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PubMed1991

[Results and contributing prospects of molecular probes and genetic amplification in vitro (PCR) in toxoplasmosis].

Toxoplasmosis is one of the latest parasitic diseases to have benefited from molecular biological study (1989). To our knowledge we were one of the first to have cloned several DNA probes using genomic DNA from Toxoplasma gondii. One of these probes, TGR1E, has been sequenced and has enabled the selection and chemical synthesis of 4 oligonucleotides (22 to 25 nucleotides respectively) for use in the Polymerase Chain reaction (PCR). Completely specific for Toxoplasma gondii, they confer remarkable sensitivity allowing detection of quantities of DNA as small as 2 fg (f = 10(-15) g) corresponding to less than 1/50th of the DNA contents in a single tachyzoïte. The method is currently being applied using the in situ hybridization technique. One hundred samples (sera, CSF, broncho-alveolar washings, biopsies), mostly from immunocompromised patients, have been studied by the Southern-blot method. The results are still preliminary but appear very encouraging, especially since serological diagnostic studies during acquired or post-therapeutic immunodeficiencies (transplants) are usually impossible. Nevertheless, as it has already been reported in various other applications, the risk of false positive results requires that PCR be performed with highly rigorous technique, particularly in order to avoid any contamination by foreign DNA. An analysis of restriction profiles by the Southern method has also been carried out in 6 different strains of Toxoplasma gondii. Although a certain number of DNA fragments are common to all strains, some fractions of greater than 1.6 kb could characterize certain isolates. This protocol which is still preliminary is currently in progress and will be carried out in a larger number of cloned strains.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Pulmonary toxoplasmosis.

Symptomatic pulmonary toxoplasmosis is a relatively rare disease process, although the lung is frequently infected with the causative agent Toxoplasma gondii. Acute infection resulting in diffuse pneumonia is most likely in the immunosuppressed transplant recipient, and reinfection pneumonia occurs in this patient population as well as in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The authors discuss the methods this protozoan uses to invade cells, to evade host defenses, and to cause tissue necrosis. The epidemiology of the disease relates directly to an inability to mount the effective cell-mediated immunity needed to keep the tissue cysts from undergoing effective replication into destructive tachyzoites. Alveolar macrophages and gamma interferon have been shown to be two important effector mechanisms in this control. Outcome is directly related to the ability to make an early diagnosis, which requires increased awareness of this disease in the patient populations at risk.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Tumor necrosis factor-independent protective effect of recombinant IFN-gamma against acute toxoplasmosis in T cell-deficient mice.

rIFN-gamma conferred remarkable resistance against acute infection with Toxoplasma gondii in T cell-deficient (athymic nude) mice. Mice that received an i.p. injection of rIFN-gamma every other day beginning 24 h before infection for a total of eight doses survived significantly longer than untreated control mice although all of the treated mice died after the lymphokine was discontinued. Mice that received 14 doses of rIFN-gamma survived significantly longer than those that received eight doses of the lymphokine although mice started dying soon after the final (14th) injection of rIFN-gamma and eventually all of the treated mice died. Histologic study revealed that the IFN-gamma treatment prevented proliferation of the organisms in all organs examined, including brain, lung, heart, liver, and spleen. The treatment was effective even when started 1 day after infection. Peritoneal macrophages obtained from mice injected with rIFN-gamma were activated and effectively killed tachyzoites of T. gondii in vitro. TNF activity could not be detected in sera of the infected mice during treatment with rIFN-gamma. Administration of anti-TNF antibody did not affect the protective effect of rIFN-gamma against T. gondii infection. These facts indicate that rIFN-gamma can confer resistance to acute infection with T. gondii without collaboration of lymphokines derived from T cells and TNF. This suggests that rIFN-gamma may be effective for therapy of toxoplasmosis in immunosuppressed patients who have impaired activity of T cell function, especially those with AIDS.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1991

Protective immunity to toxoplasmosis in pigs vaccinated with a nonpersistent strain of Toxoplasma gondii.

The RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii is highly virulent; 1 infective organism is uniformly lethal for mice. Three pigs inoculated SC with 10(3) tachyzoites of the RH strain developed fever, but otherwise remained normal, and T gondii was not demonstrated in their tissues by bioassay into mice. To determine whether vaccination with the RH strain could induce protective immunity to oral challenge with T gondii oocysts, 12 pigs were divided into 3 groups (A, B, C) of 4 pigs each. Pigs in groups A and B were inoculated IM with 10(6) tachyzoites of the RH strain and 4 pigs in group C served as uninoculated controls. Except for fever, the pigs remained clinically normal after inoculation with the RH strain and T gondii was not found by bioassay in mice of tissues from 4 pigs euthanatized 64 days after inoculation. Pigs in groups B and C were challenge-inoculated orally with 10(4) (4 pigs) or 10(5) (4 pigs) T gondii oocysts 72 days after vaccination with the RH strain. The previously uninoculated pigs developed fever, anorexia, and diarrhea from 3 to 8 days after the oocyst challenge. One of the 2 pigs given 10(5) oocysts became moribund because of toxoplasmosis and was euthanatized 9 days after inoculation. Pigs vaccinated with the RH strain remained free of clinical signs after challenge with oocysts. Results of the bioassays indicated that fewer tissue cysts developed in the RH strain-vaccinated pigs than in the previously uninoculated control pigs.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Sero-epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in Gezira, Sudan.

