Nasir Arefkhah1, Bahman Pourabbas2, Qasem Asgari1, Abdolali Moshfe3, Fataneh Mikaeili1, Gordafarin Nikbakht4, Bahador Sarkari5. 1. Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. 2. Professor Alborzi Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. 3. Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran. 4. Department of Infectious Diseases, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran. 5. Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: sarkarib@sums.ac.ir.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Given the lack of routine screening and the high prevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Iran, the current study aimed to find out the rate and features of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the spontaneously aborted human fetuses in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, Southwestern Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on 100 spontaneously aborted fetuses' tissues and their mother blood samples. The mothers' sera were evaluated for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies while their buffy coat and aborted fetuses tissues were evaluated for Toxoplasma DNA. PCR product at GRA6 locus was sequenced and phylogenetic analysis was done. Likewise, quantitative Real-Time PCR was performed to find out the parasite burdens in mothers buffy coat and fetuses tissues. RESULTS: Using serological method, anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies were detected in 7 (7%) and 3 (3%) out of 100 sera from women with spontaneous abortion. Real-time PCR method detected T. gondii DNA in the buffy coat of one seronegative and 2 (out of 3) IgM seropositive cases. None of the samples from aborted fetuses were infected with T. gondii. BLAST and phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequenced isolates belonged to type I of T. gondii and two identified T. gondii isolates were taxonomically grouped into one clade. CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed type I genotype of T. gondii in two mothers with spontaneous abortion, without fetus involvement. It is necessary to examine more aborted fetuses' samples from different geographical areas to determine the association between Toxoplasma genotype and abortion.
BACKGROUND: Given the lack of routine screening and the high prevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Iran, the current study aimed to find out the rate and features of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the spontaneously aborted human fetuses in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, Southwestern Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on 100 spontaneously aborted fetuses' tissues and their mother blood samples. The mothers' sera were evaluated for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies while their buffy coat and aborted fetuses tissues were evaluated for Toxoplasma DNA. PCR product at GRA6 locus was sequenced and phylogenetic analysis was done. Likewise, quantitative Real-Time PCR was performed to find out the parasite burdens in mothers buffy coat and fetuses tissues. RESULTS: Using serological method, anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies were detected in 7 (7%) and 3 (3%) out of 100 sera from women with spontaneous abortion. Real-time PCR method detected T. gondii DNA in the buffy coat of one seronegative and 2 (out of 3) IgM seropositive cases. None of the samples from aborted fetuses were infected with T. gondii. BLAST and phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequenced isolates belonged to type I of T. gondii and two identified T. gondii isolates were taxonomically grouped into one clade. CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed type I genotype of T. gondii in two mothers with spontaneous abortion, without fetus involvement. It is necessary to examine more aborted fetuses' samples from different geographical areas to determine the association between Toxoplasma genotype and abortion.