Q: I am a 32 years old male, undergoing TORCH to detect the root cause of the problem in one of my eyes. If IgG or IgM comes positive for any of the syndrome like rubella, CMV, toxoplasma, HSV 1 & 2, will it create problems in my sex life? Are there any chances of my wife or child getting infected with IgG or IgM antibodies? My wife has already undergone TORCH but no abnormality has been found. Please clarify.

A:Please wait for the results of your tests before getting worried about them. In serology of ToRCH (Toxoplasma, Rubella, CMV and Herpes), we look for antibodies which are indirect evidences or surrogate markers of infection. Antibodies are produced by our body’s immune system in response to an infection and cannot infect your wife or child. Since these are indirect evidences, they have to be interpreted with care. Roughly, IgM antibodies may be present in people who had a recent infection and IgG antibodies indicate an old infection or immunity (if vaccinated). CMV infection is very common and nearly 90% people are seropositive. In all cases, test reports need clinical correlation. Patients are treated, not their reports. This will not create any problem in having sex per se, but there might be a risk of a sexually transmitted infection in case you have active herpes infection. Active infections are significant in pregnant females since the fetus may be affected. It is difficult to predict the effect on your non-pregnant spouse.