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Microbiology Spectrum May 2024, which causes toxoplasmosis, is prevalent in warm-blooded animals, such as cats, dogs, and humans. causes economic losses to livestock production and represents a...
UNLABELLED
, which causes toxoplasmosis, is prevalent in warm-blooded animals, such as cats, dogs, and humans. causes economic losses to livestock production and represents a potential risk to public health. Dogs and cats are common hosts in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis. The current molecular diagnostic tools for infection require high technical skills, a laboratory environment, and complex instruments. Herein, we developed a recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA)-clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 12a (Cas12a) assay to detect . The lowest limit of detection of the assay was 31 copies/μL for the gene. In addition, we established a visual RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a lateral flow band assay (RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a-LFA) combined with a digital visualization instrument, which minimized the problem of false-negative results for weakly positive samples and avoided misinterpretation of the results by the naked eye, making the LFA assay results more accurate. The assay established in this study could identify within 55 min with high accuracy and sensitivity, without cross-reaction with other tested parasites. The developed assay was validated by establishing a mouse model of toxoplasmosis. Finally, the developed assay was used to investigate the prevalence of in stray cats and dogs in Zhejiang province, Eastern China. The positive rates of infection in stray cats and dogs were 8.0% and 4.0%, respectively. In conclusion, the RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a-LFA is rapid, sensitive, and accurate for the early diagnosis of , showing promise for on-site surveillance.
IMPORTANCE
is a virulent pathogen that puts millions of infected people at risk of chronic disease reactivation. Hosts of are distributed worldwide, and cats and dogs are common hosts of . Therefore, rapid diagnosis of early infection and investigation of its prevalence in stray dogs and cats are essential. Here, we established a visual recombinase polymerase amplification-clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 12a-assay combined with a lateral flow band assay and a digital visualization instrument. Detailed analyses found that the assay could be used for the early diagnosis of without false-negative results. Moreover, we detected the prevalence of in stray cats and dogs in Zhejiang province, China. Our developed assay provides technical support for the early diagnosis of and could be applied in prevalence surveys of in stray dogs and cats.
PubMed: 38809001
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03998-23 -
Journal of Research in Medical Sciences... 2024Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is prone to opportunistic infections, including toxoplasmosis, due to an immunodeficiency system. This study aimed to evaluate the serum...
BACKGROUND
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is prone to opportunistic infections, including toxoplasmosis, due to an immunodeficiency system. This study aimed to evaluate the serum of people with T2DM to determine the titer of anti-toxoplasma antibodies in patients and compare it with the control group.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
720 blood samples have been carried out between October and the end of January 2017 in Sistan, and Baluchestan provinces in southeastern Iran, of these, 360 samples were related to healthy individuals (control), and 360 samples were related to T2DM individuals. The immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods have been used to detect toxoplasmosis. The data were analyzed using SPSS-19, Chi-square, and Fisher's exact test to compare statistical parameters.
RESULTS
In this cross-sectional study, out of 360 samples of T2DM by ELISA method, 60% samples in diabetic patients and 48.1% in control group were IgG positive ( < 0.05). Nearly 2.5% samples in diabetic patients and 0.3% in control group were IgM positive ( < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
Anti-toxoplasma antibodies including IgG and IgM were higher in diabetic patient in comparison to control group.
PubMed: 38808216
DOI: 10.4103/jrms.jrms_49_23 -
Italian Journal of Food Safety May 2024Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan zoonotic infection that has significant effects on public health and causes economic losses in the livestock industry. The current study...
Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan zoonotic infection that has significant effects on public health and causes economic losses in the livestock industry. The current study was designed to detect the parasite in sheep blood samples and tissue samples of slaughtered sheep at the Sulaimani abattoir using molecular technique. A total of 300 peripheral sheep blood samples were randomly collected from 20 small ruminant flocks at 4 locations in the Sulaymaniyah province, northern Iraq. Also, 150 meat samples from thigh muscle, heart, and diaphragm were collected from slaughtered sheep. All collected blood samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification to confirm infection; in addition, meat samples were also analyzed for by PCR following the digestion process. Of the 300 amplified blood samples, 94 were considered positive for , with a prevalence rate of 31.3%. The overall prevalence of among meat samples was 34%. The diaphragm reported a higher infection rate (46%) than the heart (32%), while the femoral muscle reported an infection rate of 24%. Aged animals (older than 24 months) presented a higher infection rate (32.8%) than younger animals (28.9%). Contact with or consumption of uncooked meat from infected sheep increases the chance of parasite transmission to humans.
