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The ISAGA immunocapture test for the detection of anti-Toxoplasma immunoglobulin M is a manual technique known for its excellent sensitivity and specificity. The purpose of this retrospective, multicenter study was to compare the performances and agreement between ISAGA and other IgM detection techniques before cessation of ISAGA production. The analytic performance of the different tests was evaluated using 1,341 serum samples from adults with positive IgM and negative IgG to Toxoplasma gondii, and 1,206 sera from neonates born to mothers with seroconversion. The agreement between the tests was evaluated on 13,506 adult and 5,795 child serum samples. The sensitivity of Toxo-ISAGA IgM ® (adults 98.7%, neonates 63.1%) was similar to that of Platelia Toxo IgM ® (adults 94.4%, neonates 64.6%), and significantly higher than Liaison Toxo IgM ® (adults 90.6%), Architect/Alinity Toxo IgM ® (adults 95.7%, neonates 48.6%), and Vidas Toxo IgM ® (adults 81.8%, neonates 17.5%). However, the specificities varied between 24.4% (Platelia Toxo IgM ® ) and 95.2% (Liaison Toxo IgM ® ) in adults and were >95% for all tests in neonates. An analysis of the kappa coefficients showed better agreement between ISAGA IgM ® and the other tests in children (0.75-0.83%) than in adults (0.11-0.53%). We conclude that, in the absence of Toxo-ISAGA IgM ® , the association of a very sensitive technique (Platelia Toxo IgM ® or Architect/Alinity Toxo IgM ® ) and a very specific technique (Vidas Toxo IgM ® or Liaison Toxo IgM ® ) is recommended for IgM detection in adult sera. For neonates, Platelia Toxo IgM ® appeared to be the best alternative to replace Toxo-ISAGA IgM ® ., (© A.-S. Deleplancque et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2024.)

Introduction and Aim: Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite infecting approximately 30% of the global human population. It has often been suggested that chronic infection with T. gondii is related to personality changes and various mental disorders including depression. It is not known whether this includes post-partum blues or depression. In this study, we test the hypothesis that there is a relationship between T. gondii infection and post-partum blues by measuring the association between infection and postpartum blues.Methods: A total of 475 Chinese women who have just given birth were detected serology for Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies, and evaluated the degree of depression by Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score. Data were analyzed by Chi-square or Fisher's Exact tests using SPSS software.Results: We found an overall Toxoplasma seroprevalence of 5.68% (27/475; 95% CI: 3.59-7.77) which was broken down into a prevalence of 6.60% (7/106; 95% CI: 1.80-11.41) in mothers with post-partum blues and 5.42% (20/369; 95% CI: 3.10-7.74) in non-affected mothers. There was no significant association between infection and post-partum blues (p = 0.64).Conclusion: The results suggest that there is no relationship between T. gondii infection and postpartum blues, at least in this sample of patients from China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasmosis is routinely diagnosed through detection of Toxoplasma gondii--specific antibodies. However, the imperfect specificity of T. gondii serologic assays is a well-recognized limitation. The new BioPlex 2200 (Bio-Rad Laboratories) T. gondii, rubella, and cytomegalovirus (ToRC) IgM multiplex flow immunoassay (MFI) received FDA clearance in May 2017. We evaluated the clinical performance of the new T. gondii IgM and existing IgG portion of this MFI. Methods: Three hundred prospectively collected consecutive, residual sera, submitted for T. gondii serologic testing as part of routine clinical care, and an archived set of 52 residual sera previously positive for anti--T. gondii IgM and IgG with the predicate ADVIA Centaur Toxoplasma IgM and IgG assays (Siemens) were evaluated. Performance of the BioPlex 2200 T. gondii IgM and IgG MFIs was assessed by calculating positive (PPA) and negative percent agreement (NPA) compared to the Centaur tests. Results: Among prospective specimens, the BioPlex 2200 T. gondii IgM and IgG MFIs demonstrated a PPA of 0% (0/7) and 82.3% (28/34) and NPA of 99.3% (288/290) and 95.8% (251/262), respectively, with the Centaur assays. Chart review of the 7 Centaur T. gondii IgM-positive samples revealed that these were likely falsely positive. Among archived samples, the BioPlex 2200 T. gondii IgM and IgG MFIs showed PPAs of 90.4% (47/52) and 100% (52/52), respectively. Conclusions: The BioPlex 2200 T. gondii IgM and IgG MFIs demonstrated excellent concordance with the Centaur assays. The T. gondii IgM MFI may provide higher specificity in low-prevalence populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Making a definite diagnosis of infectious uveitis is a challenging task because many other infectious, and non-infectious uveitis, may have similar non-specific symptoms and overlapping clinical appearances. Co-infections in immunocompetent patients are not frequently proved with traditional serologic-diagnostic tools.Methods: Descriptive transversal study, in a Uveitis Service of an Ophthalmology Reference Center, in Bogotá, Colombia, from July 2014 to February 2016. Aqueous humor (AH) and/or vitreous fluid, blood and serum samples were collected from consecutive patients suspected of having infectious uveitis. The diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) was confirmed by the Goldmann-Witmer coefficient (GWC) and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Differential diagnosis by PCR in AH was done for viral origin such as Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2), Varicella zoster virus (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.Results: In 66 Colombian patients with uveitis of presumed infectious origin: 22 (33.3%) were confirmed as OT, 16 (24.2%) as undetermined OT, five (7.5%) as co-infections and 23 (34.8%) as other uveitis. Toxoplasma coinfection with M. tuberculosis was identified in one case by PCR and in four cases with HSV by GWC. The initial clinical diagnosis changed, after laboratory examination, in 21 cases (31.8%).Conclusions: Clinical diagnosis can be changed by laboratory examination in a significant proportion of cases of uveitis. Diagnosis of OT should combine the use of PCR and GWC to reach the maximum of confirmation of cases. The use of multiple laboratory methods is necessary to identify co-infections and viral infections that can mimic OT in immunocompetent patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasmosis is an opportunistic infectious disease in immunocompromised patients, including cancer patients, whose detection is by molecular and serological methods. A total of 106 blood samples from patients with different types of cancer were evaluated for anti- Toxoplasma gondii IgG and IgM antibodies by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the parasite DNA by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These were detected in 41.51% (44/106) and 0.94% (1/106), respectively, but T. gondii IgM antibody was not detected at all. These results suggest that the screening of toxoplasmosis should be considered more routinely in cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is the source of zoonosis toxoplasmosis and causes public health problems throughout the world. Environmental contamination by oocysts excreted by cats as definitive hosts affects the spread of this disease. Wild rats as rodents can be used as an indicator of environmental contamination by oocysts, considering that rats have a habit of living in dirty environments and can be infected by oocysts from the environment., Aim: This study aims to detect toxoplasmosis from tissue cysts and serological tests in wild rats as an indicator of environmental contamination in Surabaya., Methods: A total of 100 wild rats collected from Surabaya were collected in five areas (West, East, Central, North, and South of Surabaya) obtained from three trapping locations: housing, dense settlements, and markets. All samples were examined microscopically for parasitological tests through the brain tissue samples, and the serum was examined using the toxoplasma modified agglutination test to detect the presence of IgG and Immunoglobulin M (IgM)., Results: This research used 100 wild rat samples, 77 Rattus tanezumi and 33 Rattus norvegicus , with evidence of 31% in serology and active infection with 19% tissue cyst. The results showed that the seroprevalence of T. gondii in wild rats was 31% (30% for IgG and 1% for IgM). Tissue cysts in the rat brain samples tested were 19% (19/100). The IgG prevalence rate in female rats was 25% (8/32), while for males, it was 32.3% (22/68). The highest seropositive IgG from densely populated settlements was 50%, markets were 25.8%, and housing was 12.1%. The highest seropositive IgM from densely populated settlements was 2.8%. Population density and the presence of cats are factors supporting the high seropositive rate at the trapping location., Conclusion: This study revealed that there has been toxoplasmosis contamination in Surabaya with evidence of 31% in serology and active infection with 19% tissue cyst. It is necessary for controlling with surveillance in cats to prevent transmission in humans., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Perinatal and neonatal infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. As such, early recognition and workup when there is clinical concern is essential to supporting affected neonates. This article aims to focus specifically on the effects of toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes, and other agents (TORCH) infections, discussing epidemiology, diagnostics, and treatment if available. [ Pediatr Ann . 2023;52(11):e400-e406.] .

