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Toxoplasmosis in Immunocompromised and Immunocompetent Host: Recent Updates About the...
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Toxoplasmosis in Immunocompromised and Immunocompetent Host: Recent Updates About the Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Clinical Manifestations and Management

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Parasitic Pathogens".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2025 | Viewed by 2117

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Despina G. Contopoulos-Ioannidis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Dr Jack S. Remington Laboratory for Specialty Diagnostics, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
Interests: new insights in pathogenesis; new evidence on the epidemiology of T. gondii strains and toxoplasma infections; novel diagnostics; empirical data on the clinical spectrum of disease; toxoplasmosis outcomes and effectiveness of preventive/therapeutic strategies; novel drugs; vaccines
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In this Special Issue for Pathogens, we would like to focus on recent updates in the research on the epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical manifestations and management of toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. We are interested in the atypical clinical presentations that toxoplasmosis can have in immunocompromised patients, including those who have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplant and solid organ transplant, AIDS patients and patients on diverse immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory/biologic agents for diverse malignancies and/or autoimmune diseases, that should increase awareness among health care providers about toxoplasmosis. We would also like to welcome papers on unusual and/or severe clinical manifestations in immunocompetent patients. We want to address the changing epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in different settings, including outbreaks of toxoplasmosis in certain settings/communities and the role of novel diagnostics including molecular diagnostics/metagenomics cell-free DNA and point-of-care tests. We would like to gain insights into the diversity of treatment approaches, the challenges in accessing first line anti-toxoplasma medications and the safety issues with anti-toxoplasma treatment regimens. We encourage diverse types of eligible articles, including reviews, position papers, recommendations/guidelines, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, economic analyses, case reports, case series, cohort studies, case-control studies and clinical trials. The goal of this Special Issue is to bring attention to toxoplasmosis, a neglected infectious disease with high morbidity and mortality in some cases that is nevertheless preventable and treatable.

Dr. Despina G. Contopoulos-Ioannidis
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • toxoplasmosis
  • immunocompromised
  • immunocompetent
  • diagnosis
  • treatment

