{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,28]],"date-time":"2026-09-28T14:53:36Z","timestamp":1790607216045,"version":"4.1.0"},"update-to":[{"DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0012153","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,31]],"date-time":"2024-05-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1717113600000}}],"reference-count":43,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,20]],"date-time":"2024-05-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1716163200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"UofSC Health Resources and Services Administration","award":["UofSC Maternal-Child Health Catalyst Graduate Scholars program (T1CMC35361)"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UofSC Maternal-Child Health Catalyst Graduate Scholars program (T1CMC35361)"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100008899","name":"University of South Carolina","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["UofSC Office of the Vice President of Research\u2019s SPARC grant program"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UofSC Office of the Vice President of Research\u2019s SPARC grant program"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100008899","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosntds.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS Negl Trop Dis"],"abstract":"<jats:p><jats:italic>Toxoplasma gondii<\/jats:italic> is a parasitic infection that can be transmitted in utero, resulting in fetal chorioretinitis and other long-term neurological outcomes. If diagnosed early, pregnancy-safe chemotherapeutics can prevent vertical transmission. Unfortunately, diagnosis of acute, primary infection among pregnant women remains neglected, particularly in low-and-middle-income countries. Clinically actionable diagnosis is complex due to the commonality of infection during childhood and early adulthood which spawn long-last antibody titers and historically unreliable direct molecular diagnostics. The current study employed a cross-sectional <jats:italic>T<\/jats:italic>. <jats:italic>gondii<\/jats:italic> perinatal surveillance study using digital PCR, a next generation molecular diagnostic platform, and a maternal-fetal outcomes survey to ascertain the risk of vertical toxoplasmosis transmission in the Western Region of El Salvador. Of 198 enrolled mothers at the time of childbirth, 6.6% had evidence of recent <jats:italic>T<\/jats:italic>. <jats:italic>gondii<\/jats:italic> infection\u201485% of these cases were identified using digital PCR. Neonates born to these acutely infected mothers were significantly more likely to meconium aspiration syndrome and mothers were more likely to experience labor and delivery complications. Multivariable logistic regression found higher maternal <jats:italic>T<\/jats:italic>. <jats:italic>gondii<\/jats:italic> infection odds were associated with the presence of pet cats, the definitive <jats:italic>T<\/jats:italic>. <jats:italic>gondii<\/jats:italic> host. In closing, this study provides evidence of maternal <jats:italic>T<\/jats:italic>. <jats:italic>gondii<\/jats:italic> infection, vertical transmission and deleterious fetal outcomes in a vulnerable population near the El Salvador-Guatemala border. Further, this is the first published study to show clinical utility potential of digital PCR for accurate diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis cases.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0012153","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,20]],"date-time":"2024-05-20T17:47:48Z","timestamp":1716227268000},"page":"e0012153","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Employing digital PCR for enhanced detection of perinatal Toxoplasma gondii infection: A cross-sectional surveillance and maternal-infant outcomes study in El Salvador"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Mary K.","family":"Lynn","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marvin Stanley","family":"Rodriguez Aquino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pamela Michelle","family":"Cornejo Rivas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiomara","family":"Miranda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"David F.","family":"Torres-Romero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hanson","family":"Cowan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Madeleine M.","family":"Meyer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Willber D.","family":"Castro-Godoy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mufaro","family":"Kanyangarara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stella C. 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