周産期感染症の診断法―トキソプラズマを中心として

Method for diagnosis of perinatal infection, mainly with Toxoplasma

母子感染は，妊娠中の初感染時に胎児に重篤な障害を生じることが多い．トキソプラズマの母子感染については，産科特有の初感染時期の診断が非常に困難であったが，最近トキソプラズマIgG抗体のアビディティを測定することで，ある程度初感染時期が推定できるようになった．本稿では，トキソプラズマ諸抗体とアビディティの特性・意義につき概説する．

Mother-to-child transmission (MCT) of microorganisms often causes severe fetal disability to the fetus on initial infection during pregnancy.　It is very difficult to make a diagnosis of MCT on initial infection with Toxoplasma in pregnancy.　However, it has recently become possible to estimate the initial infection period to some extent by measuring the avidity of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies.　This paper presents an overview of various antibodies to Toxoplasma, along with a discussion of their characteristics and significance of their avidities.