma gondii in blood samples cannot currently be considered a sufficient tool for the diagnosis of OT, and ocular sampling remains necessary for the biological diagnosis of OT.
ISSN:0095-1137
1098-660X
DOI:10.1128/jcm.01793-14