Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Society for Microbiology
Résumé : International audience
This study aimed to evaluate the repeated sequence REP-529 compared to the B1 gene for the molecular diagnosis of toxoplasmosis by quantitative PCR (qPCR) in routine diagnosis.Over a ten-year period (2003-2013), all patients prospectively diagnosed with a positive REP-529 qPCR result for toxoplasmosis were included. All DNA samples (76 samples from 56 patients) were simultaneously tested using the two qPCR methods (REP-529 and B1).The mean Ct obtained with the B1 qPCR was significantly higher (+4.71 cycles) than that obtained with REP-529 qPCR (p<0.0001). Thirty-one out of 69 extracts (45.6%) positive with REP-529 qPCR were not amplified with the B1 qPCR (relative sensitivity 54.4%, compared to REP-529), yielding false negative results on 15/28 placentas, 5 cord blood, 2 amniotic fluids, 4 cerebrospinal fluids, 1 aqueous humor, 2 lymph node punctures and 1 abortion product. This defect in sensitivity would have left 20/56 patients undiagnosed, distributed as follows: 12/40 congenital toxoplasmosis, 4/5 cerebral toxoplasmosis, 2/8 patients with retinochoroiditis, and both patients with chronic lymphadenopathy. This poor performance of B1 qPCR could be related to low parasite loads, since the mean Toxoplasma quantification in extracts with B1 false negative results was 0.4 parasite/reaction.These results clearly show the superiority of the REP-529 sequence in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis by PCR suggest that this target should be adopted as part of standardization of the PCR assay.
ISSN: 0095-1137

hal-01118293
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01118293
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01118293/document
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01118293/file/A%2010-Year%20Retrospective%20Comparison%20of%20Two%20Target%20Sequences-belaz2015.pdf
PUBMEDCENTRAL : PMC4365238

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Society for Microbiology
Résumé : International audience
Molecular diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis or disseminated toxoplasmosis is based mainly on PCR. The repeated DNA element rep529 has become the main DNA target used in most PCR methods, whether laboratory developed or commercial. In this multicenter study, we evaluated the Toxoplasma ELITe MGB (Elitech) commercial kit by comparison with three reference quantitative PCR assays (RAs) used routinely in three proficient laboratories of the French National Reference Center for Toxoplasmosis network, using Toxoplasma calibrated suspensions diluted to obtain a range of concentrations from 0.1 to 10,000 parasites/ml. These suspensions were extracted with either the DNA extraction kit (EXTRAblood; Elitech) recommended by the manufacturer or the QIAamp DNA minikit (Qiagen). The Toxoplasma ELITe MGB assay was also evaluated on a panel of 128 clinical samples, including 56 amniotic fluid samples, 55 placenta samples, and various other samples, of which 95 originated from patients with proven toxoplasmosis. The ELITe MGB assay amplified low-concentration replicates (<10 parasites/ml) of calibrated suspensions less frequently than the RAs of 2/3 laboratories. Additionally, the combination of EXTRAblood and Toxoplasma ELITe MGB yielded poorer sensitivity than the combination of QIAamp DNA minikit and ELITe MGB for low parasite concentrations (P < 0.001 for 1 parasite/ml). On clinical samples, the sensitivity and the specificity of the commercial assay were 89% and 100%, respectively. The sensitivity ranged from 79% (placenta samples) to 100% (amniotic fluid samples). Overall, this study shows that the Toxoplasma ELITe MGB assay is suitable for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis from non-cell-rich or non-hemoglobin-rich samples and that the EXTRAblood kit is not optimal.
ISSN: 0095-1137

hal-01526432
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01526432
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01526432/document
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01526432/file/Evaluation%20of%20the%20Toxoplasma.pdf
DOI : 10.1128/JCM.02379-16

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
Résumé : International audience
Purpose of review Toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised patients is associated with a high mortality rate. Molecular techniques are important tools to diagnose acute disease in immunocompromised patients, but there are various methods with variable efficiency. Some of them have been validated for the diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis, but the impact of their use has not been evaluated in immunocompromised patients. Recent findings Toxoplasmosis is of increasing importance in non-HIV immunocompromised patients. In addition, the picture of disease shows greater severity in South America, both in immunocompetent study participants and in congenitally infected infants. These epidemiological differences could influence the sensitivity of diagnostic methods. This review analyzes recent data on molecular diagnosis and compares them with older ones, in light of progress gained in molecular techniques and of recent epidemiological findings. Most recent studies were conducted in South America and used PCR targeting the B1 gene. PCR on blood could allow diagnosing a significant proportion of patients with ocular toxoplasmosis in Brazil. Summary Quantitative PCR methods with specific probes should be used to improve sensitivity and warrant specificity. Performance of quantitative PCR targeting the repeated 529 bp sequence for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised patients needs evaluation in field studies in South America and in western countries.
ISSN: 0951-7375

hal-01390970
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01390970
DOI : 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000275
PUBMED : 27191201