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite that is very common in livestock. Meat products from livestock infected with T. gondii are one of the important transmission routes of toxoplasmosis. Rapid and reliable diagnosis is a prerequisite for the prevention and control of toxoplasmosis. Neospora caninum and T. gondii are similar in morphology and life history, and there are a large number of cross antigens between them, making clinical diagnosis of toxoplasmosis more difficult. In this study, immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS) was used to screen for T. gondii-specific antigens, and the specific antigen was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The specific antigen was then used to establish an indirect ELISA diagnostic method. A total of 241 specific antigens of T. gondii and 662 cross antigens between T. gondii and N. caninum were screened by IP-MS. Through bioinformatics analysis and homology comparison, seven proteins were selected for gene cloning and prokaryotic expression, and the most suitable antigen, TgGRA54, was selected to establish an indirect ELISA for T. gondii. Compared with the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT), the positive coincidence rate of the ELISA based on rTgGRA54 was 100% (72/72) and the negative coincidence rate was 80.95% (17/21). The indirect ELISA method based on TgGRA54 recombinant protein was established to detect T. gondii antibodies in bovine sera, and the recombinant protein reacted well with T. gondii positive sera from sheep, mouse, and swine, indicating that the recombinant protein is a good diagnostic antigen for T. gondii., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Toxoplasma gondii infections are primarily diagnosed by serological assays, whereas molecular and fluorescence-based techniques are garnering attention for their high sensitivity in detecting these infections. Nevertheless, each detection method has its limitations. The toxoplasmosis detection capabilities of most of the currently available methods have not been evaluated under identical experimental conditions. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic potential of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF) in BALB/c mice experimentally infected with various doses of T. gondii ME49. The detection of toxoplasmosis from sera and brain tissues was markedly enhanced in mice subjected to high infection doses (200 and 300 cysts) compared to those subjected to lower doses (10 and 50 cysts) for all the detection methods. Additionally, increased B1 gene expression levels and cyst sizes were observed in the brain tissues of the mice. Importantly, IHC, IF, and ELISA, but not RT-PCR, successfully detected T. gondii infections at the lowest infection dose (10 cysts) in the brain. These findings may prove beneficial while designing experimental methodologies for detecting T. gondii infections in mice.

Introduction: Childhood immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a heterogeneous immune-mediated process triggered by infections, vaccines, allergies and parasites. Currently, there is little evidence in the literature beyond case reports of an association with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii)., Methods: The authors describe the unusual case of an earlier healthy 2.5-year-old Greek boy who developed acute ITP with a life-threatening platelet count a few days after a T. gondii infection. Evidence for the infection onset was found incidentally 3 months after the initial admission to the hospital and only after any other plausible cause of thrombocytopenia was excluded, according to diagnosis guidelines., Results: The boy underwent 3 intravenous immunoglobulin treatments within a trimester, a period during which his alarming platelets count levels led to housebound activities. A quite slow recovery was only ignited after the third treatment, which was administered in conjunction with a mild antibiotic medication for the T. gondii infection. Full recovery was obtained 9 months after the initial admission, although the boy's potential scored high in clinical prediction models for developing transient ITP., Conclusion: There is a need for more research on ITPs with no obvious cause to investigate a causal association with toxoplasmosis. Currently, testing for diseases of greater rarity and of higher diagnostic cost than T. gondii is included in the ITP guidelines. Hence, routinely testing for toxoplasmosis when considering potential childhood ITP triggers and infection treatment complementary to treating the ITP might be the key to accelerating the healing process and improving the quality of life of otherwise confined children., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Toxoplasmosis is one of the major foodborne parasitic diseases in Germany, with 49% of its population chronically infected with its causative agent, Toxoplasma gondii. Although the acute disease is usually benign in immunocompetent individuals, it is a threat for immunocompromised patients as well as for fetuses of seronegative mothers. As a result of infection, congenital and ocular toxoplasmosis can have serious lifelong consequences. Here I will highlight the epidemiologic situation, from its past in the two separate parts of Germany, to its unification 30 years ago and up to the present day. The main identified risk factor for infection in Germany is thought to be the consumption of undercooked or raw meat or sausages. However, the relative impact of this risky eating habit as well as that of other risk factors are changing and are discussed and compared to the situation in the Netherlands. Finally, the importance of robust and efficient high-throughput serological assays for obtaining reliable epidemiological data, on which public health decisions can be made, is highlighted. The potential of bead-based multiplex assays, which allow the incorporation of multiple antigens with different analytical properties and thus yield additional information, are described in this context. It illustrates the interdependence of new analytic assay developments and sound epidemiology, a foundation that decades-old data from Germany did not have., Competing Interests: Declarations of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)

Background. Toxoplasmosis is caused by an intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which can infect many hosts including humans. Methods. In order to estimate whether dustmen are more susceptible to T. gondii, a case-control study was conducted containing 332 dustmen from Jilin and Heilongjiang in Northeastern China, as well as 332 general populations from the same regions as control subjects. Serum samples were tested IgG and IgM antibodies to T. gondii using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results. The overall anti-T. gondii IgG was 15.06% (50/332) in dustmen compared with 9.64% (32/332) in the controls (P = 0.0337). Also, 5 (1.51%) dustmen had anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies compared with 2 (0.60%) control individuals (P = 0.2543). A significant association was only found between dustmen and level of T. gondii IgG in comparison with the control subjects. Seroprevalence of T. gondii IgG antibodies in male dustmen was significant higher than male control subjects (P = 0.0399). Dustmen from Jilin had the significant higher T. gondii IgG rate (P = 0.0143), in comparison with the control subjects from Jilin. Moreover, dustmen raising cat at home had the significant higher T. gondii IgG rate (P = 0.0097), in comparison with the control subjects. Risk factor analysis suggested that raising cat at home and not having habits of washing hand before eating were mainly related to the T. gondii infection in dustmen. Conclusions. This is the first record of seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in dustmen in Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces in Northeastern China. These findings also suggest that the government departments should pay close attention to the toxoplasmosis in dustmen in Northeastern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection and diabetes mellitus remains controversial. With the improvement of living standards, the prevalence rate of diabetes is steadily increasing in China. Thus, it is necessary to explore the possible association between toxoplasmosis and diabetes mellitus in China. Hence, case-control studies were conducted to explore the T. gondii seroprevalence and identify the risk factors and possible transmission routes of T. gondii infection in different types of diabetes, including type 1 diabetes (T1DM), type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and gestational diabetes (GDM) patients in China. Four hundred serum samples for each type of diabetes mellitus, matched with 400 control subjects for each group, were collected and examined for anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies using commercially available enzyme immunoassay