• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.61-63
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• 2009

Although Toxoplasma gondii infection generally shows subclinical courses in adults, it may have severe pathologic effects on the fetus. For a survey of toxoplasmosis in Shahr-e-Rey area, south of Tehran, Iran, we conducted a serological study on 1,187 general populations using indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test. In this cross sectional study, cases were selected randomly by a local primary health care (PHC) system. Blood samples were collected in microcapillary tubes and sera were examined by IFA after centrifugation. It has been shown that 68.3% of cases in all age groups had IFA titer of 1:10 and higher, which we consider as positive cases, and the rate for 1:400 or over was 30.2%. There was meaningful correlation between anti-Toxoplasma antibody titers and age, sex, and occupation of subjected people (P < 0.05%). The incidence was higher in females and highest in the children age group (10-14 years old). The present study demonstrates high prevalence of Toxoplasma infection among the people in south of Tehran, Iran.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.439-441
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• 2014

Toxoplasma gondii is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis with symptoms of congenital neurological and ocular diseases and acquired lymphadenitis, retinochoroiditis, and meningoencephalitis. Small molecules which block the activity of protein kinases were tested in in vitro culture of T. gondii to find new therapeutic drugs of safer and more effective than the combined administration of pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine that sometimes provoke lethal Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Among them, Gefitinib and Crizotinib inhibited intracellular growth of T. gondii in HeLa cells by counting the number of T. gondii per parasitophorous vacuolar membrane whereas Sunitinib did not. Gefitinib inhibited the growth of T. gondii in a dose-dependent manner over $5{\mu}M$ up to the tolerable concentration of HeLa cells and halted the division of the parasite immediately from the time point of treatment. Gefitinib inhibition suggests that tyrosine kinases of EGFR family or other homologous kinases of the parasite itself may be the target to cause the block of T. gondii growth.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.293-295
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• 2008

The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in the serum malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and nitric oxide (NO) levels between normal and T. gondii-infected patients. To this end, MDA, GSH, and NO levels in the sera of 37 seropositive patients and 40 participants in the control group were evaluated. In Toxoplasma ELISA, IgG results of the patient group were $1,013.0{\pm}543.8$ in optical density (mean ${\pm}$ SD). A statistically significant difference was found between patients and the control group in terms of MDA, GSH, and NO levels. A decrease in GSH activity was detected, while MDA and NO levels increased significantly. Consequently, it is suggested that the use of antioxidant vitamins in addition to a parasite treatment shall prove useful. The high infection vs control ratio of MDA and NO levels probably suggests the occurrence as a mechanism of tissue damage in cases of chronic toxoplasmosis. Moreover, it is recommended that the patient levels of MDA, GSH, and NO should be evaluated in toxoplasmosis.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.444-446
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• 2001

Objectives : Toxoplasmosis is a member of the zoonosis group and may cause congenital infection . Antibody positive rates of toxoplasmosis were examined in high school students in Cheju, Korea to facilitate the study aim of examining the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in school teachers of child-bearing age in Cheju Island. Methods : The study population comprised teachers of child-bearing age in primary, middle and high schools, aged 35 years and younger, who wished to be tested for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies (IgG) by the indirect latex agglutination test (ILA) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results : The overall antibody positive rate was 3.8% in the study subjects (n=314), a rate which showed no significant difference due to birth place, history of bringing up pets, or history of contacting a cat. Conclusion : We confirmed that the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in a population of child-bearing teachers in Cheju Island was the same as that previously reported in other parts of Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.247-254
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• 2017

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.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.325-334
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• 2018

Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan zoonotic protozoan parasite that infects most species of warm-blooded animals, including humans. The heavy incidence and severe or lethal damage caused by T. gondii infection clearly indicate a need for the development of an effective vaccine. T. gondii GRA8 is a member of the dense granules protein family and is used as a marker of acute infection. In the present study, we evaluated the protective immunity induced by DNA vaccination based on a recombinant eukaryotic plasmid, pDsRed2-GRA8, against acute toxoplasmosis in mice. BALB/c mice were intramuscularly immunized with the pDsRed2-GRA8 plasmid and then challenged by infection with the highly virulent GFP-RH strain of T. gondii. The specific immune responses and protective efficacy against T. gondii of this vaccine were analyzed by measuring cytokine and serum antibody titers, splenocyte proliferation assays, and the survival times of mice after challenge. Our results showed that mice immunized with pDsRed2-GRA8 demonstrated specific humoral and cellular responses, induced higher IgG antibody titers with predominant IgG2a production; increased levels of IL-10, IL-12 (p70), $IFN-{\gamma}$, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and splenocyte proliferation; and prolonged survival times compared to those of control mice. The present study showed that DNA immunization with pDsRed2-GRA8 induced humoral and cellular immune responses, and all immunized mice showed greater Th1-type immune responses and longer survival times than those of control mice. These results indicated that T. gondii GRA8 DNA immunization induces a partial protective effect against acute toxoplasmosis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 1997

