Toxoplasma Gondii Antibodies Research Articles

Toxoplasma gondii antibody profile in HIV-1-infected and uninfected pregnant women and the impact on congenital toxoplasmosis diagnosis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Toxoplasma gondii antibody profile in HIV-1-infected and uninfected pregnant women and the impact on congenital toxoplasmosis diagnosis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum antibodies in goats in the Czech Republic

Toxoplasma gondii is zoonotic protozoan parasite that causes infections in many vertebrate species. The present study determined the seroprevalence of T. gondii and N. caninum in goats from the Czech Republic. Serum samples were collected from 251 healthy adult goats in the Czech Republic during the years 2006 to 2009. Sera samples were tested for serum antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with cut off equal to or higher than 50% S/P. The same samples were tested for serum antibodies to Neospora caninum by a competitive-inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with cut off equal to or higher than 30% inhibition; positive sera were confirmed by an indirect fluorescent antibody test with cut-off titre equal to or higher than 40. Sera positive in both tests were marked as positive. In total, 166 (66%) and 15 (6%) goat sera reacted positively for T. gondii and N. caninum antibodies, respectively. All sera positive for N. caninum antibodies were simultaneously positive for T. gondii antibodies. This is the first detection of N. caninum antibodies in goats in the Czech Republic. Our findings indicate that goats in the Czech Republic are frequently exposed to T. gondii, but less frequently to N. caninum.  

Investigation of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies with ELISA among women of childbearing age in Şanlıurfa province: A three years evaluation

Amac: Toxoplasma gondii\'nin sebep oldugu Toksoplazmozis prevalansi cografik konuma, yasa, beslenme ve hijyen aliskanliklarina bagli olarak prevalansi farkliliklar gosteren parazitik bir hastaliktir. Bu calismada, 01.01.2007-31.12.2009 tarihleri arasindaki uc yillik donemde Sanliurfa Kadin Hastaliklari ve Dogum Hastanesi\'ne basvuran risk grubunu olusturan dogurganlik cagindaki kadinlarda konjenital enfeksiyonlara neden olabilen Toxoplasma gondii parazitine karsi olusan antikorlarin seroprevalansinin arastirilmasi ve daha once yapilmis olan calismalarla karsilastirilmasi amaclanmistir. Gerec ve yontem: Yaslari 15-49 yil arasinda, yas ortalamasi 28.35±7.48 yil olan dogurganlik cagindaki kadinlardan alinan serum orneklerinden kemiluminesans immuno assay ve ElectroChemiLuminescence yontemi ile calisilan toksoplazma antikor sonuclari retrospektif olarak degerlendirildi. Bulgular: Calisilan serum orneklerinde gebe ve gebe olmayanlarda anti-Toksoplazma Ig G antikorlarinin seropozitiflik yuzdesi sirasiyla %68.9 ve %63.0 olarak saptandi. Yine gebe ve gebe olmayan kadinlarda anti-Toksoplazma IgM seropozitiflik yuzdesi ise sirasiyla %2.8 ve %3.0 olarak bulundu. Anti-Toksoplazma IgG pozitifligi hem gebe hem gebe olmayan kadinlarda en cok 35-44 yas grubunda gorulmus olup, bu durum istatistiksel olarak anlamli bulundu (p

Toxoplasma gondii antibody profile in HIV-1-infected and uninfected pregnant women and the impact on congenital toxoplasmosis diagnosis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

ObjectiveCompare the anti-T. gondii IgG titer between HIV-1 infected and non HIV-1 infected pregnant women and report three cases of congenital toxoplasmosis resulting from reactivation of infection during pregnancy of HIV-1 infected women. MethodsThis study was conducted among 2,270 pregnant women with chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection (absence of IgM and presence of IgG), including 82 HIV-1 infected and 2,188 non-infected women. ResultsThe average anti-T. gondii IgG titer was 127 for the 2,188 non-HIV-1 infected women, and 227 for the 82 HIV-1-infected women (p=0,007). These results suggested that higher anti-T. gondii IgG titers in HIV-1-infected pregnant women may not be indicative of an elevated risk for fetal infection. In this study three cases of congenital toxoplasmosis that resulted from infection reactivation during pregnancy of HIV-1-infected women were manifested by fetal death, symptomatic infection, and infant without symptoms, respectively. In two of these women, a ten-fold increase in IgG levels above used cutoff was observed (2,320UI/mL and 3,613UI/mL, respectively). In the third pregnant women anti-T. gondii IgG titers during pregnancy did not rise despite the occurrence of congenital toxoplasmosis (204; 198; 172UI/mL). ConclusionsCongenital toxoplasmosis resulting reactivation of infection during pregnancy in the studied group leads us to believe that it is a public health problem, especially in our population, in which seroprevalence of T. gondii infections is high. These findings also suggest that special attention is necessary during pregnancy, because the serologic diagnosis may not be indicative of toxoplasmosis reactivation.

