Eugenics Screening Kits

Eugenics Screening Kits

The acronym TORCH was introduced in 1971 to highlight a group of viral diseases which affect the fetus and newborn, namely Toxoplasma gondii (TOXO), rubella virus (RV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex viruses (HSV). These diseases often lead to a similar clinical symptoms which includes one or more of the following clinical signs: low birth weight, prematurity, purpura, jaundice, anemia, microcephaly, hydrocephaly, cerebral calcification, chorioretinitis, cataracts, microphthalmia, hearing impairment, mental retardation, autism and pneumonitis.

The TORCH screening has a high eugenic value in the sense of avoiding the above symptoms and lesions. For example, toxoplasmosis can be effectively treated with antibiotics if the mother who is infected with toxoplasma can be diagnosed early in the pregnancy. And if a mother has active herpes simplex, delivery by Caesarean section can prevent the newborn from contact, and consequent infection with this virus. Because of the clinical value of the TORCH testing, these test kits are usually called Eugenic test kit or Eugenics Screening kits.

As an aid in the screening of ToRCH infection, Eugenic screening is now widely requested by clinicians investigating infants and pregnant women for congenital, perinatal and neonatal infections. With infants, when physical examination of the newborn shows signs of the TORCH syndrome, doctors may test blood, urine, and spinal fluid for evidence of the ToRCH infections listed above. Diagnosis can be confirmed by culture of one of the specific pathogens or by increased levels of IgM against the pathogen.