Toxoplasmosis
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Scottish Toxoplasma Reference Laboratory (STRL).
STRL provides a specialist diagnostic testing service and offers technical advice on the laboratory diagnosis of toxoplamosis and advice on the clinical management of individual patients. It also supplies epidemiological information to Public Health Scotland Health (PHS) for health protection purposes.
Important: Contacts
- phone 01463 704206
available 09:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday - email nhsh.smirl@nhs.scot
Please note: this generic email address should not be used for urgent clinical or non-routine enquiries - please telephone the laboratory instead.
We cannot offer clinical advice directly to patients.
Scottish Microbiology Reference Laboratories
The Scottish Microbiology Reference Laboratories are a group of specialist laboratories that are centrally funded by National Services Scotland.
NHS Highland hosts two of these laboratories at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness (Zone 3):
- The Scottish Lyme Disease and Tick-borne infections Reference Laboratory (SLDTRL)
- The Scottish Toxoplasma Reference Laboratory (STRL).
The services are free for Scottish patients.
Key personnel
- Clinical Scientist (director): Dr Sally Mavin
- Clinical Leads: Dr Mairi Cullen and Dr Alex Cochrane
- Microbiology Service Manager: Dr Joanne Smullen
About toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which can be acquired through the consumption of undercooked/ under-cured meat, exposure to cat faeces or mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy. It can present in different patient groups with a range of clinical symptoms but the consequences of toxoplasma infection can be particularly severe in pregnant women and immunocompromised patients.
Service provided
STRL provides confirmatory testing for all patients with suspected toxoplasmosis as well as specialist testing for a range of clinical scenarios, including pregnancy/ infants, HIV/ AIDS, Organ transplantation/ other immunsuppressed and suspected ocular disease, in Scotland and N. Ireland. The ‘gold standard’ Dye test is utilised to detect antibodies to T. gondii as well as IgM and IgG avidity assays to determine the status of infection. Molecular testing is also offered. The STRL is unique in the UK in its use of toxoplasma tachyzoites grown in cell culture for its in-house dye test.
- STRL user manual (pdf)
- STRL electronic request form (pdf)
Samples and turn-around times
See information on STRL samples and turn-around times (TAT) (pdf).
Accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).
Issue date: 25/07/23
UKAS Medical 9612 (Accredited to ISO 15189:2012)
Please note users will be informed if an assay/result lies outside the laboratory's scope of accreditation.
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