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Slaughtered Pigs in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil

The object of this study was to investigate Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and parasite DNA in pigs in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 305 slaughtered pigs in 11 municipalities, and their sera were tested for T. gondii antibodies using the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT, cutoff 1:64); 38 (12.5%) samples were positive. Attempts were made to detect T. gondii DNA in the heart tissue of seropositive pigs using the B 1 gene and PCR; 21 (55.2%) of the 38 hearts were positive. This is the first detection of T. gondii DNA in tissues of serologically positive swine in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil.

Molecular detection and prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pregnant women in Sudan

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondiiantibodies in serum samples from two groups of women in Sudan and to use molecular techniques for detection of the organism’s DNA using B1 gene. The first group (study group) composed of 94 individuals and they aborted during the study, while the second group (control group) also composed of 94 individuals who gave birth to healthy children without complications. Serological screening using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits resulted in 39.4% and 35.1% of the women in the control and study group showed positive IgG antibodies to T. gondii respectively. PCR amplification of B1 gene resulted in detection of PCR product in 19.1% of the study group and 22.3% of the control group. There was no association between positive toxoplasmosis antibodies and abortion, furthermore, the individuals with positive PCR results in the control group did not abort. The usefulness of the B1 gene as a target for toxoplasmosis diagnosis was documented and the possible source of infection in the control and the study groups was discussed. Key words: Toxoplasma gondii, antibodies, women, Sudan, B1 gene, abortion.

Assessment of Screening Tests Used to Detect Toxoplasma gondii in Women in Sudan

Blood samples from 255 child bearing age women distributed into two villages named EL Nuba and EL Massoudia were collected according to their agreement and after obtaining their written consent form. Plasma separated from 255 blood samples were tested at delivery for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies using three different screening tests. These tests were Latex Agglutination Test (LAT), Complement Fixation Test (CFT), and ELISA IgG. Evaluation of the screening test was done for the three tests. The sensitivity of LAT, CFT, and ELISA IgG were 82.5%, 96.8%, and 98.9% respectively. The specificity of these tests was 91.2%, 94.1%, and 97.1% respectively. The Positive predictive value was 96.2%, 97.8%, and 98.9% respectively. The negative predictive value was 66%, 91.4% and 97.8%, respectively. The positive likelihood ratio was 9.35, 16.4, and 33.6 respectively. The negative likelihood ratio was 0.192, 0.0345, and 0.11 respectively. According to these evaluations a proposed protocol was drawn to detect infection in women.

Determination of Antibodies (IgG, IgM) against Toxoplasma gondii in Some Iraqi individuals by using ELISA technique

A total of 258 voluntary blood donors (males 101; females 157) in the age range of 18-52 yr among males and 18-55 yr among females were examined for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies (IgG), and (IgM) by immunological technique (Enzyme linked Immunosorbant Assay) during the period from March 2009 to April 2010. This study covered a wide range of factors including immunological, age ,sex , place of residence and symptoms that may have a possible relationship with toxoplasmosis. Results presented in this study showed clearly that 38 (14.7%) of individuals participated in this study having IgG Toxoplasma Ab, among those 10 samples (9.9%) were males and 28 samples (17.8%) were females. Moreover, we found the prevalence of IgM seropositivity in the study population to be 5.8% ,as well as, the prevalence of IgM was 1.98 % in males and 8.3% in females. In addition to , the results of current study indicated that the seroprevalence of IgG Toxoplasma antibodies are more than IgM antibodies ,besides , the peak period range of toxoplasma gondii antibodies IgG among males donors was 30 to 39 years, while among female donors, the highest detection of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies IgG was between the ages of 40 to 49. What's more, the peak age range of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies IgM among males and females donors was 19 to 29 years. In conclusion , Our study showed a high prevalence of T. gondii antibodies in healthy voluntary blood donors. It may be appropriate to include screening test (ELISA) for T. gondii also in the pre transfusion blood testing schedule.