PubMed: 38807739
DOI: 10.4081/ijfs.2024.12257 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases May 2024Congenital toxoplasmosis is a treatable, preventable disease, but untreated causes death, prematurity, loss of sight, cognition and motor function, and substantial costs...
BACKGROUND
Congenital toxoplasmosis is a treatable, preventable disease, but untreated causes death, prematurity, loss of sight, cognition and motor function, and substantial costs worldwide.
OBJECTIVES
We asked whether high performance of an Immunochromatographic-test (ICT) could enable accurate, rapid diagnosis/treatment, establishing new, improved care-paradigms at point-of-care and clinical laboratory.
METHODS
Data were obtained in 12 studies/analyses addressing: 1-feasibility/efficacy; 2-false-positives; 3-acceptability; 4-pink/black-line/all studies; 5-time/cost; 6-Quick-Information/Limit-of-detection; 7, 8-acute;-chronic; 9-epidemiology; 10-ADBio; 11,12-Commentary/Cases/Chronology.
FINDINGS
ICT was compared with gold-standard or predicate-tests. Overall, ICT performance for 1093 blood/4967 sera was 99.2%/97.5% sensitive and 99.0%/99.7% specific. However, in clinical trial, FDA-cleared-predicate tests initially caused practical, costly problems due to false-positive-IgM results. For 58 persons, 3/43 seronegative and 2/15 chronically infected persons had false positive IgM predicate tests. This caused substantial anxiety, concerns, and required costly, delayed confirmation in reference centers. Absence of false positive ICT results contributes to solutions: Lyon and Paris France and USA Reference laboratories frequently receive sera with erroneously positive local laboratory IgM results impeding patient care. Therefore, thirty-two such sera referred to Lyon's Reference laboratory were ICT-tested. We collated these with other earlier/ongoing results: 132 of 137 USA or French persons had false-positive local laboratory IgM results identified correctly as negative by ICT. Five false positive ICT results in Tunisia and Marseille, France, emphasize need to confirm positive ICT results with Sabin-Feldman-Dye-test or western blot. Separate studies demonstrated high performance in detecting acute infections, meeting FDA, CLIA, WHO REASSURED, CEMark criteria and patient and physician satisfaction with monthly-gestational-ICT-screening.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE
This novel paradigm using ICT identifies likely false positives or raises suspicion that a result is truly positive, rapidly needing prompt follow up and treatment. Thus, ICT enables well-accepted gestational screening programs that facilitate rapid treatment saving lives, sight, cognition and motor function. This reduces anxiety, delays, work, and cost at point-of-care and clinical laboratories.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
NCT04474132, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04474132 ClinicalTrials.gov.
Topics: Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Pregnancy; Antibodies, Protozoan; False Positive Reactions; Immunoglobulin M; Prenatal Diagnosis; Sensitivity and Specificity; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasmosis, Congenital
PubMed: 38805559
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011335 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology Jun 2024A 33-year-old male presented with unilateral painless vision loss with a history of sub-tenon steroid for the same. The fundus showed an elevated focus of...
A 33-year-old male presented with unilateral painless vision loss with a history of sub-tenon steroid for the same. The fundus showed an elevated focus of retinochoroiditis with vitritis. On investigating for the cause, polymerase chain reaction test on the anterior chamber tap was found to be positive for Toxoplasma. Such confusing and atypical cases usually produce a clinical dilemma and should be managed in a stepwise manner. Ancillary investigations usually provide a clue to the clinician and should be performed without any hesitation.
Topics: Humans; Male; Adult; Toxoplasmosis, Ocular; Toxoplasma; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Chorioretinitis; Fundus Oculi; Eye Infections, Parasitic; DNA, Protozoan; Diagnosis, Differential; Fluorescein Angiography
PubMed: 38804796
DOI: 10.4103/IJO.IJO_3341_23 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) is an intraocular infection caused by the parasite OT is manifested as retinal choroiditis and is the most common infectious cause of... (Review)
Review
Ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) is an intraocular infection caused by the parasite OT is manifested as retinal choroiditis and is the most common infectious cause of posterior uveitis. Invasion of the retina by leads to disruption of the blood-ocular barrier and promotes the migration of immune cells to the ocular tissues. Cytokines such as IFN-γ and IL-1β are effective for controlling parasite growth, but excessive inflammatory responses can cause damage to the host. In this review, we will discuss in detail the latest advances in the immunopathology and treatment of OT.
