Analysis of aqueous humor in ocular toxoplasmosis: detection of low avidity IgG specific to Toxoplasma gondii.

Using a modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that included dissociation of antigen antibody complexes with 6M urea solution, we analyzed the avidity of Toxoplasma-specific IgG in aqueous humor and serum samples from 24 patients with toxoplasmic chorioretinitis. As a control, we studied aqueous humor and serum samples from 14 cataract patients without history of uveitis and serum samples from 10 patients with recent primary systemic toxoplasmic infection without ocular lesions. IgG avidity was markedly lower in aqueous humor samples from patients with toxoplasmic chorioretinitis than in serum samples, despite those samples presenting higher levels of Toxoplasma-specific IgG than in serum samples. The detection of the low-avidity Toxoplasma-specific antibodies can offer a valuable aid to make a specific etiologic diagnosis and perhaps contribute to understand the pathogenic mechanisms of ocular toxoplasmosis.