TORCH is an acronym used in medicine to refer to a group of infections that can be harmful to a developing fetus if contracted by a pregnant woman. Each letter in the acronym represents a different infection:
- T: Toxoplasmosis
- O: Other infections (such as syphilis, varicella-zoster virus, and human parvovirus B19)
- R: Rubella (German measles)
- C: Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- H: Herpes simplex virus (HSV)
These infections can be tested individually or as a group using a TORCH panel. The panel typically includes tests for specific antibodies, such as immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM), which are types of antibodies produced by the immune system in response to an infection.
IgG antibodies are usually produced later in the course of an infection and can indicate a past or chronic infection, while IgM antibodies are typically produced earlier and can indicate a recent or acute infection.
