DETECTION OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN-G (IGG) AND IGM ANTIBODIES TO TOXOPLASMA-GONDII - EVALUATION OF 4 COMMERCIAL IMMUNOASSAY SYSTEMS

A comparative evaluation of the following commercial immunoassays for the determination of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii was performed: Be hring Diagnostics OPUS Toxo G and Toro M, Abbott Diagnostics IMX Toxo- IgG 2.0 and Toxo-IgM, Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur Platelia Toxo IgG and Toxo IgM, and bioMerieux Vitek VIDAS Toxo IgG and IgM. Of 676 specime ns that were tested for Toxoplasma-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) ant ibodies, 26% were reactive by all methods while 8% displayed some disc repancy. Of 718 specimens that were tested for Toxoplasma-specific IgM antibodies, 3% were reactive by all methods while 10% displayed some discrepancy. Analysis of discrepant specimens revealed performance sho rtcomings with all IgM-specific assays. The impact of such shortcoming s is magnified in a population with a low prevalence of toxoplasmosis.