[Serologic diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis]. / Diagnóstico serológico de los casos de toxoplasmosis congénita.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the serological diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis and the prevalence of antibodies against toxoplasma in pregnant women in our area. METHOD: Toxoplasmosis seroprevalence was analyzed in 68 712 serum samples from 47 635 pregnant women living in the catchment area of Hospital Miguel Servet during the period of 1992 to 2008. Detection of toxoplasma-specific immunoglobulins (IgM, IgA, IgG) and IgG avidity studies were carried out in the microbiology laboratory. RESULTS: Toxoplasmosis seroprevalence was 31.9%. The incidence of primary infection was 0.01% in susceptible pregnant women. Fifteen women seroconverted during pregnancy, and 9 of them had infants with congenital toxoplasmosis. CONCLUSIONS: The cases of congenital toxoplasmosis were detected by maternal seroconversion during pregnancy. IgA was the most sensitive marker for the detection of congenital infection in neonates.

[Nasopharyngeal carriage of pneumococcal serotypes in healthy pre-school aged children after 7-valent pneumococcal vaccine]. / Serotipos de neumococo en nasofaringe de niños preescolares sanos tras la vacunación antineumocócica conjugada heptavalente.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To determine the characteristics influencing pneumococcal serotype colonization in healthy pre-school aged children, the distribution of serotypes and their antimicrobial susceptibility, after the introduction of pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine (VNC-7 v). SUJETOS AND METHODS: Nasopharyngeal samples were collected from children under 6 years of age attending well-child examinations in the province of Zaragoza (Spain). Logistic regression was used to study different variables related to the status of the carriers. RESULTS: Of the 371 children studied 30.7% were found to be carriers. With a vaccine coverage rate of 66%, factors related with presence of pneumococcal carriage were found to be the number of siblings (OR 1.44; CI 95% 1.05-1.97 for each sibling), attending a school or child day care centre (OR 3.99; CI 95% 2.00-7.96) and suffering from a minor upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) (OR 1.72; CI 95% 1.02-2.90). Only 8.7% corresponded to VNC-7 v serotypes. The most common non VNC-7 v serotypes isolated were 19A, 6A, 15B, 11, and 15A. Significantly greater resistance was detected among VNC-7 v serotypes. CONCLUSION: Children in the setting of this study carried pneumococci more commonly when they have siblings, attend school or day care, or suffer from minor URTI. In the VNC-7 v vaccine era, VNC-7 v serotypes have become rare occurrences (8.7%) and emerging serotypes present better susceptibility to antibiotics.