386 blood samples from residents of Gezira Province, Sudan were tested by a latex agglutination test for toxoplasmosis. 41.7% of the sample were found positive with antibody titres of greater than or equal to 1/64. Females aged 20-49 years had a significantly higher prevalence rate than males of the same age. No correlation was found between seropositivity and history of contact with domestic cats or between seropositivity and rural versus urban residence. The findings of this study and the known food habits of the study population suggest ingestion of Toxoplasma cysts in meat to be the main mode of transmission of the disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fatal toxoplasmosis in a red lory (Eos bornea).

Toxoplasmosis was diagnosed in a 3-week-old red lory (Eos bornea). Grossly, there was hepatomegaly and pulmonary consolidation. The salient microscopic lesions were multifocal necrotizing mycocarditis, interstitial pneumonia with multifocal necrosis and vasculitis, and multifocal necrotizing hepatitis with periacinar hepatocellular necrosis. Toxoplasma gondii-like organisms were observed in lung, heart, and liver by light and electron microscopy. The organisms in tissues stained with anti-T. gondii serum using an immunohistochemical method.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Lethal toxoplasmosis in a little penguin (Eudyptula minor) from Tasmania.

A penguin (Eudyptula minor) from Tasmania, Australia, died following a 3-day illness. The liver and spleen parenchyma contained grossly visible foci of discoloration. Numerous tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii were seen associated with necrosis in sections of liver and spleen. The diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining of parasites. This apparently is the first report of fatal toxoplasmosis in a penguin.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Study on toxoplasmosis in Quasseem, Saudi Arabia.

This study presents evidence of Toxoplasma infection in Quasseem, Saudi Arabia and directs the attention that Toxoplasmosis is an important cause of repeated abortion there. Pregnant women should avoid handling or caring for pet cats. Also, raw meat and raw milk from infected animals should be avoided.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed1990

[Treatment of toxoplasmosis. The treatment of toxoplasmic chorioretinitis].

Toxoplasmosis is the commonest cause of inflammatory disease of the posterior segment of the eye. We treated 23 patients with acute toxoplasma chorioretinitis with sulfonamides, pyrimethamine and corticosteroids for a period of 4 weeks. All patients with acute disease had characteristic foci and a positive titer on the Sabin-Feldman dye test. In all patients, we observed clinical improvement within 2 weeks, but one patient with a lesion larger than 2 disc diameters improved after the third week. During the follow-up period ranging from 6 months to 6 years (mean 2.5 years), there have been four recurrences (17%). No serious side effects of treatment were observed in our patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Encephalic toxoplasmosis in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A clinico-radiological study and the therapeutic results in 78 cases].

During a 40-month period 78 episodes of encephalic toxoplasmosis (ET) were diagnosed in 57 patients among 394 with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (based on CDC criteria) in the Hospital Clinic from Barcelona. 38 patients were parenteral drug abusers (66.7%), 17 were homosexual males (29.8%) and 2 were heterosexual females (3.5%). ET was the first opportunistic infection in 28 patients (49.1%). The most common symptoms at the time of diagnosis were focal neurological signs (62.8%) and fever (52.6%). Usually, computed tomography showed single or multiple hypodense lesions (70.3%) with ring-like (46.1%) or nodular (28.3%) uptake. Serology (indirect immunofluorescence) was diagnostic in only 24 cases (42.1%). The acute episodes were treated with the combination pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine (P/S) during 3-6 weeks, and folinic acid was associated. If the patient had previous allergy to sulfonamides or allergy developed during the acute phase, clindamycin (C) was given instead of S. The patients surviving the acute episode (49, 86, 0%) underwent, if they consented, maintenance therapy with P/S two days per week (15 patients) or with C if sulfonamide allergy was present (10 patients). No relapse was observed in those receiving P/S, but 40% of those treated with P/C relapsed. It was concluded that ET is a common opportunistic infection in the AIDS patients, that the treatment of the acute phase with P/S or with P/C is satisfactory, and that maintenance therapy with P/S two days per week may be effective to prevent relapses.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cardiac toxoplasmosis in pathology of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Four cases of myocarditis from toxoplasma gondii were observed at autopsy among 18 consecutive cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). All cases showed spotty inflammatory myocardial infiltration, consisting mainly of T lymphocytes and, to a lesser extent, of B lymphocytes, histiocytes, mastocytes and eosinophilic granulocytes, with presence of toxoplasma gondii in the cytoplasm of a few myocardial cells. The incidence of toxoplasmic myocarditis in heart involvement in AIDS was 22% in our cases, manifold higher than in preceding reports from the literature. This suggests that cardiac toxoplasmosis is far from rare in patients with AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

[Should immunologic monitoring of toxoplasmosis seronegative pregnant women stop at delivery?].

