CLASSIFICATION-SYSTEM AND CASE DEFINITIONS OF TOXOPLASMA-GONDII INFECTION IN IMMUNOCOMPETENT PREGNANT-WOMEN AND THEIR CONGENITALLY INFECTEDOFFSPRING

Classification systems and case definitions provide the foundations up on which clinical and epidemiological studies are based, The European Research Network on Congenital Toxoplasmosis acknowledged the lack of such a system or definitions within its field of interest and establis hed a working group to address the issue, Congenital Toxoplasma gondii infection was defined as occurring in four separate patient groups: p regnant women, fetuses, infants, and individuals > 1 year of age, The likelihood of Toxoplasma gondii infection was separated into five mutu ally exclusive categories: definite, probable, possible, unlikely, and not infected, Inclusion within a specific category is dependent upon the case definition, which is in turn derived from criteria based on s erological, parasitological, and clinical information, Notes are inclu ded within the classification not only to clarify the definitions, but also to improve the reliability and quality of diagnosis, The goal is to construct a system that encompasses all aspects of congenital toxo plasmosis, which is applicable to different countries and health servi ces, suitable for large epidemiological studies, aids the diagnosis an d management of individual cases, and lends itself to computerisation.