The molecular weight 30 kDa membrane protein of Toxoplusma Sondii (Toxoplasma 30 kDa) apparently conserved in most strains of T. gondii and sera of infected hosts. The present study aimed to elucidate Toxoplasmc 30 kDa as a useful diagnotic antigen for serodiagnisis of toxoplasmosis by ELISA and for induction of protective immunity. Murine spleen cells immunized with the membrane antigen of T. gondii were fused with mouse Sp2/0-Ag 14 myeloma cells. Out of 8 clones selected, five were IgG2b, the others belonged to IgG 1 and IgG2a. The 30 kDa antigen was distributed mainly on the surface membrane of tachyzoites by indirect fluorescence method. Murine peritoneal macrophages which were activated by 30 kDa antigen produced more amounts of NO2 compared with crude antigen-treated group, however there were no significant differences in toxoplamacidal activity between the two groups. Higher specificity of Toxoplosma 30 kDa antigen was recognized for serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis than the crude antigen. From these results, ToxopLasmo 30 kDa antigen enhances the cytotoxic effect of macrophages as well as a more reliable means for the serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis by ELISA. Key words: Toxoplosma gondii, 30 kDa antigen (p30), mouse, serodiagnosis, macrophage, cytotoxicity.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.623-632
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• 1993

This study was conducted to develop a sensitized latex-antigen for serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis in animals. Tachyzoites of T gondii(RH-strain) harvested from mouse peritoneal cavity were purified through the filtraton of polycarbonate membrane(pore size, $3.0{{\mu}m}$, Costar Co.) and disrupted by ultrasonicator. The tachyzoite suspension was ultracentrifuged for 30 min at $60,000{\times}g(4{^{\circ}C})$ and the supernatant was used as a water-lysate antigen. Polystyrene latex particles of $0.8{{\mu}m}$ in diameter(Sigma) were used for the preparation of sensitized latex-antigen suspension. The several parameters including the preparation conditions, incubation buffer. serum dilution buffer and stability of agglutination reactions were evaluated and the results obtained were summarized as follows : 1. The antigen consisting of a water-lysate of T gondii tachyzoites was adsorbed onto polystyrene latex particles of $0.8{{\mu}m}$ in diameter by adding a latex suspension to an equal volume of diluted antigen solution and by incubating the mixture at $37{^{\circ}C}$ under different conditions. 2. The optimum incubation buffer used for the antigen sensitization was 0.1M Tris-HCl buffer(pH 8.0). 3. The optimum serum dilution buffer used for the latex agglutination test was 0.1M Tris-HCl-NaCl buffer(pH 7.4) containing 300 mM NaCl. But 0.1M Tris-HCl-NaCl buffer(pH 7.4) containing 300-600 mM NaCl, 0.5% BSA and 0.01% Tween-20 improved the agglutination pattems and cleared the background of microplate well without the effects on L.A titer. 4. The time required for antigen sensitization was 40 and 60 min in incubation buffer(pH 8.0) at $37{^{\circ}C}$. But the optimun time for antigen sensitization was min at $37{^{\circ}C}$. 5. The optimun quantity of antigen absorbed on latex particles for proper agglutination was the range of 20 to $32{\mu}g$ of latex particles. 6. The optimun concentration of the latex-antigen suspension for the proper agglutination reaction was determined as 0.2%(w/v). 7. The specificity, rapidity and simplicity of the latex-particle agglutination test suggested that it might be adaptable to large scale serum screening.

• Journal of the korean veterinary medical association
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 1980

The latent infection of Toxoplasma in swine, Holstein cow and Korean native cattle raised in Jeonnam prefacture during 1978 was proved serologically. Of the 127 swine, 73($57.4\%$) cases were positive for the indirect hemagglutination test, and

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.44-44
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• 2003

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a member of the genus Morbillivirus and the family Paramyxoviridae [3]. CDV is known to induce immunosuppression in affected animals by disrupting both humoral and cellular immunity [3]. This often results in secondary opportunistic infections. Activated toxoplasmosis develops in dogs whose immune systems have been damaged by CDV [3]. (omitted)