A total of 421 patients hospitalized in St. Mary's Hospital were examined by indirect latex agglutination test in order to evaluate the Toxoplasma antibody in Korean from June to August 1981. The test sera of the patients were obtained from each age group by random sampling. The 421 samples of test sera showed negative in 153, 1:2 in 157, 1:4 in 59, 1:8 in 27, 1:16 in 7, 1:32 in 9, 1:64 in 2, 1:128 in 4 and 1:256 in 3 cases, respectively. The positive rate of Toxoplasma antibody was 4.3 percent in this sample when indirect latex antibodies of 1:32 or higher were regarded as positive. The titers of positive Toxoplasma antibodies were increased by age.
parasitology-protozoa ; Toxoplasma gondii ; toxoplasmosis ; immunology ; diagnosis

Serological studies on toxoplasmosis were conducted with rabbits sera that were immunized with RH strain or infected with Beverley strain of Toxoplasma gondii. Complement fixation tests, agar-gel double diffusion tests and agar-gel immunoelectrophoresis were performed. Toxoplasma crude antigen was prepared from the organisms in mice peritoneal fluids, which were infected with RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii. The organisms were suspended in saline volume originally exudated and counted in hemocytometer for purity of the organisms over 99 per cent. These suspended organisms were prepared by sonication, and the solution was centrifuged for 30 min. at 10,000 rpm in 4C. These supernatant fluids were used as crude antigen. On the other hand, purified antigens were fractionated on Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. A Sephadex G-200 column, 80 by 4 cm, equilibrated with Tris-HCl-(0.1 M)-NaCl (1.0 M) buffer, pH 8.0 was used. The eluate fractions were collected in 3 ml per hour and the absorbance at 280 nm was measured with a Beckman Du-2 spectrophotometer. Each tube is pooled into 6 fractions by protein density graph. For immunization of rabbits, crude antigen of RH strain was emulsified with an equal amount of incomplete Freund's adjuvant and l ml of mixture was injected subcutaneously into them once a week for 5 successive weeks. Antisera were obtained at an interval of a week, beginning the first week after the last immunization, while several rabbits were infected with Beverley strain of Toxoplasma gondii by inoculating about 200 cysts and antisera were obtained from them serially at a week interval. The results were as follows: The sera from the rabbits immunized with the RH strain or infected with Beverley strain of Toxoplasma gondii againist the crude antigen showed the first positive reactions in 2 or 3 weeks after the administration or immunization in complement fixation tests. Maximum titers appeared in 4 or 5 weeks after immunization with RH strain and in 7 or 9 weeks after infection with Beverley strain respectively. Complement fixation tests showed the positive reactions in the rabbits sera immunized with RH strain against the purified antigens II, III, IV, V and VI: moreover, antigen IV fraction showed the highest titer. On the other hand in the rabbits sera infected with Beverley strain against the purifed antigens II, III and IV fractions showed the positive reaction; especially, antigen fraction IV showed the highest titer. In immuno-diffusion tests, the sera from the rabbits immunized with RH strain and infected with Beverley strain, against the crude antigen appeared the precipitin bands 2 weeks after the immunization or infection. And the former showed the 2 or 5 precipitin bands after 5-8 weeks and the latter showed the l or 2 precipitin bands after 6 weeks. The sera from the rabbits immunized with RH strain against the purified antigens II, III, IV,V and VI showed the precipitin bands, and the sera from the rabbits infected with Beverley strain against the purified antigens II, III and IV showed the precipitin bands in the immuno-diffusion tests. Especially antigen IV was the strongest reaction against the sera from RH strain and Beverley strain. In agar-gel immunoelectrophoresis, the immunized sera against the crude antigen showed 8 arcs. But the infected sera against the crude antigen showed 4 or 5 arcs. The immunized sera against the fractionated antigens II, III, IV, V, VI showed arcs, but against the fractionated antigen IV showed 6 arcs and in the antigens II, III, V, VI showed l or 2 arcs only. On the other hand, the infected sera against the fractionated antigens IV showed 4 arcs, II and III showed the l arcs, which was the most weak of all.
parasitology-protozoa-Toxoplasma gondii ; toxoplasmosis ; rabbit ; immunology ; electrophoresis

