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Maqsood T, Shahzad K, Naz S, Simsek S, Afzal MS, Ali S, Ahmed H, Cao J. A Cross-Sectional Study on the Association Between Risk Factors of Toxoplasmosis and One Health Knowledge in Pakistan. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:751130. [PMID: 34869724 PMCID: PMC8637412 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.751130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan that infects warm-blooded animals and humans. Approximately one third of the global population is infected by T. gondii. We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the risk factors and One Health knowledge of toxoplasmosis in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. From July through December 2020, we collected data using questionnaires. The results showed that 60% of participants had heard or read about the disease, 23.3% of participants had no knowledge about the disease, and 16.8% participants were not sure about the disease. More than half of the participants (53.3%) reported that toxoplasmosis was caused by toxins, 5.3% reported that toxoplasmosis was an animal disease, 13.8% reported that toxoplasmosis was a human disease, 65.8% reported that it was both an animal and human disease, and 15.3% reported that it was neither an animal nor a human disease. Approximately 80.5% of participants reported that individuals acquired toxoplasmosis by changing cat litter. Our study findings revealed a low level of knowledge and awareness about toxoplasmosis among males. Therefore, there should be awareness programs to educate individuals about the risks of this deadly disease and to provide information on the major routes of transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tooba Maqsood
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Khuram Shahzad
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Shumaila Naz
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Sami Simsek
- Department of Parasitology, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Muhammad Sohail Afzal
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Shahzad Ali
- Department of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Haroon Ahmed
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Jianping Cao
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health Commission of People's Republic of China, Shanghai, China.,World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China.,The School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Ismael S. Diagnostic methods and protocols used in investigating Toxoplasma gondii in humans: A review. BAGHDAD JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND APPLIED BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.47419/bjbabs.v2i04.72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease, is a parasitic infection caused by a coccidian protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. In immunocompetent people, the infection is asymptomatic, while it can produce serious signs in immunocompromised people and in developing fetuses. Accurate diagnosis is dependent, mainly, on the clinical features. However, in immunocompromised patients, the diagnosis is very difficult and may lead to misdiagnosis and improper treatment. Today, molecular diagnosis and serotyping are widely used for the diagnosis of T. gondii in many countries. The aim of the present short review is to highlight the current diagnostic methods and protocols that are used for the diagnosis of T. gondii in humans.
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Deniz M, Tapısız A, Tezer H, Demirdag TB. Bilateral ocular involvement in congenital toxoplasmosis: A case report and literature review. Trop Doct 2021; 51:652-654. [PMID: 33476225 DOI: 10.1177/0049475520986387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
We report a case of neuro-ophthalmological complications of congenital toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection caused by Toxoplasma gondi. Its congenital form occurs either as a primary infection or as reactivation of the same due to immunosuppression during pregnancy. With an incidence rate of 1.5/1000 live births, this disease is an important cause of visual loss from chorio-retinal lesions in >82%. Recent studies have shown that treatment given in utero and in the first year of life can reduce ophthalmological complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melis Deniz
- MD, Research Fellow, Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Anıl Tapısız
- Professor, Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Hasan Tezer
- Professor, Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Tugba Bedir Demirdag
- Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
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Role of Toxoplasma gondii IgG Avidity Testing in Discriminating between Acute and Chronic Toxoplasmosis in Pregnancy. J Clin Microbiol 2020; 58:JCM.00505-20. [PMID: 32321784 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00505-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Risk of mother-to-child transmission of Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy is much greater in women who are exposed to primary T. gondii infection (toxoplasmosis) after conception compared to those who were exposed to the infection before conception. Therefore, laboratory tests that help classify recent primary toxoplasmosis are important tools for the management of pregnant women suspected to have T. gondii exposure. Detection of Toxoplasma IgM (Toxo IgM) is a sensitive indicator of primary toxoplasmosis, but the indicator specificity is low because sometimes natural IgM antibodies react with Toxoplasma antigens in the absence of the infection. Furthermore, Toxo IgM sometimes persists in blood serum for several months or years following the primary infection. In recent decades, Toxo IgG avidity assay has been used as a standard diagnostic technique for a better estimation of the infection acquisition time and identification of the primary T. gondii infection during pregnancy. Avidity is described as the aggregate strength; by which, a mixture of polyclonal IgG molecules reacts with multiple epitopes of the proteins. This parameter matures gradually within 6 months of the primary infection. A high Toxo IgG avidity index allows a recent infection (less than 4 months) to be excluded, whereas a low Toxo IgG avidity index indicates a probable recent infection with no exclusions of the older infections. This minireview is based on various aspects of T. gondii IgG avidity testing, including (i) description of avidity and basic methods used in primary studies on T. gondii IgG avidity and primary infections; (ii) importance of IgG avidity testing in pregnancy; (iii) result summary of the major studies on the use of T. gondii IgG avidity assay in pregnancy; (iv) brief explanation of the T. gondii IgG avidity values in newborns; (v) result summary of the major studies on T. gondii IgG avidity and PCR; (vi) discussion of commercially available T. gondii IgG avidity assays, including newer automated assays; and (vii) current issues and controversies in diagnosis of primary T. gondii infections in pregnancy.
