TORCH Infections: Causes, Symptoms, Effects and Laboratory Tests

TORCH is an acronym of the four types of infectious diseases : TOxoplasma, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, and Herpes. TORCH is an infectious disease that is harmful to the fetus if the infection suffered by pregnant women.

TOXOPLASMA

Causes :
The parasite called Toxoplasma gondi.

Symptoms :
Generally, Toxoplasma infections occur without specific symptoms. Only approximately 10-20% of cases of Toxoplasma infection accompanied by mild symptoms, influenza-like symptoms, can result in fatigue, malaise, fever, and generally do not cause problems.

Toxoplasma infection is dangerous when it occurred while the mother is pregnant or in people with compromised immune systems (eg people with AIDS, organ transplantation patients who received the drug suppressing the immune response).

Effects :
If a pregnant woman infected with Toxoplasma is a result that can happen is a spontaneous abortion or miscarriage (4%), stillbirth (3%) or infants suffering from congenital toxoplasmosis. On congenital toxoplasmosis, symptoms can appear as an adult, such as eye and ear disorders, mental retardation, seizures and encephalitis.

Laboratory Tests :
Laboratory tests are absolutely necessary to get a proper diagnosis. Examinations are commonly performed are anti-Toxoplasma IgG, IgM and IgA, and also avidity anti-Toxoplasma IgG.

Examination needs to be done on people suspected of being infected with Toxoplasma, the mothers before or during pregnancy (when a negative result bullet repeated once a month, especially in the first trimester, then each trimeter), and newborns of mothers infected with Toxoplasma.


RUBELLA

Causes :
This infection is caused by Rubella virus, can attack children and young adults.

Symptoms :
Rubella infection characterized by acute fever, rash and enlarged lymph nodes. Signs and symptoms of rubella infection varies for each individual, even in some patients unrecognized, especially if the red rash does not appear. Hence, the laboratory examination is required.

Effects :
Rubella Infection dangerous when occur in the young pregnant woman, because it may cause abnormalities in babies. If infection occurs in the first month of pregnancy, the risk of abnormalities was 50%, whereas if infection occurs first trimester the risk is 25% (according to the American College of Obstatrician and Gynecologists, 1981).

Laboratory Tests :
Laboratory examinations performed included

1. Examination of Anti-Rubella IgG can be used to detect the presence of immunity during pregnancy. If they are not immune, it is recommended to be vaccinated.
2. Anti-Rubella IgM.

Examination of Anti-rubella IgG and IgM is particularly useful for the diagnosis of acute infection in pregnancy <18 weeks and the risk of congenital rubella infection.


CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV)

Causes :
CMV infection is caused by a virus Cytomegalo, and these virus including the groups of Herpes virus family. CMV virus can stay latent in the body and CMV is one cause that is harmful infection to the fetus if infection occurs when the mother was pregnant.

Symptoms :
Symptoms can range from very severe to minimal symptoms, some even without symptoms. Because it can affect almost any organ, the symptoms vary widely depending on the organ being attacked. CMV usually causes fever, decreased white blood cell count (leukopenia) and tired, lethargic. Creatinine can be elevated in renal transplant patients with CMV infection. Infection in the lungs causing breathlessness and coughing. In the digestive system such as the stomach and intestine, CMV infection causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Encephalitis (brain) CMV can cause seizures, painful lump, and coma. If the patient is pregnant, CMV can infect the fetus and cause disturbances in specific organs of the fetus.

Effects :
If a pregnant woman is infected. the fetus at risk of contracting the disorder such that an enlarged liver, jaundice, brain calcifications, deafness, mental retardation, and others.

Laboratory Tests :
Laboratory tests are very useful to know the acute infection or recurrent infections, in which acute infection have a higher risk. Laboratory tests performed included anti-CMV IgG and IgM, and also avidity anti-CMV IgG.


HERPES SIMPLEX TYPE II

Causes :
Herpes infection of the genitals is caused by herpes simplex virus type II (HSV II). The virus can be in a latent form, spread through sensory nerve fibers and dwell in the autonomic nervous system ganglion.

Symptoms :
Symptoms of herpes simplex can vary from one individual to another. The first infections last longer and heavier, approximately 3 weeks and often accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, fatigue, pain around the mouth, no appetite and can be found swollen lymph nodes. The main symptoms of clustered vesicles over the skin is swollen and red, containing clear fluid and then became cloudy, sometimes itchy and may be crusting. Then this crust will be separated from the skin and skin showing pink that will heal without scarring. These vesicles can arise in any part of the body, but most often occur in the area around the mouth, nose, genital area and buttocks. After that, patients included in the latent phase, because the virus is still present in the patient's body in an inactive state in the ganglion (nerve cell bodies).

Effects :
Babies born to mothers infected with HSV II usually showed blisters on the skin, but this does not always appear so it may not be known. HSV II infection in newborns can be fatal (In more than 50 cases)

Laboratory Tests :
Laboratory tests are the Anti-HSV II IgG and IgM is essential for early detection of the possibility of infection by HSV II and prevent further harm to the infant when infection occurs during pregnancy.