Toxoplasma gondii atypical type II genotype was diagnosed in a pet peach-faced lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis) based on histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and multilocus DNA typing. The bird presented with severe neurological signs, and hematology was suggestive of chronic granulomatous disease. Gross post-mortem examination revealed cerebral hemorrhage, splenomegaly, hepatitis, and thickening of the right ventricular free wall. Histologic sections of the most significant lesions in the brain revealed intralesional protozoan organisms associated with malacia, spongiform changes, and a mild histiocytic response, indicative of diffuse, non-suppurative encephalitis. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the causative organisms to be T. gondii. DNA isolated from the brain was used to confirm the presence of T. gondii DNA. Multilocus genotyping based on SAG1, altSAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and Apico markers demonstrated the presence of ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype #3 and B1 gene as atypical T. gondii type II. The atypical type II strain has been previously documented in Australian wildlife, indicating an environmental transmission route.
Agapornis/*parasitology ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Bird Diseases/*parasitology ; Genotype ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Pets/*parasitology ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Toxoplasma/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/*parasitology

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite resulting in human infections and one of the infectious pathogens leading to uveitis and retinochoroiditis. The present study was performed to assess T. gondii infection in 20 ocular patients with chronic irregular recurrent uveitis (20 aqueous humor and 20 peripheral blood samples) using PCR. All samples were analyzed by nested PCR targeting a specific B1 gene of T. gondii. The PCR-positive rate was 25% (5/20), including 5% (1) in blood samples, 25% (5) in aqueous humor samples, and 5% (1) in both sample types. A molecular screening test for T. gondii infection in ocular patients with common clinical findings of an unclear retinal margin and an inflammatory membrane over the retina, as seen by fundus examination, may be helpful for early diagnosis and treatment.
Aqueous Humor/parasitology ; Blood/parasitology ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods ; Recurrence ; Toxoplasma/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Ocular/*diagnosis/*parasitology ; Uveitis/*parasitology

The increasing prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the human population in the Republic of Korea (= Korea) is due to various reasons such as an increase in meat consumption. However, the importance of cats in transmitting T. gondii infection through oocysts to humans has seldom been assessed. A total of 300 fecal samples of stray cats captured around Seoul from June to August 2013 were examined for T. gondii B1 gene (indicating the presence of oocysts) using nested-PCR. Fourteen (4.7%) of 300 cats examined were positive for B1 gene. Female cats (7.5%) showed a higher prevalence than male cats (1.4%). Cats younger than 3 months (5.5%) showed a higher prevalence than cats (1.5%) older than 3 months. For laboratory passage of the positive samples, the fecal suspension (0.2 ml) of B1 gene positive cats was orally inoculated into experimental mice. Brain tissues of the mice were obtained after 40 days and examined for the presence of tissue cysts. Two isolates were successfully passaged (designated KNIH-1 and KNIH-2) and were molecularly analyzed using the SAG5D and SAG5E gene sequences. The SAG5D and SAG5E gene sequences showed high homologies with the ME49 strain (less virulent strain). The results indicated the importance of stray cats in transmitting T. gondii to humans in Korea, as revealed by detection of B1 gene in fecal samples. T. gondii isolates from cats were successfully passaged in the laboratory for the first time in Korea.
Animals ; Cat Diseases/diagnosis/epidemiology/*parasitology ; Cats ; Feces/*parasitology ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Protozoan Proteins/genetics ; Seoul/epidemiology ; Toxoplasma/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis/epidemiology/parasitology/transmission ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/diagnosis/epidemiology/*parasitology

Animals ; DNA, Protozoan ; analysis ; blood ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rabbits ; Semen ; parasitology ; Toxoplasma ; isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal ; parasitology

