Polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis: more than two decades of development and evaluation

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis, a protozoan disease caused by the coccidian parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases of humans. Although most infections are subclinical and asymptomatic, it has a great importance with respect to immunocompromized hosts and congenitally infected newborns. The diagnosis of T. gondii infection has gained in great interest over the past decades with a wide variety of techniques being investigated from animal inoculation to advanced molecular techniques. This paper reviews and highlights the development and evaluation of polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis in human population to present the redundant research on it in a chronologically simple approach.