Early detection of Toxoplasma infection by molecular monitoring of Toxoplasma gondii in peripheral blood samples after allogeneic stem cell transplantation

International audience; Background. Isolated case reports have shown that recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants ( HSCTs) who develop toxoplasmosis may have circulating Toxoplasma gondii DNA in peripheral blood before the onset of clinical symptoms. Methods. We prospectively studied 106 T. gondii - seropositive adult recipients of HSCTs for the incidence of reactivation of toxoplasmosis in the first 6 months after transplantation. Toxoplasmosis infection ( TI) was defined by a positive result of polymerase chain reaction ( PCR) of peripheral blood specimens, whereas toxoplasmosis disease ( TD) was defined as an invasive infection. Results. The incidence of TI was 16% (…