Field rodents involved in ecological food chains and which are the prey of carnivores in the natural environment may serve as reservoir hosts for Toxoplasma gondii infection in humans, however, no data has been published to date in Korea. A total of 1,008 Apodemus agrarius, a dominant species of field rodents in Korea, were trapped at various locations around the country, and their serum antibody (IgG) levels to T. gondii were examined by ELISA. The mean absorbance was 0.11, and fifteen samples (1.49%) showed positive titers from 0.18 to 0.59. The seropositive samples were analyzed by immunoblot. Five of them showed reactive bands to T. gondii water soluble antigens of 30, 35, and 43 kDa. This immunoblot analysis showed very similar patterns to that obtained using sera of experimentally infected mice with T. gondii. The present study presents indirect evidence of the existence of T. gondii in field rodents in Korea.
Animal ; Antibodies, Protozoan/blood* ; Antigens, Protozoan/immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Immunoblotting ; Molecular Weight ; Muridae/parasitology* ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Toxoplasma/isolation & purification* ; Toxoplasma/immunology

Toxoplasmosis is an opportunistic infection caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. T. gondii is widespread globally and causes severe diseases in individuals with impaired immune defences as well as congenitally infected infants. The high prevalence rate in some parts of the world such as South America and Africa, coupled with the current drug treatments that trigger hypersensitivity reactions, makes the development of immunotherapeutics intervention a highly important research priority. Immunotherapeutics strategies could either be a vaccine which would confer a pre-emptive immunity to infection, or passive immunization in cases of disease recrudescence or recurrent clinical diseases. As the severity of clinical manifestations is often greater in developing nations, the development of well-tolerated and safe immunotherapeutics becomes not only a scientific pursuit, but a humanitarian enterprise. In the last few years, much progress has been made in vaccine research with new antigens, novel adjuvants, and innovative vaccine delivery such as nanoparticles and antigen encapsulations. A literature search over the past 5 years showed that most experimental studies were focused on DNA vaccination at 52%, followed by protein vaccination which formed 36% of the studies, live attenuated vaccinations at 9%, and heterologous vaccination at 3%; while there were few on passive immunization. Recent progress in studies on vaccination, passive immunization, as well as insights gained from these immunotherapeutics is highlighted in this review.
Drug Discovery/trends ; Global Health ; Humans ; Immunization/*methods ; Immunotherapy/*methods/trends ; Protozoan Vaccines/immunology/isolation & purification ; Toxoplasma/*immunology ; Toxoplasmosis/*therapy

OBJECTIVEFor the birth, to improve the quality of the population, to explore the prevention and treatment of early pregnancy TORCH infection, and treatment of patients with positive eugenics and guidance.

METHODSEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing of all the objects in the peripheral blood-money pathogen-specific antibodies LgM. Person in charge of testing. In strict accordance with the instructions. Reagents from Shanghai magnolia biotechnology institute.

RESULTThe total number of 319 cases of positive, with a total infection rate: 3.28%, TOX-IgM, RV-IgM, CMV-IgM, HSV (II)-IgM infection rate of 0.103 percent, 2.64 percent and 0.309 percent, 0.237 percent; 319 cases of TORCH infected persons are to receive treatment for the treatment of wrap, with a total negative rate of 97.49 percent.

CONCLUSIONDetection of TORCH infections to ensure early diagnosis, early treatment and early prevention is necessary.

Antibodies, Protozoan ; blood ; immunology ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; immunology ; Antiprotozoal Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cytomegalovirus ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; immunology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; drug therapy ; immunology ; parasitology ; virology ; Rubella virus ; drug effects ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Simplexvirus ; drug effects ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Toxoplasma ; drug effects ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo develop a technology for production of recombinant SAG1 of Toxoplasma gondii (T.g) in batches.

METHODSThe rSAG1 of T.g was expressed in E.coli by high-density fermentation and purified by Sephadex G-75 column chromatography after Ni-NTA agarose at native condition. The activity of rSAG1 and its efficacy in T.g diagnosis were identified by Western blotting and ELISA, respectively.

RESULTSThe optical density (OD) of the bacteria reached 20.21 after induction, and 300 g bacteria were harvested from 11.5 L broth. The rSAG1 was highly expressed in E.coli as a fusion protein, accounting for about 25.82% of the total bacterial protein. The purity of rSAG1 reached 98.54% after purification by Ni-NTA combined with Sephadex G-75 column chromatography. Western blotting revealed a distinct band reacting with the sera of rabbits vaccinated by T.g. Twenty-four of the 25 sera of mice infected with T.g and 36 of the 38 sera of human subjects with IgG antibody against T.g were detected by rSAG1-ELISA.

CONCLUSIONA large-scale production of immunoreactive SAG1 of T.g is developed by high-density fermentation and purification with Ni-NTA combined with Sephadex G-75 column chromatography.

Animals ; Antigens, Protozoan ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Antigens, Surface ; immunology ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Protozoan Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Toxoplasma ; immunology

In recent years, worldwide surveys of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs have been reported. However, only limited surveys of T. gondii infection in police dogs have been available, including China. In the present study, we report the seroprevalence of T. gondii in police dogs in Shenyang, northeastern China. Sera from 291 police dogs were examined for T. gondii antibodies with the modified agglutination test (MAT), and 30.9% animals were tested seropositive. The results of the present study indicated a relatively high prevalence of T. gondii infection in police dogs in Shenyang, China.
Agglutination Tests/veterinary ; Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; China/epidemiology ; Dog Diseases/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Dogs ; Female ; Male ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Toxoplasma/*immunology/isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/*epidemiology/parasitology

Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is a parasitic zoonosis with worldwide distribution. The present study investigated the prevalence of T. gondii in dogs in Zhanjiang city, southern China, using both serological and molecular detection. A total of 364 serum samples and 432 liver tissue samples were collected from the slaughter house between December 2012 and January 2013 and were examined for T. gondii IgG antibody by ELISA and T. gondii DNA by semi-nested PCR based on B1 gene, respectively. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii IgG antibody was 51.9%, and T. gondii DNA was detected in 37 of 432 (8.6%) liver tissue samples. These positive DNA samples were analyzed by PCR-RFLP at 3'- and 5'-SAG2. Only 8 samples gave the PCR-RFLP data, and they were all classified as type I, which may suggest that the T. gondii isolates from dogs in Zhanjiang city may represent type I or type I variant. This study revealed the high prevalence of T. gondii infection in dogs in Zhanjiang city, southern China. Integrated measures should be taken to prevent and control toxoplasmosis in dogs in this area for public health concern.
Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/blood ; China/epidemiology ; Dog Diseases/epidemiology/*parasitology ; Dogs ; Female ; Genotype ; Liver/parasitology ; Male ; Toxoplasma/classification/genetics/immunology/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/blood/epidemiology/*parasitology

Although Toxoplasma gondii infection in primary school children has been investigated in many countries, limited surveys have been available in primary school children in China. In the present study, we report the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in primary school children in Shandong province, China. Sera from 6,000 primary school children were evaluated for T. gondii antibodies with ELISA. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was 16.0% (961/6,000), of which 14.5% (870/6,000) were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies, 3.4% (206/6,000) positive for IgM, and 1.9% (115/6,000) were positive for both IgG and IgM. The results of the present investigation indicated a high seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in primary school children in Shandong province, China. Therefore, effective measures should be taken to prevent and control T. gondii infection in primary school children in this province. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in primary school children in Shandong province, China.
Antibodies, Protozoan/blood ; Child ; China/epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Students ; Toxoplasma/genetics/immunology/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis/blood/*epidemiology/*parasitology

OBJECTIVEThe objective is to obtain the information of women in the period of prepregnancy and pregnancy infected by TORCH (Toxoplasma, Rabella Virus, Cytomegalovirus, and Herpes Simplex Virus) in Kunming for preventing fetus from infection by TORCH in uterus.

METHODSThe serum IgM and IgG specific for TORCH from 1307 women in the period of pre-pregnancy and pregnancy were measured with ELISA and The reagent is the product of virion/serion.

RESULTSThe serum IgM specific for TORCH were detected in 2.83% of 1307 pregnant women for Toxoplasma, 2.37% for Rebulla Virus, 0.46% for Cytomegalovirus, 2.45% for Herpes Simplex Virus. The total positive rate of serum IgM specific for TORCH was 1.45%. The serum IgG specific for TORCH were detected in 3.98% of 1307 pregnant women for Toxoplasma, 72.3% for Rebulla Virus, 97.78% for Cytomegalovirus, 80.34% for Herpes Simplex Virus. The total positive rate of serum IgG specific for TORCH was 63.60%. There was no significant difference among the women with different pregnant situation in terms of the serum IgM and IgG specific for TORCH.

CONCLUSIONThere are some of women in the period of pre-pregnancy and pregnancy with current infection by TORCH in Kunming. It is recommended to screen for infection by TORCH in women in the period of pre-pregnancy and pregnancy to prevent fetus from infection by TORCH in uterus.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antibodies, Protozoan ; blood ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Cytomegalovirus ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; immunology ; parasitology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Rubella virus ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Simplexvirus ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Toxoplasma ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Women ; Young Adult

The breeding of domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) for human consumption has a long tradition in China. Infections that can affect the production of meat or even be transmitted from animals to humans are important to monitor, especially for public health reasons as well as for their impact on animal health. Thus, a total of 1,132 domestic rabbit sera from 4 regions in China were collected for serological screening for Encephalitozoon cuniculi and for Toxoplasma gondii by ELISA and modified agglutination test (MAT), respectively. Antibodies to E. cuniculi were detected in 248/1,132 (21.9%) sera tested while antibodies against T. gondii revealed a seroprevalence of 51/1,132 (4.5%). We believe that the present results are of epidemiological implications and public health importance due to the acknowledged susceptibility of humans to E. cuniculi and T. gondii infections. Therefore, routine screening tests of domestic rabbits are proposed considering the zoonotic potential of these parasites.
Animals ; Animals, Domestic/blood/microbiology/parasitology ; Antibodies, Fungal/*blood ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; China/epidemiology ; Encephalitozoon cuniculi/*immunology/isolation & purification ; Encephalitozoonosis/blood/microbiology/*veterinary ; Female ; Male ; Rabbits/blood/microbiology/parasitology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Toxoplasma/*immunology/isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/*blood/parasitology

The principal objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in household and stray cats in Seoul, Republic of Korea. We collected blood samples from 72 stray and 80 household cats, and all samples were examined by ELISA and nested PCR. The overall positive rates of Toxoplasma gondii in stray cats were 38.9% (28/72), with 15.3% (11/72) in ELISA and 30.6% (22/72) in PCR. The positive rate in male stray cats was slightly higher than that of female stray cats. The highest positive rate of T. gondii infection was noted in Gangnam and Songpa populations in ELISA and in Gwangjin population in PCR. In household cats, however, we could not detect any specific antibodies or DNA for T. gondii. In conclusion, we recognized that the infection rate of toxoplasmosis in stray cats in Seoul was considerably high but household cats were free from infection.
Animals ; Animals, Domestic/parasitology ; Antibodies, Protozoan/blood ; Cat Diseases/*epidemiology/immunology/parasitology ; Cats ; Female ; Male ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Toxoplasma/genetics/immunology/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/*epidemiology/immunology/parasitology