kits. The total T. gondii seroprevalence in T1DM, T2DM, and GDM patients was 16.50%, 23.50%, and 21.25%, respectively. Each type of diabetes mellitus patients had a significantly higher T. gondii seroprevalence than the control subjects. Multivariate regression identified three variables as risk factors for T. gondii infection in diabetes patients, including keeping cats at home and consumption of raw oysters for T1DM patients and consumption of raw/undercooked meat and raw oysters for T2DM patients, which may help to guide future research and control policies in diabetes mellitus patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is increasingly evident that the brain is not truly an immune privileged site and that cells of the central nervous system are sensitive to the inflammation generated when the brain is fighting off infection. Among the many microorganisms that have access to the brain, the apicomplexan protozoan Toxoplasma gondii has been one of the most studied. This parasite has been associated with many neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. This article provides a comprehensive review of the status of Toxoplasma research in schizophrenia. Areas of interest include (1) the limitations and improvements of immune-based assays to detect these infections in humans, (2) recent discoveries concerning the schizophrenia– Toxoplasma association, (3) findings of Toxoplasma neuropathology in animal models related to schizophrenia pathogenesis, (4) interactions of Toxoplasma with the host genome, (5) gastrointestinal effects of Toxoplasma infections, and (6) therapeutic intervention of Toxoplasma infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasma, a protozoan parasite of cats, infects many species of intermediate and paratenic hosts, including about one-third of humans worldwide. After a short phase of acute infection, the tissue cysts containing slowly dividing bradyzoites are formed in various organs and toxoplasmosis proceeds spontaneously in its latent form. In immunocompetent subjects, latent toxoplasmosis was considered asymptomatic. However, dozens of studies performed on animals and humans in the past twenty years have shown that it is accompanied by a broad spectrum of specific behavioural, physiological and even morphological changes. In human hosts, the changes often go in the opposite direction in men and women, and are mostly weaker or non-existent in Rh-positive subjects. Methods: Here, we searched for the indices of lower endurance of the infected subjects by examining the performance of nearly five hundred university students tested for toxoplasmosis and Rh phenotype in two tests, a weight holding test and a grip test. Results: The results confirmed the existence of a negative association of latent toxoplasmosis with the performance of students, especially Rh-negative men, in these tests. Surprisingly, but in an accordance with some already published data, Toxoplasma-infected, Rh-positive subjects expressed a higher, rather than lower, performance in our endurance tests. Discussion: Therefore, the results only partly support the hypothesis for the lower endurance of Toxoplasma infected subjects as the performance of Rh-positive subjects (representing majority of population) correlated positively with the Toxoplasma infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan infection caused by an intracellular obligatory protozoan, Toxoplasma gondii. Infection to this parasite in immunocompetent patients is usually asymptomatic, but today it is believed that the infection can be a risk factor for a variety of diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is an autoimmune disease and the most common type of inflammatory arthritis that is a major cause of disability. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to address the association between RA and toxoplasmosis in light of the available research. Methods: Based on the keywords, a systematic search of eight databases was conducted to retrieve the relevant English-language articles. Then, the studies were screened based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The random effect model was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) using forest plot with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Overall, 4168 Individual, extracted from 9 articles were included for systematic review evaluation, with 1369 RA patients (46% positive toxoplasmosis) and 2799 individuals as controls (21% positive toxoplasmosis). Then, eight articles (10 datasets) were used for meta-analysis (1244 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 2799 controls). By random effect model, the combined OR was 3.30 (95% CI: 2.05 to 5.30) with P < 0.0001. Conclusion: Although toxoplasmosis could be considered as a potential risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis, more and better quality studies are needed to determine the effect of T. gondii infection on induction or exacerbation of RA. Our study was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; code: CRD42017069384). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: The aims of this study were to investigate the regional differences in seroepidemiology of toxoplasmosis in preconception period among Chinese women of reproductive age and to evaluate associated risk factors. Methods: This national, population‐based, cross‐sectional serosurvey covered all 31 provinces and province‐level municipalities in Mainland China. Married women intending to get pregnant within 6 months between 2010 and 2012 were recruited. Information on demographic characteristics (age, place of residence, occupation, dietary habits and exposure to cat) was obtained using interviews, and venous blood samples were collected to screen for Toxoplasma gondii infection. Results: Of 2 008 561 women recruited to the study, 45 405 (2.3%) were Toxoplasma gondii IgG positive, and 6884 (0.3%) were IgM positive. Geographical variation for seropositivity ranged from 0.2% in Heilongjiang to 11.2% in Tianjing for IgG and from 0% in Tibet to 0.9% in Anhui for IgM. Advanced maternal age, occupation of a farmer, vegetarian diet and exposure to cat was significantly associated with Toxoplasma gondii IgM seropositivity, and its association with occupation of farmer and exposure to cat was significant after adjusting for province of residence (P < 0.05). Conclusion: There were significant regional variations in Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and associated risk factors among Chinese women of reproductive age during preconception period. This calls for a targeted primary prevention strategy. Screening and treatment before conception and preconception health education may have potential for reducing congenital Toxoplasmosis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasmosis is worldwide distributed zoonotic infection disease with medical importance in immunocompromised patients, pregnant women and congenitally infected newborns. Having basic information on the traditional and new developed methods is essential for general physicians and infectious disease specialists for choosing a suitable diagnostic approach for rapid and accurate diagnosis of the disease and, consequently, timely and effective treatment.Methods: We conducted English literature searches in PubMed from 1989 to 2016 using relevant keywords and summarized the recent advances in diagnosis of toxoplasmosis.Results: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was most used method in past century. Recently advanced ELISA-based methods including chemiluminescence assays (CLIA), enzyme-linked fluorescence assay (ELFA), immunochromatographic test (ICT), serum IgG avidity test and immunosorbent agglutination assays (ISAGA) have shown high sensitivity and specificity. Recent studies using recombinant or chimeric antigens and multiepitope peptides method demonstrated very promising results to development of new strategies capable of discriminating recently acquired infections from chronic infection. Real-time PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) are two recently developed PCR-based methods with high sensitivity and specificity and could be useful to early diagnosis of infection. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear imaging and ultrasonography could be useful, although their results might be not specific alone.Conclusion: This review provides a summary of recent developed methods and also attempts to improve their sensitivity for diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. Serology, molecular and imaging technologies each has their own advantages and limitations which can certainly achieve definitive diagnosis of toxoplasmosis by combining these diagnostic techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Toxoplasmosis is a life-threatening parasitic disease for hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. The risk of toxoplasmosis in transplant patients mainly depends on the degree of immunosuppression, the tropism of Toxoplasma gondii for the grafted tissue, and the seroprevalence in the general population. Although transplant recipients with toxoplasmosis have a high mortality rate, there are neither well-defined recommendations nor a consensus for the management of this disease in these patients. Areas covered. This review focuses on the management of toxoplasmosis in transplant recipients and discusses the various strategies for diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and follow-up in clinical practice. The literature search was conducted on publications in English and French using the search terms 'Toxoplasma gondii,' 'organ transplant,' and 'transplant recipients.' Expert commentary. The diagnosis of toxoplasmosis has greatly improved over the last two decades, but it is still a fatal illness. Non-specificity of the symptoms, resulting in a delay before diagnosis, and therapeutic failure are the main causes of death. The development of active treatments against cysts is one of the current challenges that will considerably improve the management of toxoplasmosis in transplant recipients by clearing chronic infection to avoid T. gondii reactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasma gondii infects almost all the warm-blooded animals. ROP20 protein is expressed in the rhoptry of Toxoplasma gondii. In this study, the secondary structure of ROP20 was analyzed using SMART software. We constructed and analyzed the 3D model of ROP20 protein using SWISS-MODEL online procedure and Visual Molecular Dynamics (VMD) software. The structure analysis fully indicated that ROP20 protein is an important member of the ROP family. Furthermore, We used DNASTAR software and Epitope Database online service to analyze liner-B cell epitopes and T-cell epitopes of ROP20 protein. All the analysis results of ROP20 protein can provide positive information on treatment and vaccine for toxoplasmosis. Moreover, ROP20 gene was obtained from PCR, and a recombinant eukaryotic expression vector (pEGFP-C1-ROP20) was constructed in the following study. After restriction enzyme digestion, the constructed plasmid was transfected into HEK 293-T cells. The RT-PCR result indicated that the recombinant plasmid could transcribe successfully in HEK 293-T cell. The results of western blotting indicated the expressed proteins can be recognized by anti-STAg mouse sera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasma gondii, the etiological agent of toxoplasmosis, infects nucleated cells and then resides and multiplies within a parasitophorous vacuole. For this purpose, the parasite secretes many virulence factors for the purpose of invading and subverting the host microbicidal defenses in order to facilitate its survival in the intracellular milieu. Essential metals are structural components of proteins and enzymes or cofactors of enzymatic reactions responsible for these parasitic survival mechanisms. However, an excess of non-essential or essential metals can lead to parasite death. Thus, infected host cells were incubated with 20 µM ZnCl2 in conjunction with 3 µMCdCl2 or HgCl2 for 12 h in order to investigate cellular events and organelle damage related to intracellular parasite death and elimination. In the presence of these metals, the tachyzoites undergo lipid uptake and transport impairment, functional and structural mitochondrial disorders, DNA condensation, and acidification of the parasitophorous vacuole, thus leading to parasite death. Additional research has suggested that lysosome-vacuole fusion was involved in parasite elimination since acid phosphatases were found inside the parasitophorous vacuole, and vacuoles containing parasites were also positive for autophagy. In conclusion, low concentrations of CdCl2, HgCl2, and ZnCl2 can cause damage to Toxoplasma gondii organelles, leading to loss of viability, organelle death, and elimination without causing toxic effects to host cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The immunochromatographic test (ICT) is a convenient and low-cost method that can rapidly obtain results (10 min) under normal conditions. In this study, we established an ICT assay with two monoclonal antibodies: TgSAG3-3A7 and TgSAG3-4D5 based on the conserved protein of TgSAG3 that can be expressed in all the infective stages of T. gondii. 20 nm gold particles were prepared and conjugated with TgSAG3-3A7 MAb at the concentration of 12.5 μg/mL. TgSAG3-4D5 MAb were used as the capture antibody because of its higher affinity tested by ELISA. The detection limit of the ICT assay was 100 ng with visual detection under optimal conditions of analysis. Positive porcine serum of Cryptosporidium suis , Mycoplasma suis , Streptococcus suis , Salmonella choleraesuis , Cysticercus cellulosae , Isospora suis , and Trichinella spiralis were used to evaluate the specificity of this ICT and no cross-reactivity was observed. 310 porcine serum samples obtained from pig farms in Zhejiang Province, China were detected by this ICT and ELISA kit, 23 positive samples were found by the developed strip with the rate of 7.42% comparing with 22 positive samples detected by the commercially ELISA kit which the positive rate was 7.1%, the relative sensitivity and specificity of this ICT are 100% and 99.65%. Therefore, the ICT established in this study is proved effective, simple, specific and sensitive of T. gondii detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cell surface of Toxoplasma gondii is covered by antigens (SAGs) from the SRS family anchored by glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) and includes antigens from the SAG2 family. Among these, the SAG2A surface antigen shows great potential in activating humoral responses and has been used in characterizing the acute phase of infection and in the serological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. In this study, we aimed to evaluate rSAG2A-induced proteins in BALB/c and C57BL/c mice macrophages and to evaluate the phenotypic polarization induced in the process. We treated the peritoneal macrophages from mouse strains that were resistant or susceptible to T. gondii with rSAG2A to analyze their proteomic profile by mass spectrometry and systems biology. We also examined the gene expression of these cells by RT-qPCR using the phenotypic markers of M1 and M2 macrophages. Differences were observed in the expression of proteins involved in the inflammatory process in both resistant and susceptible cells, and macrophages were preferentially induced to obtain a pro-inflammatory immune response (M1) via the overexpression of IL-1β in mice susceptible to this parasite. These data suggest that the SAG2A antigen induces phenotypic and classical activation of macrophages in both resistant and susceptible strains of mice during the acute phase of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are not any records on the detection of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in tissues of wild birds in the African continent. The aim of the study was to investigate the occurrence of DNA from these protozoan parasites in brain tissue samples collected in years 2014–2015 from 110 wild and domestic birds of 15 orders. Birds came mainly from the province of Limpopo (n = 103); the other seven birds came from other five provinces of South Africa. Parasite DNAs were detected by PCR in animal brains. While all samples were negative for N. caninum , T. gondii DNA was detected in three (2.7%) birds: a Red-eyed Dove ( Streptopelia semitorquata ), a Laughing Dove ( S. senegalensis ) and a Southern-Yellow-billed Hornbill ( Tockus leucomelas ), all from Limpopo province. Positive samples were selected for genotyping by a 15 microsatellite markers method in a single multiplex PCR assay. Only the sample from the Red-eyed Dove was successfully genotyped and characterized as type II. This is the first detection of T. gondii in tissue of native African wild birds and the first study focusing on N. caninum in birds from South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diagnosis of clinical toxoplasmosis remains a challenge, thus limiting the availability of human clinical samples. Though murine models are an approximation of human response, their definitive infection status and tissue availability make them critical to the diagnostic development process. Hydrogel mesh nanoparticles were used to concentrate antigen to detectable levels for mass spectrometry. Seven Toxoplasma gondii isolates were used to develop a panel of potential peptide sequences for detection by parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) mass spectrometry. Nanoparticles were incubated with decreasing concentrations of tachyzoite lysate to explore the limits of detection of PRM. Mice whose toxoplasmosis infection status was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR had urine tested by PRM after hydrogel mesh concentration for known T. gondii peptides. Peptides from GRA1, GRA12, ROP4, ROP5, SAG1, and SAG2A proteins