Determination of Antibodies (IgG, IgM) against Toxoplasma gondii in Some Iraqi individuals by using ELISA technique

A total of 258 voluntary blood donors (males 101; females 157) in the age range of 18-52 yr among males and 18-55 yr among females were examined for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies (IgG), and (IgM) by immunological technique (Enzyme linked Immunosorbant Assay) during the period from March 2009 to April 2010. This study covered a wide range of factors including immunological, age ,sex , place of residence and symptoms that may have a possible relationship with toxoplasmosis. Results presented in this study showed clearly that 38 (14.7%) of individuals participated in this study having IgG Toxoplasma Ab, among those 10 samples (9.9%) were males and 28 samples (17.8%) were females. Moreover, we found the prevalence of IgM seropositivity in the study population to be 5.8% ,as well as, the prevalence of IgM was 1.98 % in males and 8.3% in females. In addition to , the results of current study indicated that the seroprevalence of IgG Toxoplasma antibodies are more than IgM antibodies ,besides , the peak period range of toxoplasma gondii antibodies IgG among males donors was 30 to 39 years, while among female donors, the highest detection of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies IgG was between the ages of 40 to 49. What's more, the peak age range of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies IgM among males and females donors was 19 to 29 years. In conclusion , Our study showed a high prevalence of T. gondii antibodies in healthy voluntary blood donors. It may be appropriate to include screening test (ELISA) for T. gondii also in the pre transfusion blood testing schedule.

Antenatal screening forToxoplasma gondiiinfection at a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Congenital toxoplasmosis is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This study investigates the prevalence of toxoplasmosis among pregnant women.DESIGN AND SETTING:A retrospective study at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh from September 2009 to August 2010.PATIENTS AND METHODS:Laboratory data of 2176 pregnant women screened for Toxoplasma gondii in the antenatal care unit were assessed during the study period. The mean (SD) age of the women and the duration of pregnancy were 25 (7.3) years and 18 (7.7) weeks, respectively. Data were extracted for the presence or absence of anti-T gondii immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies.RESULTS:Of 2176 sera tested, 1351 (62%) did not show any evidence of exposure to T gondii. The remaining 825 (38%) samples tested positive for anti-T gondii IgG antibodies, and none was found to have anti-T gondii IgM antibodies in the serum. These data reveal that a significantly high number of women in the antenatal care unit at King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh had been exposed to T gondii.CONCLUSION:A high prevalence of toxoplasmosis among pregnant women warrants multicenter community-based investigations for assessment of T gondii infection and identification of risk factors for transmission of toxoplasmosis in general, and particularly during pregnancy.

Evaluation of an Immunofluorescence Antibody Assay for the Detection of Antibodies Against Toxoplasma gondii in Meat Juice Samples from Finishing Pigs

Serum and meat juice analyses for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies by an immunofluorescence antibody assay were compared in 100 seropositive and 100 seronegative slaughtered heavy swine. Meat juice was obtained from diaphragm and gracilis muscles of the serologically tested animals. Seventy-two diaphragmatic meat juice samples (36%, 95% interval confidence [IC] 29.4%-43.1%) and 63 gracilis meat juice samples (31.5%, 95% IC 25.1%-38.4%) tested positive for T. gondii antibodies. The average concordance between serum and meat juice derived from both muscles was "substantial" (K=0.6-0.8). The K-value was 1 when considering serum samples showing a titer >1/16, whereas it decreased to 0.62 and to 0.49 when considering serum samples with a 1/16 titer in meat juice from diaphragm and gracilis muscle, respectively.