The authors report 2 cases of congenital toxoplasmosis fortuitously diagnosed in 2 newborn infants aged 12 and 35 days respectively whose mothers had no anti-Toxoplasma antibodies detectable at the time of birth. These cases prompted us to carry out, over an 18 months' period, a systematic postnatal control of all pregnant women who were still seronegative at the time of delivery. This enabled us to detect 4 cases of perinatal maternal infection with Toxoplasma contamination in 2 neonates. In view of these results, and in order not to miss any maternal infection at the very end of pregnancy, it seems advisable to complete the control of seronegative women by taking a last blood sample about 30 days after they have given birth.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[The use of commercial immunoenzyme kits for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis].

The results of comparative study of sera obtained from donors and from several groups of patients with suspected toxoplasmosis are presented. The study has been carried out with the use of commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kits: Toxoplasma gondii IgG EIA and Toxoplasma gondii IgM EIA manufactured by Labsystems (Finland), Sevatest ELISA IgG Toxo Micro I manufactured by Sevac (Czechoslovakia). Statistical processing of the results has confirmed the identity of these kits. The necessity of using evaluation criteria (the separation point, the scale for the interpretation of results) when working with the Sevac kits is emphasized. Comparative evaluation of antibody profiles in the sera under test suggests that the titer less than 1:1600 should be regarded as the separation point for these kits. IgM antibodies to T. gondii have been found only in 22% of patients with high titers of IgG antibodies.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

[Toxoplasmosis in the Central African Republic. Complementary study in a rural area].

The epidemiological survey on the incidence of toxoplasmosis in rural areas of Central African Republic was carried out on a healthy population. The 814 samples came from 5 regions with 4 different climates. About 40% of the adults had IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii except in pre-desert area where only 25% were positive. Girls became positive earlier than boys, but there was no difference between adult men and women except in pre-desert zone where men were more positive.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Comparative study of the Sabin-Feldman dye test and the indirect haemagglutination test in serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis.

200 women with history of abortion and 100 women with history of uneventful pregnancies were investigated serologically for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies using both the indirect haemagglutination test and the Sabin-Feldman dye test. Our results indicated a role for the first test in seroepidemiological surveys and for routine work. The second test may be reserved for cases with negative haemagglutination test in the presence of strong suspicion of toxoplasmosis.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1990

Histopathological studies of acute, chronic and congenital infections of toxoplasmosis in mice.

The histopathological picture of Toxoplasma gondü RH strain (virulent) and Beverley strain (a virulent) was experimentally studied in mice. Nearly all the internal organs and tissues showed pathological changes ranging between the mild congestion to the severe degeneration. However, the changes were more serious in mice infected with RH strain than those infected with Beverley strain. The lungs showed massive consolidation and severe congestion. The heart showed hyaline degeneration of a cardiac muscle fibers. Focal areas of necrosis were seen in the liver, spleen and kidneys which were enlarged as well as in the cerebral cortex of the brain. The bone marrow and skeletal muscles were infiltrated by mononuclear inflammatory cells. The eyes showed mononuclear inflammatory cells in the retina consisted mainly of lymphocytes and the photo receptors were damaged. In congenital toxoplasmosis the brain showed perivascular mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate as well as multiple areas of necrosis. Microglial nodules were sometimes seen. The eyes showed no pathological lesion.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Use of the ELISA immunoenzyme test and indirect immunofluorescence in the diagnosis of a toxoplasmosis epidemic].

Etiologic agent of lymphadenitis outbreak in one our military environment was detected by two serologic tests: ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and indirect immunofluorescence test (IIF) both specific for IgM and IgG antibody detection in toxoplasmosis diagnosis. IgM-ELISA analysis of the first serum sample taken from a group of 79 soldiers with lymphadenitis was positive in 65 examinees (82.28%) and IgG-IIF technique in 52 (65.82%). In a group of 33 soldiers from the same unit with no signs of the disease IgM-ELISA test was positive in 12 (36.36%) and IgM-IIF in 9 (27.27%). In a group of 40 officers from the unit with the disease outbreak specific IgM antibodies were found by both tests only in the head cook. IgM antibodies were not found in a control group of 102 healthy soldiers from other units of the same garrison. Results of this investigation thermal injury showed variations in immune response to infection in dependence on trauma effect duration (in dependence on the phase). In the early posttraumatic phase organism is capable to react effectively to the inoculated infective agent and in the late posttraumatic phase this reaction is much less effective. Authors conclude that these results may influence upon the thermal injury management strategy in dependence on the trauma effect duration.

Disease Outbreaks↗