were detected by PRM after nanoparticle concentration of urine, confirming detection of T. gondii antigen in the urine of an infected mouse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology is a promising arena for generating new applications in Medicine. To successfully functionalised nanoparticles for a given biomedical application, a wide range of chemical, physical and biological factors have to be taken into account. Silica-coated nanoparticles, (SiO2NP) exhibit substantial diagnostic activity owing to their large surface to volume ratios and crystallographic surface structure. This work aimed to evaluate the advantage of bioconjugation of SiO2NP with PAb against Toxoplasma lyzate antigen (TLA) as an innovative diagnostic method for human toxoplasmosis. This cross-sectional study included 120 individuals, divided into Group I: 70 patients suspected for Toxoplasma gondii based on the presence of clinical manifestation. Group II: 30 patients harboring other parasites than T. gondii Group III: 20 apparently healthy individuals free from toxoplasmosis and other parasitic infections served as negative control. Detection of circulating Toxoplasma antigen was performed by Sandwich ELISA and Nano-sandwich ELISA on sera and pooled urine of human samples. Using Sandwich ELISA, 10 out of 70 suspected Toxoplasma -infected human serum samples showed false negative and 8 out of 30 of other parasites groups were false positive giving 85.7% sensitivity and 84.0% specificity, while the sensitivity and specificity were 78.6% and 70% respectively in urine samples. Using Nano-Sandwich ELISA, 7 out of 70 suspected Toxoplasma -infected human samples showed false negative results and the sensitivity of the assay was 90.0%, while 4 out of 30 of other parasites groups were false positive giving 92.0% specificity, while the sensitivity and specificity were 82.6% and 80% respectively in urine samples. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that loading SiO2 nanoparticles with pAb increased the sensitivity and specificity of Nano-sandwich ELISA for detection of T.gondii antigens in serum and urine samples, thus active (early) and light infections could be easily detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 16-year-old male patient reported with swelling of the right submandibular region for 3 months. The patient was asymptomatic and gave a history of fever lasting for 2 days before observing the swelling. Fine-needle aspiration cytology revealed nonspecific lymphadenitis, and since there was no apparent cause detected in the oral cavity or any systemic condition noted, the enlarged lymph node was surgically excised and submitted for histopathologic examination. The inflammatory condition and large numbers of macrophages appeared nonspecific while granuloma formation was not seen. Specific antibody titer against Toxoplasma gondii was carried out and extremely high level of IgG for toxoplasma was detected confirming the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis leading to lymphadenitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The inefficiency of the current tachyzoite antigen-based serological assays for the serodiagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection mandates the need for acquirement of reliable and standard diagnostic reagents. Recently, epitope-based antigens have emerged as an alternative diagnostic marker for the achievement of highly sensitive and specific capture antigens. In this study, the diagnostic utility of a recombinant multiepitope antigen (USM.TOXO1) for the serodiagnosis of human toxoplasmosis was evaluated.Methods: An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to evaluate the usefulness of USM.TOXO1 antigen for the detection of IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in human sera. Whereas the reactivity of the developed antigen against IgM antibody was evaluated by western blot and Dot enzyme immunoassay (dot-EIA) analysis.Results: The diagnostic performance of the new antigens in IgG ELISA was achieved at the maximum values of 85.43% and 81.25% for diagnostic sensitivity and specificity respectively. The USM.TOXO1 was also proven to be reactive with anti- T. gondii IgM antibody.Conclusions: This finding makes the USM.TOXO1 antigen an attractive candidate for improving the toxoplasmosis serodiagnosis and demonstrates that multiepitope antigens could be a potential and promising diagnostic marker for the development of high sensitive and accurate assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of conventional serology (Q-Preven™ and ELFAVIDAS™) and flow cytometry-based serologic tools for early serologic diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis. The study groups included prospectively confirmed cases of congenital toxoplasmosis (TOXO = 88) and age-matching non-infected controls (NI = 15).The results demonstrated that all samples tested positive/indeterminate for anti- T. gondii IgM screening at birth using air-dried whole blood samples. Serum samples collected at 30–45 days after birth tested positive for ELFAVIDAS™ IgG in both groups. While all NI tested negative for ELFAVIDAS™ IgM and IgA, only 78% and 36% of TOXO tested positive for IgM and IgA, respectively. Flow cytometry-based anti- T. gondii IgM, IgA and IgG reactivity displayed moderate performance with low sensitivity (47.6%, 72.6% and 75.0%, respectively). Regardless the remarkable specificity of IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3 subclasses for early diagnosis, weak or moderate specificity was observed (Se = 73.9%, 60.2% and 83.0%, respectively). The analysis of IgG avidity indices (AI) demonstrated the highest performance among the flow cytometry-based methods (Se = 96.6%; Sp = 93.3%), underscoring the low avidity index (AI < 60%) within TOXO (97.0%) in contrast with the high avidity index (AI > 60%) in NI (93%). Analysis of anti- T. gondii IgG and IgG3 reactivity for mother:infant paired samples may represent a relevant complementary tests for early diagnosis. In conclusion, a feasible high-standard algorithm (Accuracy = 97.1%) was proposed consisting of Q-Preven™ IgM screening at birth, followed by ELFAVIDAS™ IgM and flow cytometric IgG avidity analysis at 30–45 days after birth as a high performance tool for early serological diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serological tests available for the diagnosis of acute Toxoplasma gondii infection have limitations in establishing the temporal diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis. The present analytical-descriptive investigation comprises of a prospective longitudinal cohort study to search for accurate biomarkers to distinguish acute, early and late convalescent T. gondii infection. Classic methods (immunofluorescence-IFA along with Enzyme-linked immunosorbent-ELISA and fluorescent-ELFA assays) for IgM, IgA, IgG and IgG avidity were employed in parallel with flow cytometry-based anti-fixed T. gondii tachyzoites serology (FC-AFTA-IgM, IgG, IgG avidity and IgG subclasses). The results reemphasized the limitations of IgM & IgG IFA, IgG ELFA, IgG & IgG subclasses FC as well as IgA ELISA biomarkers for the temporal diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis. Receiver Operating-characteristics features (ROC-curves) were employed to adjust conventional cut-offs aiming at establishing a novel protocol to discriminate more accurately the different phases of toxoplasmosis. Conversely, IgM presented high diagnostic co-positivity for acute toxoplasmosis (97% for ELISA, 96% for ELFA and 95% for FC-AFTA) along with moderate co-negativity for detection of late convalescent toxoplasmosis (82%, 76% and 79%, respectively). IgG avidity (ELFA and FC-AFTA) outstand with the highest performance indices with 91% and 96% co-negativity for assessing acute toxoplasmosis and 91% and 98% co-positivity for late convalescent toxoplasmosis, respectively. Multivariate analysis generated a three-step algorithm comprising IgM ELFA screening followed by ELFA and FC-AFTA IgG avidity with high accuracy in discriminating acute from late convalescent infection. Together, these findings demonstrate the applicability of the proposed panel of diagnostic tools for accurate temporal classification of T. gondii infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasmosis is caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii , which belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa. Since this parasite causes severe clinical symptoms in immunocompromised patients, early diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is essential. PCR is currently used for early diagnosis, but there is no consensus regarding the most effective method for amplifying Toxoplasma DNA. In this study, we considered the utility of the cytochrome c subunit I ( cox1 ) gene, which is encoded in the mitochondrial DNA of this parasite, as a novel target of PCR for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. To do this, we compared its