COMPARATIVE DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF DIFFERENT BIOMATERIALS FOR DETECTION OF TORCH PATHOGENS

TORCH infections represent a significant global health problem due to their association with congenital anomalies, fetal developmental disorders, and neonatal morbidity. The TORCH complex includes Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella virus, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes simplex virus (HSV), and other infectious agents capable of transplacental transmission during pregnancy. These pathogens can cause severe complications such as miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, congenital malformations, neurological impairment, and neonatal mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the comparative diagnostic value of different biomaterials for the detection of TORCH pathogens. Various biological samples including blood serum, saliva, urine, placental tissue, and amniotic fluid were analyzed using modern laboratory diagnostic methods such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results demonstrated that molecular diagnostic methods, particularly PCR, provide significantly higher sensitivity and specificity compared with conventional serological testing. Non-invasive biomaterials such as saliva and urine showed high diagnostic value for detecting cytomegalovirus infection, whereas amniotic fluid analysis was particularly informative for detecting fetal infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii. The findings highlight the importance of selecting appropriate biomaterials and combining serological and molecular diagnostic techniques to improve early detection of TORCH infections.TORCH感染（TORCH）是一类严重的全球公共卫生问题，因其与先天性畸形、胎儿发育异常及新生儿发病密切相关。TORCH复合体包含弓形虫（Toxoplasma gondii）、风疹病毒（Rubella virus）、巨细胞病毒（Cytomegalovirus，CMV）、单纯疱疹病毒（Herpes simplex virus，HSV）及其他可在妊娠期间经胎盘传播的病原体。此类病原体可引发严重并发症，包括流产、宫内生长受限、先天性畸形、神经功能损伤及新生儿死亡。 本研究旨在评估不同生物样本用于检测TORCH病原体的相对诊断价值。研究采用酶联免疫吸附试验（enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay，ELISA）、聚合酶链反应（polymerase chain reaction，PCR）等现代实验室诊断方法，对血清、唾液、尿液、胎盘组织及羊水等多种生物样本进行了分析。 研究结果显示，与传统血清学检测相比，分子诊断方法（尤其是聚合酶链反应）具有显著更高的灵敏度与特异性。唾液、尿液等无创生物样本在检测巨细胞病毒感染时展现出较高的诊断价值，而羊水分析对检测弓形虫所致的胎儿感染尤为有效。本研究结果凸显了选择适宜生物样本、联合应用血清学与分子诊断技术以提升TORCH感染早期检出率的重要性。