Multicentric Comparative Analytical Performance Study for Molecular Detection of Low Amounts of Toxoplasma gondii from Simulated Specimens

Y. Sterkers (1, 2) , E. Varlet-Marie (3) , S. Cassaing (4) , M.-P. Brenier-Pinchart (5) , S. Brun , F. Dalle , L. Delhaes (6) , D. Filisetti , H. Pelloux (5) , H. Yera (7) , P. Bastien (2, 1)

1 MIVEGEC-BioGEPPE - Biologie, Génétique et Pathologie des Pathogènes Eucaryotes
2 CHRU Montpellier - Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire [Montpellier]
3 IBMM - Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron [Pôle Chimie Balard]
4 Service de Parasitologie et Mycologie [CHU Toulouse]
5 LAPM - Laboratoire Adaptation et pathogénie des micro-organismes [Grenoble]
6 CHU Bordeaux
7 Hôpital Cochin [AP-HP]

Although screening for maternal toxoplasmic seroconversion during pregnancy is based on immunodiagnostic assays, the diagnosis of clinically relevant toxoplasmosis greatly relies upon molecular methods. A problem is that this molecular diagnosis is subject to variation of performances, mainly due to a large diversity of PCR methods and primers and the lack of standardization. The present multicentric prospective study, involving eight laboratories proficient in the molecular prenatal diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, was a first step toward the harmonization of this diagnosis among university hospitals in France. Its aim was to compare the analytical performances of different PCR protocols used for Toxoplasma detection. Each center extracted the same concentrated Toxoplasma gondii suspension and tested serial dilutions of the DNA using its own assays. Differences in analytical sensitivities were observed between assays, particularly at low parasite concentrations (

Domaines: Médecine humaine et pathologie

Y. Sterkers, E. Varlet-Marie, S. Cassaing, M.-P. Brenier-Pinchart, S. Brun, et al.. Multicentric Comparative Analytical Performance Study for Molecular Detection of Low Amounts of Toxoplasma gondii from Simulated Specimens. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 2010, 48 (9), pp.3216-3222. ⟨10.1128/JCM.02500-09⟩. ⟨hal-02421520⟩