copy number per haploid nuclear genome and the detection sensitivity of cox1 -PCR with the previously reported target genes B1 and 18S rRNA and the AF146527 repeat element. We found that the copy number of cox1 was high and that the PCR using cox1 primers was more efficient at amplifying Toxoplasma DNA than the other PCR targets examined. In addition, PCR using clinical samples indicated that the cox1 gene would be useful for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. These findings suggest that use of cox1 -PCR would facilitate the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in clinical laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous zoonotic pathogen belonging to apicomplexan parasites. Infection in humans and animals may cause abortion and other severe symptoms under certain circumstances, leading to great economical losses and public health problems. T. gondii was first discovered in China in 1955 and the corresponding work was published in 1957. Since then, a lot of work has been done on this parasite and the diseases it causes. This review summarizes the major progress made by Chinese scientists over the last 60 years, and gives our perspectives on what should be done in the near future. A wide variety of diagnostic approaches were designed, including the ones to detect T. gondii specific antibodies in host sera, and T. gondii specific antigens or DNA in tissue and environmental samples. Further work will be needed to translate some of the laboratory assays into reliable products for clinic uses. Epidemiological studies were extensively done in China and the sero-prevalence in humans increased over the years, but is still below the world average, likely due to the unique eating and cooking habits. Infection rates were shown to be fairly high in meat producing animals such as, pigs, sheep, and chickens, as well as in the definitive host cats. Numerous subunit vaccines in the form of recombinant proteins or DNA vaccines were developed, but none of them is satisfactory in the current form. Live attenuated parasites using geneticallymodified strainsmay be a better option for vaccine design. The strains isolated from China are dominated by the ToxoDB #9 genotype, but it likely contains multiple subtypes since different ToxoDB #9 strains exhibited phenotypic differences. Further studies are needed to understand the general biology, as well as the unique features of strains prevalent in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Toxoplasmosis involving all organs is a protozoal infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii. It is usually asymptomatic. Since T. gondii is very difficult to show directly or to produce on cultural media in diagnosis serological methods are preferred. But IgM antibodies which occur in the acute phase lasts very long in serum. So this leads to wrong acute infection diagnoses. Studies conducted show us that low avidity means the infection occurred in the last 3-4 months, high avidity means the infection occurred at least 6 months before. Due to this, avidity tests are used often in differentiation between acute and chronic disease. In our study we aimed to determine Toxoplasma seroprevalence and avidity values in pregnants. Material and Methods: 102 healthy pregnants with gestational ages between 5 and 30 weeks are examined. Anti toxoplasma IgM and IgG antibodies are searched with ELISA (Meddens Diagnostics). Toxoplasma IgG avidity tests were done with ELISA (Radim-WELL) which were IgG positive. Results: 50% of the pregnants were IgG positive, while none were IgM positive. Low avidity value was not found in 51 pregnants who were determined IgG positive. Intermediate avidity values were in 3.9%; high avidity values were in 96.1% of cases. Conclusion: As a result we found Toxoplasma seropositivity 50% in healthy pregnant. High IgG avidity was found conform with past infections. We observed that seropositivity increased with raw meat consumption, cat contact and low economic income but there was no statistical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Quantitative immunoassays to detect IgG antibodies are the most commonly used tests for diagnosing toxoplasmosis. We investigated the current state of standardization of quantitative immunoassays used to measure anti-Toxoplasma IgG levels. Methods Four fully automated immunoassays (Architect i4000ISR, Immulite 2000 Xpi, Siemens; Liaison, DiaSorin; Cobas e601, Roche) and one manual immunoassay (ELISA classic Toxo IgG, Virion Serion) were performed on the following: individual patient serum samples, the WHO international standards, control samples, and calibrators provided by 5 immunoassay manufacturers. Statistical analysis was used to illustrate the results. Results No perfect correlation (slope = 1.0) was found between any 2 assays. Large differences in anti-Toxoplasma IgG titers were observed among the 5 immunoassays using serum samples from individual patients. Using IS 01/600 as a calibrator minimized the inter-assay variability of anti-Toxoplasma IgG values Conclusions There is still significant effort needed towards standardization of anti-Toxoplasma IgG quantitative immunoassays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is very important for proper treatment in manifested cases and to prevent congenital toxoplasmosis in case of pregnancy. Screening of 180 pregnant females by automated immune assay for Toxoplasma IgG and IgM Abs was done first then positive cases and some of negative cases were evaluated for the Toxoplasma IgG avidity test versus Toxoplasma IgM and IgA Abs using ELISA technique for the detection of active toxoplasmosis during gestation using IHA rising titer as reference test. Assessment of Toxoplasma IgM by ELISA compared with rising titer of IHA as a reference test revealed that the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPP of IgM by ELISA were 66.67, 88.73, 42.86, and 95.45%, respectively. Assessment of Toxoplasma IgA Abs by ELISA compared with rising titer IHA as a reference test showed that the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPP of IgA Abs by ELISA were 44.4, 92.96, 44.4, and 92.96%, respectively. Additionally, by assessment of Toxoplasma IgG avidity compared with rising titer of IHA as a reference test, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPP of Toxoplasma IgG avidity were 100, 98.59, 90%, and 100%, respectively. Detection of specific Toxoplasma IgM by ELISA is not always sufficient in the diagnosis of early and late during pregnancy, because Toxoplasma-specific IgM antibodies may persist as long as 18 months after acute acquired infection. Thus, the specific IgG avidity test should be used as more or less low cost tool to detect acute . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of evidence suggests a correlation between schizophrenia and exposure to infectious agents. The majority of studied cases concerns the infection caused by T. gondii, an obligatory intracellular parasite that infects about 1/3 of the entire human population, according to the available data. The acute stage of the disease, predominantly short-lived and transient, transforms into the latent and chronic phase in which the parasite localizes within tissue cysts, mainly in the central nervous system. The chronic toxoplasmosis, primarily regarded as benign and asymptomatic, might be responsible, in light of current scientific evidence, for a vast array of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Numerous epidemiological case-control studies show a higher prevalence of T. gondii infestation in individuals with various psychiatric and behavior disorders, including schizophrenia. This paper tends to review the relevant studies that demonstrate links between schizophrenia and T. gondii infestation, of which the latter may be acquired in different developmental phases. Apart from epidemiological correlation studies, some papers on other associations were also presented, describing putative patophysiological mechanisms that might be at least partly responsible for chronic infection-induced neuromediator disturbances, together with morphological and functional alterations, e.g., low-grade neuroinflammation, which are likely to induce psychopathological symptoms. Toxoplasmosis is only one of the putative infectious agents that derange correct brain growth and differentiation, alongside genetic and environmental factors. All of them may lead eventually to schizophrenia. A better knowledge of infection mechanisms and its influence on neurobiochemical and neuropathological pathways may enable more efficient therapy and the prevention of this devastating disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This cross-sectional study was conducted from July to November 2015 to estimate the prevalence of anti-toxopalsma antibodies in sheep and goats in El-Gadarif state. Material and methods: A total of 400 serum samples comprising of 200 sheep and 200 goats were collected and tested by Toxo-latex agglutination test and indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). Results: The overall sero-prevalence was 52.0% (n=208/400) using Toxo-latex agglutination test and 45.7%(n=42/92) and 27.2%(n=25/92) using iELISA in sheep and goats, respectively. Furthermore, the sero-prevalences among the two investigated species and the two age groups were statistically similar but were different between localities, breeds and sexes. In the univariate analysis, species (P=0.028) and locality (P=0.001) were associated with Toxo-latex agglutination test positive status. Additionally, species (sheep) and locality (Al-Fao, Al-Hawatah, and West El-Gadarif) had increased odds of being Toxo-latex agglutination test positive in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the prevalence of anti-toxopalsma antibodies is relatively high and there was no between-species variation in seropositivity. These findings warrant further investigations to estimate the burden of the disease and the likelihood of zoonotic transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To correlate neonatal and infant clinical outcome with parasite load in amniotic fluid (AF).Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 122 children whose mothers had toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. The children were monitored from birth to 12 months old. Stored AF samples were obtained at maternal diagnosis and tested by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Gestational age at maternal infection, quantitative polymerase chain reaction results, neonatal anti-Toxoplasma gondii immunoglobulin (Ig) M, and clinical outcome at 12 months were correlated.Results: Maternal infection occurred in 18 of 122 (14.7%) and 104 of 122 (85.2%) women in the first and second trimesters, respectively. At birth, IgM was present in 107 of 122 (87.7%) neonates and 36 (29.5%) were symptomatic. Of these, half occurred in the first and the other half in the second trimester and 6 of 36 had severe infections (16.7% of symptomatic, 4.9% of total), all infected in the first trimester. Parasite load levels were highly variable (median 35 parasites/mL, range 2-30,473). Logistic regression correlated symptomatic infection with gestational age (odds ratio [OR] 0.47, CI 0.31-0.73) and parasite load (OR 2.04, CI 1.23-3.37), but not with positive IgM (OR 6.81, CI 0.86-53.9). Negative correlations were found between gestational age and parasite load (rs -0.780, CI -0.843 to -0.696), gestational age and symptoms (rs -0.664, CI -0.755 to -0.547), but not gestational age and IgM (rs -0.136, CI -0.311 to 0.048). Parasite load levels distributed by percentile showed that all symptomatic patients appeared from the 75th percentile and all severe infections from the 95th percentile. Load rankings showed doubled the OR for each 20 parasite/mL increment. Parasite load was associated with symptomatic infections (area under the curve 0.959, CI 0.908-0.987) as well as gestational age (area under the curve 0.918, CI 0.855-0.960) and both parameters combined (area under the curve 0.969, CI 0.920-0.992).Conclusion: Parasite load in AF is associated with the clinical outcome in congenital toxoplasmosis, irrespective of gestational age at maternal infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis in pregnant women during the early first trimester of pregnancy is very important for preventing congenital infection of the fetus; it will not only prevent the risk of transmitting the infection to the fetus but it will also enable to give these women a preventive treatment. In this study, the avidity test was performed on pregnant women during their first prenatal visit at the National Institute of Hygiene in Rabat, Morocco. Findings One hundred and twenty-eight sera samples were collected from 128 pregnant women between August 2015 and June 2016; these women were chosen retrospectively and were in their first four months of pregnancy. The samples were screened using the specific anti- Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies and were subjected to an IgG avidity test. After the serological screening, only 54 women (42.4%) were tested positive for IgG antibodies and five women (3.9%) were tested positive for both anti- Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies. Four IgM-negative women had low-avidity antibodies. However, none of the IgG-avidity test had detected low-avidity antibodies in the five IgM-positive women; three women (60%) had high-avidity antibodies, indicating that the infection was acquired in the distant past. Conclusion The avidity test is a helpful tool to exclude a recently acquired toxoplasmosis infection within IgM-positive serum samples in pregnant women during their first trimester of pregnancy. Thus, allowing to perform an appropriate therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastrointestinal (GIT) parasites of domestic cats (Felis catus) not only cause morbidity but are also potential zoonotic agents. The current study aimed at establishing the prevalence of GIT parasites in cats kept by households in Thika region, Kenya. Fecal samples were collected randomly from 103 cats and analyzed for presence of parasites using standard parasitological methods. In descending order, the prevalence of the detected protozoa parasites was Isospora spp. 43.7% (95% CI: 40.4–47%), Cryptosporidium spp. 40.8% (95% CI: 37.5–44.1%), Toxoplasma gondii 7.8% (95% CI: 4.5–11.1%), and Entamoeba spp. 2.9% (95% CI: 1.6–6.2%). The prevalence of the observed helminths was Strongyloides stercoralis 43.7% (95% CI: 40.4–47%), Toxocara cati 23.3% (95% CI: 20–26.6%), Ancylostoma spp. 9.7% (95% CI: 6.4–13%), Dipylidium caninum 8.7% (95% CI: 5.4–12.0%), and Acanthocephala spp. 1.9% (95% CI: 1–4.2%). The percentage of cats excreting at least one species of parasite was 73.2% (95% CI = 69.9–76.5%). The study shows that the cats have high spectrum (9) of parasites which are known to affect the cat’s health and some are of zoonotic significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii that affects about one third of the world's population. The diagnosis of this disease is carried out by parasite isolation and host antibodies detection. However, the diagnosis presents problems in regard to test sensitivity and specificity. Currently, the most effective T. gondii treatment is a combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine, although both drugs are toxic to the host. In addition to the problems that compromise the effective diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis, there are no reports or indications of any vaccine capable of fully protecting against this infection. Nanomaterials, smaller than 1000 nm, are currently being investigated as an alternative tool in the management of T. gondii infection. This article reviews how recent nanotechnology advances indicate the utility of nanomaterials in toxoplasmosis diagnosis, treatment, and vaccine development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ELISA has been used for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, but it is being gradually replaced by a rapid diagnostic test (RDT). We compared and analyzed ELISA and RDT results using the sera collected during 4 consecutive years from residents of Gyodong-do (Island), Incheon-city, Korea. Sera from 921, 993, 940, and 838 adult residents were collected on a yearly basis (2010-2013). ELISA was performed by using a crude extract of T. gondii RH strain antigen and IgG/IgM RDT mounted with recombinant fragment of major surface antigen (SAG1), GST-linker-SAG1A, were applied to the sera. Comparison between groups was analyzed by the Student's t-test. The positive seroprevalence surged from 14.7% (135/921, 2010), 23.1% (231/993, 2011), 23.6% (222/940, 2012), and 32.1% (269/838, 2013) by ELISA. In contrast, RDT showed a more moderate increasing trend from 21.7% (200/921, 2010), 25.5% (253/993, 2011), 28.9% (272/940, 2012) and 33.1% (277/838, 2013). Discrepancies between ELISA and RDT were noted near the cut-off value. At the OD 0.15-0.24 range, RDT could detect 16.1% (169/1051) more positives, which suggests an early or acute toxoplasmosis, but at the OD 0.25-0.34 range, ELISA could detect 35.9% (92/256) more positives of possible chronic infections. Over the OD > 0.35 ELISA and RDT agreed in the majority of the cases. This surge in seroprevalence may be caused by the organic agriculture in addition to eating behavior or increase in pets among Koreans. These facts may be applied on a full-scale national survey using RDT to supplement ELISA to define the characteristics of the infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Autoantibodies are useful biomarkers for diagnosing and monitoring treatment in some autoimmune diseases. Antibodies against isoforms of 14-3-3 protein have been proposed as biomarkers for the presence of aortic aneurysm in large-vessel vasculitis (LVV). Here, we aimed to evaluate the diagnostic role and potential immunopathological involvement of anti-14-3-3 antibodies