TOXOPLASMA GONDII - IgM

Immunity

Report in 4Hrs

At Home

No Fasting Required

Details

Detects IgM antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis

₹299₹660

55% OFF

TOXOPLASMA GONDII - IgM Test Information Guide

Why is it done?
- Test Purpose: Detects IgM antibodies produced during acute or recent Toxoplasma gondii infection, helping identify active or newly acquired toxoplasmosis
- Primary Indications: Suspected acute toxoplasmosis; symptomatic patients with fever, lymphadenopathy, or ocular manifestations; pregnant women with suspected infection; immunocompromised patients with CNS or systemic symptoms
- Typical Timing: Ordered within days to weeks of symptom onset; IgM typically appears 3-5 days after infection and peaks at 1-2 weeks; becomes undetectable within 3-6 months in uncomplicated cases
- Clinical Scenarios: Congenital toxoplasmosis screening; monitoring immunocompromised patients (HIV/AIDS, transplant recipients); evaluation of fever of unknown origin with lymphadenopathy; assessment of pregnant women with positive IgG requiring differentiation from past infection
Normal Range
- Negative Result: <0.9 IU/mL or Negative/Non-reactive (varies by laboratory); indicates absence of acute or recent Toxoplasma gondii infection; typical in patients with no current infection or remote past infection
- Borderline/Equivocal: 0.9-1.1 IU/mL or Borderline; requires repeat testing or additional serologic evaluation; may indicate very early acute infection or false-positive result; clinical correlation essential
- Positive Result: >1.1 IU/mL or Positive/Reactive; indicates acute or recent Toxoplasma infection; diagnostic significance depends on clinical presentation and concurrent IgG results
- Units of Measurement: IU/mL (International Units per milliliter), Index value, or reported as Negative/Positive; reference ranges vary by testing methodology (ELISA, immunofluorescence, chemiluminescence)
- Clinical Interpretation Summary: Negative = no recent infection (but does not exclude active infection if tested too early); Positive = likely acute or recent infection requiring clinical correlation and confirmation with IgG and avidity testing
Interpretation
- IgM Positive, IgG Negative: Acute primary infection within days to weeks; newly acquired toxoplasmosis; highest risk for fetal transmission if pregnant; requires immediate clinical intervention and treatment consideration
- IgM Positive, IgG Positive: May indicate acute infection during chronic infection, reactivation, false-positive IgM, or recent seroconversion; IgG avidity testing recommended to distinguish acute from past infection; clinical context critical for interpretation
- IgM Negative, IgG Positive: Past or chronic infection; immunity present; most common result in immune population; if symptoms persist, consider other diagnoses or repeat testing in 1-2 weeks to detect emerging IgM
- IgM Negative, IgG Negative: No evidence of current or past toxoplasmosis; if high clinical suspicion exists, repeat testing after 1-2 weeks to detect seroconversion; consider alternative diagnoses
- False Positives Factors: Rheumatoid factor elevation; other infections (EBV, CMV, HIV); cross-reactivity with other parasites; recent vaccination; technical testing errors; IgM may persist 6+ months after acute infection in some patients
- Factors Affecting Results: Timing of testing relative to symptom onset; immunocompromised status affecting antibody production; concurrent IgG presence; immunoglobulin levels; medications affecting immune response; laboratory methodology and reagent sensitivity variations
- Clinical Significance Patterns: IgM serves as marker for acute infection; combined with IgG and avidity testing provides temporal assessment; essential for diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis; critical for immunocompromised patients where reactivation risk is high; serial measurements may show declining IgM over weeks confirming acute infection resolution
Associated Organs
- Primary Organ Systems: Central nervous system (CNS); lymphatic system; eyes (ocular); cardiovascular; skeletal muscle; liver (hepatic); skeletal system
- Common Diseases Associated: Acute toxoplasmosis; congenital toxoplasmosis; toxoplasmic encephalitis (especially in HIV/AIDS patients); ocular toxoplasmosis/chorioretinitis; CNS mass lesions in immunocompromised patients; disseminated toxoplasmosis
