Toxoplasma gondii-associated Placentitis in the absence of maternal seroconversion

Christen Rune Stensvold; Lone Storgaard; Lisa Leth Maroun; Jørgen Anders Lindholm Kurtzhals; Henrik Vedel Nielsen

doi:10.1016/j.parepi.2022.e00279

Toxoplasma gondii-associated Placentitis in the absence of maternal seroconversion

Parasite Epidemiol Control. 2022 Nov 9:19:e00279. doi: 10.1016/j.parepi.2022.e00279. eCollection 2022 Nov.

Authors

Christen Rune Stensvold¹, Lone Storgaard², Lisa Leth Maroun³, Jørgen Anders Lindholm Kurtzhals^{4

5}, Henrik Vedel Nielsen¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark.
² Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Rigshospitalet, Section 4031, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
³ Department of Pathology, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark.
⁴ Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
⁵ Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.

Abstract

Severe granulomatous chronic villitis with focal remnants of Toxoplasma was confirmed by immunohistochemistry and DNA-based methods in the placenta from a child that died four days after birth. The immunocompetent mother was seronegative for Toxoplasma at delivery and 10 months later. Placental infection may happen without maternal systemic infection.

Keywords: Immunology; Infant; Neonatal; Placenta; Toxoplasma gondii.