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD WB Saunders
Résumé : International audience
: The apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii was discovered a little over one hundred years ago and was soon recognized as a pathogen responsible for congenital infection. But detailed understanding of its epidemiology emerged only after 1970 with the discovery of its life cycle. In the last ten years, high resolution molecular tools have allowed the characterization of various strain types with different virulence patterns, and current studies are exploring the distribution of these different genotypes. In parallel, sophisticated diagnostic tools have been developed and awareness of disease burden has led some European countries with high prevalence rates to implement screening of pregnant women. In this article, the screening options and therapies used to prevent congenital toxoplasmosis are dissected in the light of recent data from cohort studies and other epidemiological data.
ISSN: 0163-4453

hal-00875492
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00875492
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00875492/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00875492/file/Robert-Gangneux_-_It_is_not_only_the_cat_that_did_it_-_how_to_prevent_and_treat_congenital_toxoplasmosis_HAL.d.pdf
DOI : 10.1016/j.jinf.2013.09.023

Résumé : Les études écologiques sont maintenant considérées comme prometteuses en raison de leur capacité à intégrer dans un même modèle autant des facteurs individuels que populationnels. Le mouvement récent de l’open data pourrait jouer un rôle important dans la pérennisation des démarches multidisciplinaires. Cette thèse montre que l’association des méthodes écologiques aux données publiques permet d’éclairer sous un angle nouveau des problématiques des maladies infectieuses.En Guyane Française, des méthodes écologiques dites de séries temporelles couplées aux données climatiques libres ont contribué à une meilleure compréhension du rôle du climat sur la dynamique de la transmission du paludisme, de la leishmaniose cutanée ainsi que de l’histoplasmose disséminée. L’utilisation de méthodes écologiques sur des données libres de la littérature scientifique concernant la séroprévalence toxoplasmose dans les populations humaines a permis d’identifier les principaux facteurs influençant le niveau de séroprévalence globale et indirectement du risque de toxoplasmose congénital associé. L’association de données onusiennes à des méthodes écologiques a permis de montrer qu’une prévalence importante d’ascaridiose est associée à une réduction par 10 de l’incidence du paludisme et l’impact significatif de la corruption sur la mortalité juvéno-infantile et sur les résistances aux anti-tuberculeux. Ces études montrent que l’association des méthodes écologiques aux données publiques permet d’éclairer sous un angle nouveau des problématiques des maladies infectieuses. Ce type d‘étude fournit la flexibilité nécessaire à l’étude des interactions complexes des nombreux déterminants de la santé.
Ecological studies are now considered promising because of their ability to integrate as well as individual factors than populational ones in the same model. The recent open data movement could play an important role in the sustainability of multidisciplinary approaches. The studies developed in this thesis show that the combination of ecological methods with open data could give original results in the issues of infectious diseases.In French Guiana, ecological methods called time series, coupled with open climate data, have contributed to a better understanding of the role of climate on the dynamics of malaria, cutaneous leishmaniasis and disseminated histoplasmosis. The use of ecological methods with open data from the scientific literature concerning toxoplasmosis seroprevalence in human populations has permitted to identify the main factors influencing the level of overall seroprevalence and indirectly to estimate the associated risk of congenital toxoplasmosis.The combination of UN data to ecological methods has shown that a high prevalence of ascariasis is associated with a reduction from 10 in the incidence of malaria and that corruption has a significant impact on child mortality and resistance to TB.The various studies developed in this thesis show that the combination of ecological methods to public data sheds a new light on the issues of infectious diseases. This type of study provides the flexibility to study the complex interactions of many determinants of health.

http://www.theses.fr/2011AGUY0482/document

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Society for Microbiology
Résumé : International audience
Summary: The apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii was discovered a little over 100 years ago, but knowledge of its biological life cycle and its medical importance has grown in the last 40 years. This obligate intracellular parasite was identified early as a pathogen responsible for congenital infection, but its clinical expression and the importance of reactivations of infections in immunocompromised patients were recognized later, in the era of organ transplantation and HIV infection. Recent knowledge of host cell-parasite interactions and of parasite virulence has brought new insights into the comprehension of the pathophysiology of infection. In this review, we focus on epidemiological and diagnostic aspects, putting them in perspective with current knowledge of parasite genotypes. In particular, we provide critical information on diagnostic methods according to the patient's background and discuss the implementation of screening tools for congenital toxoplasmosis according to health policies.
ISSN: 0893-8512

hal-00696903
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00696903
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00696903/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00696903/file/Epidemiologysur and_Diagnostic-accepted.pdf
DOI : 10.1128/CMR.05013-11