in newly diagnosed LVV patients. Methods. Antibodies against three isoforms of 14-3-3 (g, e and Z) were measured in 90 subjects: 48 GCA and 3 Takayasu's arteritis (TA) patients, and 39 controls (non-inflammatory and inflammatory diseases), using a multiplexed bead-based immunoassay and immunoprecipitation studies. The positive cut-off value was defined based on young healthy controls. Anti-14-3-3 IgG antibodies in LVV patients were compared with those in controls in order to assess their diagnostic performance, and the relationship of anti-14-3-3 IgG antibodies to the immunohistopathology of artery explants was assessed. Results. Antibodies against all three 14-3-3 isoforms were detected in LVV patients as well as in age-matched inflammatory and non-inflammatory controls. Among LVV patients, detection of antibodies targeting 14-3-3 e and Z was associated with more severe disease. Detection of antibodies against 14-3-3 g was linked to latent Toxoplasma gondii infection, a parasite that secrets a 14-3-3 homologue, suggesting potential cross-reactivity. Conclusion. Detection of antibodies against 14-3-3 proteins at the time of LVV diagnosis is not disease-specific. Their presence at high levels in LVV patients with stroke, aortitis and--in a previous study-aneurysm formation may indicate an association with extensive tissue destruction. The relevance of 14-3-3 antibodies in non-LVV patients needs to be investigated in larger cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Since pre-transfusion screening for Toxoplasma gondii is not performed on blood packs, thalassemia patients are susceptible to acquiring toxoplasmosis; thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the seroprevalence status of T. gondii in individuals who suffer from thalassemia in comparison to healthy persons in the southwest of Iran. Methods: In this case-control study, 117 thalassemia patients and 205 healthy persons participated. All samples were tested for the presence of specific IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii using ELISA technique. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test. Results: Seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG was detected in 30.76% (36/117) of patients and 20% (41/205) of healthy individuals (P=0.04), also anti-T. gondii IgM in these groups was detected 1.70% (2/117) and 0.48% (1/205), respectively (P=0.3). In present study, nine related risk factors with toxoplasmosis were evaluated and data analysis showed that only contact with cat was significantly correlated with IgG seroprevalence (P=0.02). Conclusions: Current research suggests thalassemia patients are more prone than normal persons to acquiring T. gondii infection (P=0.04, OR:1.77). Due to limited studies in this high risk group, further studies are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Our study investigates whether the histopathological features of toxoplasmic lymphadenitis (TL), specifically noncaseating microgranuloma and follicular hyperplasia, can be obtained by sonographic-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) of cervical lymph nodes.Methods: Thirty-two patients seen from June 2014 to March 2015 were positive for toxoplasma immunoglobulin M antibody. Among those patients, 21 underwent CNB of a cervical lymph node and were enrolled in this study. The pathologic findings were reviewed.Results: Twenty-nine lymph nodes in 21 patients were sampled. Eighteen of the 21 (86%) patients had a microgranuloma without caseating necrosis or giant cells, and all 21 (100%) patients had follicular hyperplasia.Conclusions: The histologic findings of TL were detected by sonographic-guided CNB, which can be used as part of the first line of investigation in patients with unexplained cervical adenopathy. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45:192-196, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary infection with Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy may pose a threat to the fetus. Women infected prior to conception are unlikely to transmit the parasite to the fetus. If maternal serology indicates a possible primary infection, amniocentesis for toxoplasma PCR analysis is performed and antiparasitic treatment given. However, discriminating between primary and latent infection is challenging and unnecessary amniocenteses may occur. Procedure-related fetal loss after amniocentesis is of concern. The aim of the present study was to determine whether amniocentesis is performed on the correct patients and whether the procedure is safe for this indication.Methods: Retrospective study analysing data from all singleton pregnancies (n = 346) at Oslo University Hospital undergoing amniocentesis due to suspected maternal primary toxoplasma infection during 1993-2013. Maternal, neonatal and infant data were obtained from clinical hospital records, laboratory records and pregnancy charts. All serum samples were analysed at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health or at the Toxoplasma Reference Laboratory at Oslo University Hospital. The amniocenteses were performed at Oslo University Hospital by experienced personnel. Time of maternal infection was evaluated retrospectively based on serology results.Results: 50% (173) of the women were infected before pregnancy, 23% (80) possibly in pregnancy and 27% (93) were certainly infected during pregnancy. Forty-nine (14%) women seroconverted, 42 (12%) had IgG antibody increase and 255 (74%) women had IgM positivity and low IgG avidity/high dye test titre. Fifteen offspring were infected with toxoplasma, one of them with negative PCR in the amniotic fluid. Median gestational age at amniocentesis was 16.7 gestational weeks (GWs) (Q1 = 15, Q3 = 22), with median sample volume 4 ml (Q1 = 3, Q3 = 7). Two miscarriages occurred 4 weeks after the procedure, both performed in GW 13. One of these had severe fetal toxoplasma infection.Conclusions: Half of our study population were infected before pregnancy. In order to reduce the unnecessary amniocenteses we advise confirmatory serology 3 weeks after a suspect result and suggest that the serology is interpreted by dedicated multidisciplinary staff. Amniocentesis is safe and useful as a diagnostic procedure in diagnosing congenital toxoplasma infection when performed after 15 GW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about toxoplasmosis in animals of the Fernando de Noronha Island, Brazil. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the total population of pet cats ( n = 348), dogs ( n = 320), pigs ( n = 27), equines ( n = 101), as well as a significant portion of the population of feral cats ( n = 247) of the Island by Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test. Anti - T. gondii IgG antibodies were found in 71.26%, 54.74%, 48.75%, 51.85% and 22.7%, of the pet and feral cats, dogs, pigs and equines, respectively, demonstrating a high prevalence of T. gondii infection in the wild and domestic animals of the Island. The Kernel intensity estimator showed a correlation between areas with high prevalence of infection in cats and occurrence of infection in the other studied species. We suggest that the island's health authorities should develop initiatives to reduce the population of cats and alert the island's population about the risk of T. gondii infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite infecting up to one third of the world's population. T . gondii infection is usually benign in immunocompetent patients but can be life-threatening when congenitally transmitted. Congenital toxoplasmosis presentation ranges from severe central nervous system and ocular features, to a well appearing newborn with onset of complications late in childhood. The diagnosis of subclinical form remains important since early treatment reduces later complications such as chorioretinitis. We report an atypical case of congenital toxoplasmosis with a delayed diagnosis, based on Toxoplasma -specific serological follow-up. The infant was born to a mother who became infected during pregnancy, thus inducing infant biological and clinical follow-up. Neither biological nor clinical arguments favored a diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis until ten months of life. Congenital toxoplasmosis was then suspected because of an unusual increase of specific IgG levels. Diagnosis was confirmed by detection of newly synthesized newborn Ig isotypes using complementary comparative mother-to-child immunological profile techniques and specific treatment therefore administered. This report highlights the importance to follow up newborns at risk of congenital toxoplasmosis with specific and newborn-appropriate techniques until Toxoplasma -IgG titers are completely negative. This allows not only the exclusion of congenital toxoplasmosis when serology becomes negative, but also the diagnosis and treatment of congenital toxoplasmosis when infection is detected later in development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]