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in Different Meat Juices

Toxoplasmosis is one of the most important zoonotic diseases worldwide and it is caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, humans can get infected post-naturally either by uptake of sporulated toxoplasma oocysts or by ingestion of tissue cysts upon consumption of raw or undercooked meat. The study included cattle, sheep and chicken of different age groups and housing conditions whenever possible and applicable. Direct Latex Agglutination test was used to detect T. gondii specific antibodies and to determine seroprevalences in meat juice of slaughtered animals. The total samples are 300 of domestic animals (cattle, sheep and chicken 100 samples each of them). The results of Latex agglutination test are positive in 17% of cattle, 37% of sheep and 9% of chicken from meat juice. The examination of specific IgG and IgM antibodies was detected by Hydroxy ethylmercaptan (2-ME) test with used of meat juices and Compound of 2- Hydroxy ethylmercaptan which appear in cattle 17.9% of IgM and 82.1% IgG, in sheep 16.2% of IgM and 83.8% IgG and in chicken 11.1% of IgM and 88.9% IgG. The aim of this study was to approximate the risk of human infection via meat consumption by estimating the seroprevalence of T. gondii in slaughtered animals in Hamdania.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among pregnant women in Cameroon.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by an intracellular protozoan, Toxoplasma gondii, which has a wide geographical distribution. The congenital form results in a gestational form that can present a temporary parasiteamia that will infect the fetus. For this reason early diagnosis in pregnancy is highly desirable, allowing prompt intervention in cases of infection. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies among pregnant women attending the Douala General Hospital. The study was carried out between March and July 2009, whereby 110 pregnant women were tested for IgG and IgM antibodies and information about eating habits and hygienic conditions was collected using a questionnaire. These women's ages ranged from 20–44 years old with an average of 29.9 years; the overall IgG and IgM seroprevalence was 70% and 2.73 % respectively. Seroprevalence was significantly high amongst women who ate raw vegetables (76.39%, P<0.05) and there was a significant trend towards a higher seroprevalence in women who did not have a good source of water (75.58%, P<0.05). This research showed that consumption of raw vegetables and poor quality drinking water are two risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection amongst pregnant women attending the Douala General Hospital in Cameroon.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies from slaughter pigs in Chongqing, China

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii which infects most genera of warm-blooded animals, including humans. The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pigs in Chongqing Municipality, southwest China. Slaughterhouse pigs' serum samples collected from six different regions in Chongqing were assayed for T. gondii antibodies by an indirect hemagglutination test. The average seroprevalence of T. gondii were found in 30.6% (278/908) in slaughter pigs, ranging from 21.6% to 40.9% among different sampling sites. The results indicated that toxoplasmosis in swine of Chongqing Municipality was relatively serious, and the pork may be an important source for human infection with T. gondii. Comprehensive measures are needed to strengthen further prevention and control of the disease in Chongqing.

Toxoplasma gondii antibody titers and history of suicide attempts in patients with schizophrenia

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) a widespread neurotropic parasite, has been previously associated with schizophrenia and more recently with suicidal behavior. However, no previous study has examined the association of T. gondii with suicidal behavior in schizophrenia patients. 950 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia by SCID were recruited from the Munich area of Germany. Solid-enzyme immunoassay methods were used to measure IgG plasma antibodies to T. gondii, other neurotropic pathogens and gliadin. Logistic regression models were developed to analyze the association of T. gondii seropositivity or serointensity with history of suicidal behavior. In those younger than the median age of the sample, 38, T. gondii serointensity was associated with history of suicidal behavior (p=0.02), while in the older patients the relationship was not significant (p=0.21). Seropositivity was also associated with history of suicide attempt in younger patients, odds ratio 1.59 (95% CI 1.06 to 2.40), p=0.03. Seropositivity for CMV (p=0.22), HSV-1 (p=0.36) and gliadin (p=0.92) was not related to history of suicide attempt in the entire sample or any age subgroup. T. gondii serology might become, with interaction with vulnerability genes, a candidate biomarker for a subgroup of schizophrenia patients prone to attempting suicide.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Pırlak Sheep in the Afyonkarahisar Province of Turkey

This study was carried out between June-December 2008 to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in Pırlak sheep in the Şuhut district of Afyonkarahisar. Blood samples technically collected from 123 sheep older than one year old and 63 sheep younger than one year old were tested for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies using the Sabin- Feldman dye test. Out of the 186 sera examined, 184 (98.92%) were seropositive at different dilutions (84 samples at 1/16, 79 at 1/64 and 21 at 1/256). The seroprevalence was 99.19% for sheep above 1 year old and 98.41% for sheep under 1 year old. We believe that this study carried out on Pırlak sheep would be useful for other studies on the effect of parasitism on the economy.

