YOUR BODY'S NATURAL DEFENSE SYSTEM "IMMUNE SYSTEM" WILL MAKE THESE ANTIBODIES ONLY IF YOU HAVE BEEN INFECTED BY THIS TINY PARASITE. THE AMOUNT OF ANTIBODIES YOU HAVE WILL SHOW WHETHER YOUR INFECTION IS RECENT OR OCCURRED IN THE PAST. IF TOXOPLASMA GONDII INFECTION IS ACQUIRED BY WOMEN WHILE SHE IS PREGNANT THE INFECTION CAN PASS ON TO THE FETUS AND LEAD TO SEVERE MANIFESTATIONS OF CONGENITAL INFECTION, INCLUDING MENTAL RETARDATION, BLINDNESS, HEARING LOSS AND SEIZURES