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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15 pages, 3731 KiB  
Article
Pregnant Women Chronically Infected by Toxoplasma gondii with Depressive Disorder: Differential Modulation of Pro-Inflammatory and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokines
by Carolina Salomão Lopes, Ricardo José Victal Carvalho, Tamires Lopes da Silva, Heber Leão Silva Barros, Lucas Vasconcelos Soares Costa, Danielly Christine Adriani Maia Mota, Bellisa Freitas Barbosa, Luan Souza Vieira, Talyene Marques de Araújo, Alírio Resende Costa, Ruth Opeyemi Awoyinka, Tiago Wilson Patriarca Mineo, Angélica Lemos Debs Diniz and José Roberto Mineo
Pathogens 2025, 14(4), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14040330 - 30 Mar 2025
Viewed by 332
Abstract
Depressive disorder during pregnancy is a common condition, affecting approximately 10–15% of pregnant women, and is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as inadequate prenatal care, substance abuse, and fetal growth restriction. Beyond neurotransmitter disturbances, increasing evidence suggests that infectious agents may play [...] Read more.
Depressive disorder during pregnancy is a common condition, affecting approximately 10–15% of pregnant women, and is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as inadequate prenatal care, substance abuse, and fetal growth restriction. Beyond neurotransmitter disturbances, increasing evidence suggests that infectious agents may play a role in the pathophysiology of depression through immune system modulation. Toxoplasma gondii infection has been linked to various mental disorders in the general population, including depression and anxiety. This study aimed to investigate whether depressive disorder during pregnancy is associated with chronic T. gondii infection by analyzing cytokine levels involved in inflammatory response modulation. Serum levels of TNF, IFN-γ, TGF-β1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and MIF were measured in 79 pregnant women (18–40 years old) during the third trimester of an uncomplicated pregnancy. Participants were divided into four groups: Group I—depressive disorder and T. gondii seropositive (n = 19); Group II—no depressive disorder and T. gondii seropositive (n = 20); Group III—depressive disorder and T. gondii seronegative (n = 20); and Group IV—no depressive disorder and T. gondii seronegative (n = 20). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) during routine prenatal visits, and blood samples were collected during standard prenatal examinations. Significant differences in cytokine levels were observed among the study groups. Notably, the group with both depressive disorder and chronic T. gondii infection exhibited a distinct cytokine profile characterized by significantly elevated TNF, IL-6, and IL-10 levels and significantly reduced IL-8 and MIF levels compared to the other groups. These findings suggest that pregnant women with depressive disorder and chronic T. gondii infection exhibit an altered balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. This is the first study to investigate the association between serum cytokine levels, depressive disorder, and chronic T. gondii infection in pregnant women. Further research is needed to evaluate the potential of these immunobiomarkers as diagnostic tools or for monitoring therapeutic and prognostic strategies in this context. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxoplasmosis in Immunocompromised and Immunocompetent Host: Recent Updates About the Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Clinical Manifestations and Management)
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13 pages, 235 KiB  
Article
The Prevalence of Toxoplasmosis in Bulgaria for the Period 2014–2023, with a Focus on Pregnant Women
by Iskra Rainova, Rumen Harizanov, Mihaela Videnova, Nina Tsvetkova, Raina Borisova, Eleonora Kaneva and Yana Todorova
Pathogens 2025, 14(3), 270; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14030270 - 11 Mar 2025
Viewed by 554
Abstract
The specificity of the life cycle of T. gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, determines its relevance in some patient groups; especially in women of childbearing age. The objective of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of this parasitic infection in [...] Read more.
The specificity of the life cycle of T. gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, determines its relevance in some patient groups; especially in women of childbearing age. The objective of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of this parasitic infection in Bulgaria between 2014 and 2023, focusing on pregnant women and those applying for an in vitro procedure or after an abortion. During the period, 115,053 individuals were tested for toxoplasmosis in the country, with an average seropositivity rate of 16.96%. At the NRL for the Diagnosis of Parasitic Diseases, ELISA tests were utilized to ascertain specific Toxoplasma IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies, IgG avidity, and PCR to substantiate the DNA of the parasite. Between 2014 and 2023, the laboratory conducted tests on 631 pregnant women, and 161 women applying for in vitro fertilization or after an abortion. In 24.7% of pregnant women, data demonstrated the presence of IgG antibodies only, and Toxoplasma IgG and IgM or IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies were found in 16.6% and 8% of women, respectively. In the subset of individuals examined after an abortion or for an in vitro procedure, IgG was detected in 28%, IgG and IgM in 13%, and IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies in 3.7%. Seroprevalence rises with increasing age, but does not show any dynamic compared to our previous studies. Our results show a higher seropositivity for toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Bulgaria than in neighboring countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxoplasmosis in Immunocompromised and Immunocompetent Host: Recent Updates About the Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Clinical Manifestations and Management)

Other

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6 pages, 541 KiB  
Brief Report
Increase in Congenital Toxoplasmosis During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US
by Despina G. Contopoulos-Ioannidis, Valerie Bonetti and Jose G. Montoya
Pathogens 2024, 13(11), 937; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13110937 - 28 Oct 2024
Viewed by 917
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, prenatal care services were disrupted. We analyzed the trajectory slopes of cases of congenital toxoplasmosis (CT) and acute toxoplasmosis during pregnancy from 2019 to 2022 (to reflect the cases during the pandemic years 2020–2022) vs. 2000 to 2019, using [...] Read more.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, prenatal care services were disrupted. We analyzed the trajectory slopes of cases of congenital toxoplasmosis (CT) and acute toxoplasmosis during pregnancy from 2019 to 2022 (to reflect the cases during the pandemic years 2020–2022) vs. 2000 to 2019, using data from the Remington Laboratory, the National Reference Center for Toxoplasmosis in the US. During the pandemic, there was a statistically significant upward trajectory in the yearly number of CT cases. Monitoring of this trend is needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxoplasmosis in Immunocompromised and Immunocompetent Host: Recent Updates About the Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Clinical Manifestations and Management)
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