Spatio-temporal variations and age effect on Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in seals from the Canadian Arctic

Toxoplasmosis is a significant public health threat for Inuit in the Canadian Arctic. This study aimed to investigate arctic seals as a possible food-borne source of infection. Blood samples collected from 828 seals in 7 Canadian Arctic communities from 1999 to 2006 were tested for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies using a direct agglutination test. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect T. gondii DNA in tissues of a subsample of seals. Associations between seal age, sex, species, diet, community and year of capture, and serological test results were investigated by logistic regression. Overall seroprevalence was 10·4% (86/828). All tissues tested were negative by PCR. In ringed seals, seroprevalence was significantly higher in juveniles than in adults (odds ratio=2·44). Overall, seroprevalence varied amongst communities (P=0·0119) and by capture year (P=0·0001). Our study supports the hypothesis that consumption of raw seal meat is a significant source of infection for Inuit. This work raises many questions about the mechanism of transfer of this terrestrial parasite to the marine environment, the preponderance of infection in younger animals and the natural course of infection in seals. Further studies to address these questions are essential to fully understand the health risks for Inuit communities.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in farm animals (camels, cattle, and sheep) in Sudan

Infection with Toxoplasma gondii in human was increased in last years in Sudan particularly, in pregnant women. The infection may lead to devastating consequences to newborns therefore, the present study, designed to study the role of domestic animals in transmission of the disease to human. Serum samples from 200 cattle, sheep, and lactating camels from Khartoum State, Sudan were researched for T. gondii antibodies by latex agglutination test (LAT). Out of them, 76/200 (38%) resulted positive, being 14/70 (20%) camels, 16/50 (32%) cattle and 46/80 (57.5%) sheep serum samples. The test titration results obtained as followed: 53 (26.5%), 20 (10%), and 3 (1.5%) were 1:8, 1:16, and 1:32, respectively. From the 70 sera samples collected from camels, 14 (20%) were found positive with intensity of 12 (17.1%), 2 (2.9%), and 0 (0%) by dilution of 1:8, 1:16, and 1:32 respectively. In the 50 sera samples from cattle, 16 (32%) were positive with intensity of 10 (20%), 4(8%), and 2 (4%) by dilution of 1:8, 1:16, and 1:32, respectively. Significant among these target groups were found to be highest in sheep (p < 0.05). This is the first serological report regarding T. gondii in cattle and sheep from Sudan. Key words: Toxoplasma, animals, latex agglutination test (LAT), seroprevalence, Sudan.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Tibetan Sheep in Tibet, China

In the present investigation, the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in 455 Tibetan sheep in Tibet, China, was examined using an indirect hemagglutination test. Of these, 26 (5.7%) Tibetan sheep were seropositive at the cut-off of 1:64 serum dilution. The seroprevalence ranged from 2.2% to 8.9% among Tibetan sheep of <1-yr-old, 1-3-yr-old, and >3-yr-old, but the differences among the age groups were not significant (P > 0.05). The prevalence in male Tibetan sheep (2.8%) was lower than that in female Tibetan sheep (6.6%), but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The results of this survey indicated the presence of T. gondii infection in Tibetan sheep, which may cause economic losses to the local livestock industry and which poses a potential threat to human health in this area.

Identification of Potential Serodiagnostic and Subunit Vaccine Antigens by Antibody Profiling of Toxoplasmosis Cases in Turkey

Toxoplasmosis, caused by infection of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is associated with mild disease in healthy individuals, whereas individuals with depressed immunity may develop encephalitis, neurologic disorders, and other organ diseases. Women who develop acute toxoplasmosis during pregnancy are at risk of transmitting the infection to the fetus, which may lead to fetal damage. A diagnosis is usually confirmed by measuring IgG, or IgM where it is important to determine the onset of infection. A negative IgM result essentially excludes acute infection, whereas a positive IgM test is largely uninterpretable because IgM can persist for up to 18 months after infection. To identify antigens for improved diagnosis of acute infection, we probed protein microarrays displaying the polypeptide products of 1357 Toxoplasma exons with well-characterized sera from Turkey. The sera were classified according to conventional assays into (1) seronegative individuals with no history of T. gondii infection; (2) acute infections defined by clinical symptoms, high IgM titers, and low avidity IgG; (3) chronic/convalescent cases with high avidity IgG but persisting IgM; (iv) true chronic infections, defined by high avidity IgG and no IgM. We have identified 38 IgG target antigens and 108 IgM target antigens that can discriminate infected patients from healthy controls, one or more of which could form the basis of a 'tier-1' test to determine current or previous exposure. Of these, three IgG antigens and five IgM antigens have the potential to discriminate chronic/IgM persisting or true chronics from recent acutely infected patients (a 'tier-2' test). Our analysis of the antigens revealed several enriched features relative to the whole proteome, which include transmembrane domains, signal peptides, or predicted localization at the outer membrane. This is the first protein microarray survey of the antibody response to T. gondii, and will help in the development of improved serodiagnostics and vaccines.