- Clinical Manifestations in Acute Infection: Cervical lymphadenopathy; fever; malaise; myalgia; hepatosplenomegaly; atypical lymphocytosis; rash; headache; eye pain with chorioretinitis; fatigue lasting weeks to months
- Congenital Manifestations: Intracranial calcifications; hydrocephalus; microcephaly; chorioretinitis; microphthalmia; intellectual disability; seizures; jaundice; thrombocytopenia; hepatomegaly; intrauterine growth restriction
- Complications in Immunocompromised Patients: Toxoplasmic encephalitis with multiple CNS lesions; confusion and altered mental status; seizures; focal neurologic deficits; stroke-like symptoms; myocarditis; pneumonitis; disseminated disease with multi-organ involvement; higher mortality if untreated
- Risk Groups: Pregnant women (risk to fetus); HIV-positive patients with CD4 <100 cells/μL; transplant recipients; patients on immunosuppressive therapy; those with severe immunodeficiency; congenital cases; blood/organ recipients
Follow-up Tests
- Recommended Confirmatory Tests: Toxoplasma IgG antibody; Toxoplasma IgG avidity testing (distinguishes acute from past infection); repeat IgM at 1-2 weeks if initially negative but high clinical suspicion; repeat IgM to document declining titers confirming acute infection
- Imaging Studies (if infection suspected): Head CT or MRI (CNS involvement, lesions); Ophthalmologic examination (ocular manifestations); Chest X-ray (pulmonary involvement); Transvaginal ultrasound (pregnancy monitoring for congenital infection)
- Additional Diagnostic Tests: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis for PCR/culture; aqueous or vitreous fluid testing (ocular cases); tissue biopsy with histology/PCR; parasite culture (reference labs); polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for parasite detection
- Laboratory Monitoring: Complete blood count (CBC); liver function tests; CD4 count in HIV patients; repeat serology at 2-4 weeks to confirm declining IgM; therapeutic drug levels if treatment initiated
- Tests for Immunocompromised Patients: HIV antibody/viral load; CD4/CD8 count; prophylaxis therapy monitoring; baseline ophthalmologic exam; CSF analysis if neurologic symptoms present
- Fetal/Neonatal Testing (if maternal infection): Amniocentesis with PCR (>18 weeks gestation); fetal serum Toxoplasma IgM/IgG; neonatal IgM screening; placental pathology examination; newborn neuroimaging; long-term follow-up for latent infection
- Monitoring Frequency: Acute infection: repeat serology at 2-4 weeks; immunocompromised patients: clinical monitoring during treatment; pregnant patients: regular obstetric ultrasound; prophylaxis patients: periodic CD4 monitoring to assess need for continued prophylaxis
Fasting Required?
- Fasting Requirement: No
- Food/Beverage Restrictions: No fasting required; patient may eat and drink normally before testing; no dietary modifications necessary; routine food and water intake does not interfere with serology results
- Medications: No medications need to be held; continue all current medications as prescribed; immunosuppressive drugs and anti-parasitic medications do not require discontinuation before testing; blood sample can be collected regardless of medication status
- Patient Preparation: No special preparation required; standard venipuncture may be performed at any time; wear loose-fitting sleeves for easy access to arm; remain relaxed before blood draw; inform phlebotomist of any bleeding disorders or anticoagulation therapy; patient may be seated or supine during collection
- Specimen Collection Details: Single blood draw required; 5-10 mL serum sample collected in standard serum separator tube; specimen stable at room temperature for several hours; refrigerate if delayed transport (2-8°C); frozen storage acceptable for long-term preservation; label specimen clearly with patient identifiers and collection time
- Optimal Collection Timing: Collect as soon as possible after symptom onset; testing before 5 days of symptoms may yield false-negative results; repeat after 1-2 weeks if initial test negative but clinical suspicion high; time of day does not affect IgM antibody detection

How our test process works!