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Sağlam Metiner P, Can H, Ayyıldız Tamiş D, Karakavuk M, Kımız Geboloğlu I, Gülçe İz S, Atalay Şahar E, Değirmenci Döşkaya A, Gürüz Y, Deliloğlu Gürhan Sİ, Döşkaya M. The use of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites produced in HeLa cells adhered to Cytodex 1 microcarriers as antigen in serological assays: an application of microcarrier technology. Cytotechnology 2019; 71:91-105. [PMID: 30607647 DOI: 10.1007/s10616-018-0269-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii can infect nearly all warm-blooded animals, including humans. In the laboratory diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, serological tests have importance in detecting antibody response. Traditionally T. gondii tachyzoites grown in vivo are being used as an antigen source in serological assays. Currently, tachyzoites produced in vitro are being tested as an antigen source in order to decrease animal use. Microcarrier technology allowed us to grow anchorage-dependent host cells on microcarrier suspension in short time and approximately 10 times more than traditional flask technique. The ability of T. gondii tachyzoites to grow in host cells adhered to microcarriers has not been analyzed yet. In this study, we aimed to develop a novel in vitro culture method to produce T. gondii tachyzoites abundantly using HeLa cells adhered to Cytodex 1 microcarriers. Initially, the growth of HeLa cells adhered to Cytodex 1 was analyzed using RPMI 1640, DMEM, and EMEM. Next, HeLa cells with a concentration of 1 × 105 cells/ml and 2 × 105 cells/ml were adhered to Cytodex 1 and grown in spinner flasks. Then, T. gondii tachyzoites were inoculated with 1:1 and 2:1 cell:tachyzoite ratios to HeLa cells adhered to microcarriers in spinner flaks. During continuous production in spinner flasks, tachyzoites were harvested at the 2nd, 4th, and 7th day of culture and the quality of antigens produced from these tachyzoites were tested in ELISA and Western Blotting using sera of patients with toxoplasmosis. The optimization studies showed that finest HeLa inoculation value was 2 × 105 cells/ml using RPMI 1640, and the cell:tachyzoite ratio to obtain the highest tachyzoite yield (17.1 × 107) was 1:1 at the 4th day of inoculation. According to the results of ELISA comparing HeLa cell and mouse derived antigens, the highest correlation with mouse antigen was achieved at the 4th day of HeLa cell culture with 1:1 HeLa:tachyzoite ratio (P < 0.0001). The sensitivity and specificity ratios of ELISA were 100%. In addition, Western blotting banding patterns of the antigen derived at the 4th day of HeLa cell culture with 1:1 HeLa:tachyzoite ratio was comparable with mouse derived antigen. Overall, this novel methodology can be an alternative source of antigen in diagnostic assays, decrease animal use for antigen production, and contribute to the solution of ethical and economic problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pelin Sağlam Metiner
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Hüseyin Can
- Department of Biology, Molecular Biology Section, Faculty of Science, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey.
