TNFα rs1799964 TT genotype may be a susceptibility factor for vertical transmission of Toxoplasma gondii and clinical signs in newborns from pregnant women with acute toxoplasmosis.

Background: One of the main impacts of Toxoplasma gondii infection occurs during pregnancy and is related to the vertical transmission of the parasite (congenital toxoplasmosis), which can cause severe clinical outcomes and fetal death. During acute infection, in order to control the rapid replication of tachyzoites, different host immune response genes are activated, and these include cytokine-encoding genes. Considering that polymorphisms in cytokine genes may increase susceptibility to vertical transmission of T.