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in birds has epidemiological significance because birds are indeed considered as a good indicator of environmental contamination by T. gondii oocysts. In this study, the prevalence of T. gondii in 313 house sparrows in Lanzhou, northwestern China was assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies to T. gondii were positive in 39 (12.46%) of 313 samples (MAT titer > or = 1:5). Tissues of heart, brain, and lung from the 39 seropositive house sparrows were tested for T. gondii DNA, 11 of which were found to be positive for the T. gondii B1 gene by PCR amplification. These positive DNA samples were typed at 9 genetic markers, including 8 nuclear loci, i.e., SAG1, 5'- and 3'-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, GRA6, L358, PK1, c22-8 and an apicoplast locus Apico. Of them, 4 isolates were genotyped with complete data for all loci, and 2 genotypes (Type II variants; ToxoDB #3 and a new genotype) were identified. These results showed that there is a potential risk for human infection with T. gondii in this region. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in house sparrows in China.
Animals ; Bird Diseases/epidemiology/*parasitology ; China/epidemiology ; Genotype ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; *Sparrows ; Toxoplasma/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/epidemiology/*parasitology

OBJECTIVESTo determine the level of anti-Toxoplasma antibody in serum of infertile couples to explore the relationship between toxoplasma infection and infertility.

METHODSEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to detect the anti-Toxoplasma antibody, antisperm antibody (AsAb) and anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) in serum of 178 couples with infertility and 190 couples who had normal pregnant history.

RESULTSThe positive result of Toxoplasma infection in the infertile couples was significantly higher than that in fertile couples which was 34.83% vs 12.11% (chi 2 = 26.72, P < 0.01) with the odds ratio 3.88. The positive result of serum AsAb in the Toxoplasma infected group was significantly higher than that in the no Toxoplasma infected group (32.50% vs 15.94%, chi 2 = 10.76, P < 0.01) with the odds ratio 2.54.

CONCLUSIONSToxoplasma infection was related to infertility. The Toxoplasma infection and was posibly related to the antisperm antibodies which can be involved in the pathogenisis of infertility.

Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; epidemiology ; etiology ; parasitology ; Male ; Toxoplasma ; Toxoplasmosis ; complications ; epidemiology ; parasitology

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular zoonotic protozoan with a worldwide distribution. It infects humans as well as a broad spectrum of vertebrate hosts. Cats and wild felidae play crucial roles in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis. This study was performed to survey the prevalence of T. gondii infection among stray cats in the Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. A total of 174 stray cat blood samples were collected from Gwacheon-si (n = 20), Bucheon-si (82), and Yangju-si (72). Positive sera for T. gondii were identified in 14 samples (8.1%) exclusively via the latex agglutination test, 28 (16.1%) via ELISA, and 23 (13.2%) via PCR analysis. The overall infection rate of female stray cats (29.2%) presented as higher than that of male cats (24.0%). This study suggests that T. gondii is widespread in the stray cat population of Gyeonggi-do, Korea. It is urgently needed to control urban stray cat population and to reduce the risk of zoonotic transmission of toxoplasmosis to other animal hosts and humans.
Animals ; Cat Diseases/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Cats ; Female ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/*epidemiology

Ocular toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the infection with Toxoplasma gondii through congenital or acquired routes. Once the parasite reaches the retina, it proliferates within host cells followed by rupture of the host cells and invasion into neighboring cells to make primary lesions. Sometimes the restricted parasite by the host immunity in the first scar is activated to infect another lesion nearby the scar. Blurred vision is the main complaint of ocular toxoplasmic patients and can be diagnosed by detection of antibodies or parasite DNA. Ocular toxoplasmosis needs therapy with several combinations of drugs to eliminate the parasite and accompanying inflammation; if not treated it sometimes leads to loss of vision. We describe here clinical features and currently available chemotherapy of ocular toxoplasmosis.
Animals ; Antiprotozoal Agents/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Toxoplasma/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Ocular/*drug therapy/parasitology