| | - Duygu Ayyıldız Tamiş
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Muhammet Karakavuk
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Ilgın Kımız Geboloğlu
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Sultan Gülçe İz
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Esra Atalay Şahar
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
| | | | - Yüksel Gürüz
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
| | | | - Mert Döşkaya
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
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Villard O, Cimon B, L'Ollivier C, Fricker-Hidalgo H, Godineau N, Houze S, Paris L, Pelloux H, Villena I, Candolfi E. Serological diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection: Recommendations from the French National Reference Center for Toxoplasmosis. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2015; 84:22-33. [PMID: 26458281 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2015.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Revised: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis manifests no clinical signs in 80% of cases in immunocompetent patient, causing immunization characterized by the persistence of cysts, particularly in brain, muscles, and retina. Assessing the serological status, based on testing for serum toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies, is essential in cases that are increasingly at risk for the more severe disease forms, such as congenital or ocular toxoplasmosis. This disease also exposes immunosuppressed patients to reactivation, which can lead to more widespread forms and increased mortality. By interpreting the serological results, we can estimate the risk of contamination or reactivation and define appropriate prophylactic and preventive measures, such as hygienic and dietetic, therapeutic, biological, and clinical follow-up, according to the clinical context. We hereby propose practical approaches based on serological data, resulting from a consensus of a group of experts from the French National Reference Center Network for Toxoplasmosis, according to both routine and specific clinical situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Villard
- Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, 1-3 rue Koeberlé, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - B Cimon
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 4 rue Larrey, F-49933 Angers Cedex 9, France
| | - C L'Ollivier
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de la Timone, 264 rue Saint Pierre, F-13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France
| | - H Fricker-Hidalgo
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire A. Michallon et Université de Grenoble BP 217, 38043 Grenoble Cedex, France
| | - N Godineau
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier de Saint-Denis, 2 rue du Docteur Pierre Delafontaine, BP 279, F-93205 Saint-Denis Cedex, France
| | - S Houze
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie Mycologie, AP-HP Hôpital BICHAT-Claude Bernard, 46 rue Henri Huchard, F-75877 Paris Cedex 18, France
| | - L Paris
- AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, 47-83 Boulevard de l'Hôpital, F-75651 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - H Pelloux
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire A. Michallon et Université de Grenoble BP 217, 38043 Grenoble Cedex, France
| | - I Villena
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Maison Blanche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire et Université de Reims Champagne Ardennes, 45 rue Cognacq-Jay, F-51092 Reims Cedex, France
| | - E Candolfi
- Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, 1-3 rue Koeberlé, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
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Liu Q, Wang ZD, Huang SY, Zhu XQ. Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis and typing of Toxoplasma gondii. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:292. [PMID: 26017718 PMCID: PMC4451882 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0902-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 239] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis, caused by the obligate intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, is an important zoonosis with medical and veterinary importance worldwide. The disease is mainly contracted by ingesting undercooked or raw meat containing viable tissue cysts, or by ingesting food or water contaminated with oocysts. The diagnosis and genetic characterization of T. gondii infection is crucial for the surveillance, prevention and control of toxoplasmosis. Traditional approaches for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis include etiological, immunological and imaging techniques. Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis has been improved by the emergence of molecular technologies to amplify parasite nucleic acids. Among these, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based molecular techniques have been useful for the genetic characterization of T. gondii. Serotyping methods based on polymorphic polypeptides have the potential to become the choice for typing T. gondii in humans and animals. In this review, we summarize conventional non-DNA-based diagnostic methods, and the DNA-based molecular techniques for the diagnosis and genetic characterization of T. gondii. These techniques have provided foundations for further development of more effective and accurate detection of T. gondii infection. These advances will contribute to an improved understanding of the epidemiology, prevention and control of toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China. .,Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Military Veterinary Institute, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130122, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ze-Dong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Military Veterinary Institute, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130122, People's Republic of China.
| | - Si-Yang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China. .,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China. .,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, 225009, People's Republic of China.
