Co-infection of Toxoplasma gondii and HIV Infections in Pregnancy in Bamako - A Case Report

Abstract

Background: Toxoplasma gondii infections cause serious complications in HIV-infected pregnant women, leading to miscarriages, stillbirths, birth defects such as mental retardation, blindness, epilepsy, and could favour or enhance the mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Worldwide, 30% of the population have antibodies to the intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii and about 36.7 million people are infected with HIV, however little is known about the prevalence of co-infection of Toxoplasma gondii and HIV in pregnancy. We report co-infection of Toxoplasma gondii and HIV in pregnant women in Mali. Methods: Toxoplasma gondii anti- IgG, IgM and HIV Combi PT serology were performed in sera from pregnant women using the Elecsys system. The HIV genotyping was performed using the Tri-DOT technique. Results: One pregnant woman out of 247 screened was anti-Toxoplasma IgM positive and HIV type I positive. An anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgM positive reading is an indication of an acute/current infection. Conclusion: This suggests there is active toxoplasmosis transmission and therefore a possible risk for congenital infections in Bamako. HIV infection being endemic in Mali may accentuate toxoplasmosis pathology in this region. Toxoplasmosis surveillance and awareness are therefore necessary in Bamako to stem the scourge of this neglected infection.