Immunological and molecular study of toxoplasmosis cutaneous lesions

The study aimed to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis among women who suffered from different types of skin lesions. Immunological and molecular tracking by using Rapid Test, (IgM & IgG)-ELFA, IgE- ELISA, skin scraping examination and PCR was performed by using blood and placental tissue samples for molecular diagnosis. The study was conducted on 200 pregnant women, who suffered from skin lesions. Examination of skin scraped slides were done by light microscopy and scanning electron microscope to see tachyzoite. It also included thirty healthy women as a control group. Out of 80 (40%)Rapid test positive cases, IgM, IgG- ELFA and IgE-ELISA were 2 (2.5%); 60 (75%) and 24 (30%) respectively. The skin scraping test was carried out on 60 patients in which only 6 (10 %) showed positive case by direct light microscopic examination. Out of 6 positive cases by light microscopy, just 2 (33 %) showed positive cases by scanning electron microscope. The study demonstrated that PCR revealed that the placental tissue specimens gave vast majority of positive results (70%) in comparison with blood samples (25%) .