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Khammari I, Saghrouni F, Yaacoub A, Gaied Meksi S, Ach H, Garma L, Fathallah A, Ben Saïd M. IgG western blot for confirmatory diagnosis of equivocal cases of toxoplasmosis by EIA-IgG and fluorescent antibody test. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2013; 51:485-8. [PMID: 24039295 PMCID: PMC3770883 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2013.51.4.485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2013] [Revised: 06/19/2013] [Accepted: 07/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The performance values of available techniques used in serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis are satisfactory but they raise problems of equivocal and discordant results for very low IgG titers. Recently marketed, LDBio-Toxo II IgG Western blot (IB) showed an excellent correlation with the dye test. We estimated the proportion of equivocal and discordant results between the enzyme immunoassay Platelia Toxo IgG (EIA-IgG) and fluorescent antibody test (FAT) and assessed the usefulness of the IB as a confirmatory test. Out of 2,136 sera collected from pregnant women, 1,644 (77.0%) tested unequivocally positive and 407 (19.0%) were negative in both EIA-IgG and FAT. The remaining 85 (4%) sera showed equivocal or discordant results. Among them, 73 (85.9%) were positive and 12 (14.1%) were negative in IB. Forty-one (89.1%) equivocal sera in EIA-IgG and 46 (86.8%) equivocal sera in FAT were positive in IB. Reducing the cut-off values of both screening techniques improved significantly their sensitivity in detecting very low IgG titers at the expense of their specificity. In conclusion, equivocal results in routine-used techniques and their discordance in determination of the immune status in pregnancy women were not uncommon. IB test appeard to be highly useful in these situations as a confirmatory technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imen Khammari
- UR 12 SP 34 Research Unit, Ministry of Public Health, Tunis, Tunisia
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Değirmenci A, Döşkaya M, Caner A, Çiçek C, Korkmaz M, Gürüz Y, Üner A. Toxoplasma gondii RH Ankara: Production of evolving tachyzoites using a novel cell culture method. Exp Parasitol 2011; 128:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2011.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2010] [Revised: 01/26/2011] [Accepted: 01/27/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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LDBio-Toxo II immunoglobulin G Western blot confirmatory test for anti-toxoplasma antibody detection. J Clin Microbiol 2008; 46:2334-8. [PMID: 18480220 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00182-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Tests commonly used for routine determination of anti-Toxoplasma gondii immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies show a high level of consistency. However, considerable variations between commercial screening tests are still observed in detecting antibodies present at low concentrations, leading to a number of discrepant and/or equivocal results. It is therefore important to use a reference test to confirm borderline results. In this study, we evaluated the use of a new qualitative test based on Western blot analysis--the LDBio-Toxo II IgG test--as a confirmatory test for at-risk patients. The study was performed retrospectively, using 569 serum samples with "low-positive" (2 to 32 international units) anti-Toxoplasma IgG levels from 375 patients. These samples were either sera collected during the routine screening of pregnant women, from patients with unrelated infections, or from immunocompromised patients or sequential sera taken from pregnant women with acquired Toxoplasma infection or from their newborns during follow-up. The LDBio-Toxo II IgG test was compared to several commercial tests commonly used for anti-Toxoplasma IgG screening. The Sabin-Feldman dye test was used as a reference test. In this study, the results of the LDBio-Toxo II IgG test appeared to be consistent with those of the dye test; the LDBio-Toxo II IgG test had a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 99.2%. Our findings suggest that the LDBio-Toxo II IgG test is a useful serological tool in cases in which the presence or absence of Toxoplasma antibodies needs to be reliably determined, for example, for the follow-up of pregnant women and their newborns or for subjects with immune deficiencies following human immunodeficiency virus infection, hematological malignancies, or transplantation.
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Chatterton JMW, Evans R, Ashburn D, Joss AWL, Ho-Yen DO. Toxoplasma gondii in vitro culture for experimentation. J Microbiol Methods 2002; 51:331-5. [PMID: 12223293 DOI: 10.1016/s0167-7012(02)00101-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to develop a culture method for Toxoplasma gondii that could provide fresh viable tachyzoites as and when required. When T. gondii was continuously maintained in HeLa cell cultures at 37 degrees C, the time to harvest varied from 48 to 144 h. Tachyzoite yields of > or = 1 x 10(6)/ml and > or = 90% viable were obtained from 519/882 (58.8%) cultures and 120/155 (77.4%) harvests were successfully used in the dye test. When cultures were transferred from 37 to 25 degrees C when maximally infected (48-54-h post-infection), they could be stabilised and tachyzoites could be harvested as required, up to 168 h later. When harvested from 25 degrees C, significantly more cultures 783/811 (96.5%) produced tachyzoite yields > or = 1 x 10(6)/ml > or = 90% viable (p < 0.001). Tachyzoite quality also significantly improved and 206/224 harvests (91.9%) (p < 0.001) were successfully used in the dye test. We have demonstrated that tachyzoites can be maintained at dye test quality for at least 7 days in HeLa cultures at 25 degrees C. The system is flexible and robust and provides a means whereby tachyzoites of standard quality can be stored for use in experimental models as and when required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean M W Chatterton
- Scottish Toxoplasma Reference Laboratory, Microbiology Department, Raigmore Hospital, Highland Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Old Perth Road, Iverness IV2 3UJ, Scotland, UK.
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