TORCH examination is an examination carried out to detect the presence of Toxoplasmosis, other infections / Other infections, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, and Herpes simplex virus (abbreviated TORCH), in pregnant women or those planning to become pregnant, to prevent complications in the fetus. Some other infections that are included in the TORCH are syphilis, HIV, Varicella-zoster, and measles.
The details of the diseases classified as TORCH are as follows:
- Toxoplasmosis. This is a disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii which can infect the central nervous system and eyes. If a pregnant woman suffers from toxoplasmosis, the Toxoplasma gondii parasite can spread from mother to fetus through the placenta and cause abnormalities in the fetus.
- Other Infection. This category arises because found several organisms that can cause complications in the fetus. Syphilis, Varicella-zoster (chicken pox), measles, HIV, and Zika are infections that can cause problems in the fetus. In practice, checking for other infections will be adjusted to the area of residence respectively.
- Rubella. This is a virus that causes German measles. If a pregnant woman suffers from rubella virus infection, the virus can spread to the fetus and cause heart abnormalities, deafness, vision problems, lung infections, blood disorders, and growth retardation. In addition, rubella infection in pregnant women can also cause the baby to experience central nervous disorders, immune system abnormalities, and thyroid disorders after the baby is born and grows.
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV). This is a type of virus that generally infects adults, but rarely causes serious health problems. However, if a pregnant woman suffers from cytomegalovirus infection, the virus can spread to the fetus and cause interference to the fetus. Examples of disorders that can be suffered by both the fetus and newborn due to contracting cytomegalovirus from the mother are hearing loss, visual impairment, pneumonia, convulsions, and mental disorders.
- Herpes simplex virus (HSV). This is a virus that can cause herpes, both oral and genital, in adults. Babies can get the herpes virus from their mothers during labor, especially if the mother has genital herpes. Herpes virus infection can damage the central nervous system in infants.
TORCH examination is done by taking a patient's blood sample to detect specific antibodies of these diseases. Although TORCH testing is done in one package, antibody tests for each disease can also be done separately.
TORCH Examination Indications
TORCH examination can be performed on women who are planning to become pregnant or pregnant women in the first trimester. In addition, TORCH examination can also be performed on newborns who show symptoms of contracting TORCH infections, such as:
- Weight and body length smaller than babies his age
- Cataract
- Thrombocytopenia
- Convulsions
- Heart Disorders
- Deaf
- Enlarged liver and spleen
- Jaundice (jaundice)
- Delay in growth
TORCH Inspection Warning
TORCH examination is a simple examination and is generally not risky. However, blood sampling for TORCH examination can still pose risks, such as redness at the location of blood sampling, pain, infection, and bruising.
TORCH Examination Preparation
TORCH examination is a simple examination, so generally does not require special preparation, such as fasting. However, patients need to inform the doctor if they are suffering from an infectious disease other than TORCH. Patients should also tell the doctor if they are on certain medications. If needed, the doctor will ask the patient to fast and stop taking medication for a while.
TORCH Inspection Procedure
The TORCH examination procedure is quite simple, which focuses on blood sampling and antibody detection. Blood can be drawn through veins in the arms. If blood is drawn through a vein in the arm, the skin in the arm will be cleaned first so that it is sterile. The upper arm is then tied using a special tool so that the veins in the arms are bulging and clearly visible. The doctor then sticks a needle into the vein and installs a sterile tube to collect blood samples. Bonding to the arm is then released and blood will flow automatically into the sample tube. Once it is sufficient, the doctor will pull out the needle and put a bandage on the needle puncture point so that it does not experience excessive bleeding.
Blood samples will be taken to the laboratory to check for specific antibodies against microbes that cause TORCH disease. The antibodies that are generally checked in this examination are IgG and IgM. The doctor will assess whether the patient is or has had an infection, or is not currently experiencing an infection.
After TORCH Inspection
If you suspect that you are suffering from TORCH, the doctor can recommend the patient to undergo another diagnostic method to confirm the diagnosis. This is done because the TORCH examination is less specific in determining the infection that is happening. Some diagnostic methods that can be undertaken by patients after the TORCH examination are:
- Lumbar puncture test, to detect the presence of toxoplasmosis, rubella, and Herpes simplex virus infections in the central nervous system.
- Culture of skin lesion test, to detect the presence of Herpes simplex virus infection.
- Urine culture test, to detect Cytomegalovirus infection.
Patients also need further blood tests to confirm whether or not they are experiencing a TORCH infection. If the diagnosis is determined, the doctor will discuss the treatment that will be given to the patient.
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