A Review on the Efficiency of NASBA Molecular Technique for Diagnosis of Acute Toxoplasmosis in Pregnant Mothers

Abstract

Introduction: Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide disease caused by an intracellular protozoan called Toxoplasma gondii and in mothers who become infected during pregnancy, it can cause serious damage to the fetus by passing through the placenta. The aim of this study was to review the effectiveness of the NASBA molecular technique in diagnosing the acute form of Toxoplasmosis in pregnant mothers.  Material and Methods: In this study, the websites of PubMed, Google Scholar, SID, Magiran, Web of Science, IranDoc were searched and articles related to the title have been reviewed from 1990 to 2020.    Results: Nucleic Acid Sequence-Based Amplification (NASBA) is an isothermal method that has the processes of nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and identification of amplified products. This technique is based on transcription and is specifically used for RNA amplification, so it is highly specific in identifying living and active microorganisms. All steps in this amplification method are performed at 41 °C and the amplified products can be identified by appropriate detection methods such as electrochemical luminescence (ECL). Conclusion: Since all steps of amplification are performed by NASBA at the same temperature of 41°C, unlike molecular PCR technique, a thermocycler is not required, so setting it up will not cost much for laboratories and it can be useful in providing a suitable solution for toxoplasmosis screening in pregnant mothers.