Topics: Humans; Toxoplasmosis, Ocular; Toxoplasma; Animals; Cytokines
PubMed: 38799473
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1403025 -
Veterinary World Apr 2024and , the zoonotic protozoa responsible for toxoplasmosis and trypanosomiasis, are significant threats to the productivity and financial stability of livestock farming....
BACKGROUND AND AIM
and , the zoonotic protozoa responsible for toxoplasmosis and trypanosomiasis, are significant threats to the productivity and financial stability of livestock farming. can be transmitted horizontally through ingestion of fecal oocysts and through arthropod vectors. In addition, both species can be transmitted from mother to fetus through the placenta. This study aimed to assess the molecular prevalence of and transplacental-transmitted protozoans and to identify the epidemiological risk factors in recently calved female cattle across Phayao, Thailand.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We collected 106 bovine placentas from beef and dairy cow full-term pregnancies in Phayao, Thailand. and DNA were detected using targeted B1 gene and expression site-associated gene (ESAG) species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively.
RESULTS
Forty-three placentas were positive for B1 PCR, whereas only one was positive for ESAG PCR, resulting in an overall prevalence of transplacental-transmitted protozoan infection of 41.5% (44/106). The prevalence of and was 40.6% (43/106) and 0.9% (1/106), respectively. No significant correlation was found between infection and various risk factors, including locality, age, and cattle type.
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of transplacental-transmitted protozoan infection was high among female cattle in Phayao, Thailand, whereas the prevalence of infection was notably lower. Although the conventional modes of transmission differ between these two parasites, the transplacental transmission of and especially may play a crucial role in the persistence of these protozoan species in this area.
PubMed: 38798300
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2024.756-762 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024is an intracellular parasite that is important in medicine and veterinary science and undergoes distinct developmental transitions in its intermediate and definitive...
is an intracellular parasite that is important in medicine and veterinary science and undergoes distinct developmental transitions in its intermediate and definitive hosts. The switch between stages of is meticulously regulated by a variety of factors. Previous studies have explored the role of the microrchidia (MORC) protein complex as a transcriptional suppressor of sexual commitment. By utilizing immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, constituents of this protein complex have been identified, including MORC, Histone Deacetylase 3 (HDAC3), and several ApiAP2 transcription factors. Conditional knockout of MORC or inhibition of HDAC3 results in upregulation of a set of genes associated with schizogony and sexual stages in tachyzoites. Here, our focus extends to two primary ApiAP2s (AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2), demonstrating their significant impact on the fitness of asexual tachyzoites and their target genes. Notably, the targeted disruption of AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2 resulted in a profound alteration in merozoite-specific genes targeted by the MORC-HDAC3 complex. Additionally, considerable overlap was observed in downstream gene profiles between AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2, with AP2XII-1 specifically binding to a subset of ApiAP2 transcription factors, including AP2XI-2. These findings reveal an intricate cascade of ApiAP2 regulatory networks involved in schizogony development, orchestrated by AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2. This study provides valuable insights into the transcriptional regulation of growth and development, shedding light on the intricate life cycle of this parasitic pathogen.
Topics: Toxoplasma; Protozoan Proteins; Histone Deacetylases; Animals; Gene Expression Regulation; Toxoplasmosis
PubMed: 38791568
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105527 -
Biomedicines May 2024The protozoan parasite, , has been linked to several psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of IgG...
The protozoan parasite, , has been linked to several psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of IgG antibodies and risk factors associated with seroprevalence in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. This seroepidemiological study assessed 196 participants, divided into two groups. The study group consisted of 98 schizophrenic patients and was matched with 98 healthy blood donors. A questionnaire was used to gather information regarding potential risk factors associated with T. gondii seroprevalence. Results revealed a higher seroprevalence of IgG antibodies in schizophrenic patients (69.39%, 68/98) when compared to healthy controls (51.02%, 50/98) (OR: 2.18; 95% CI: 1.21-3.9; = 0.01). Patients with schizophrenia who consumed raw or undercooked meat (80.65%, 25/31) (OR: 3.75; 95% CI: 1.25-11.21, = 0.02) and those with a lower educational level (77.59%, 45/58) (OR: 3.5; 95% CI: 1.59-7.54, = 0.002) presented increased seropositivity rates versus their control counterparts. Our findings indicate a high IgG seroprevalence in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia compared to healthy blood donors. Factors associated with seroprevalence were consumption of raw or uncooked meat and a lower educational attainment. This study provided the first data regarding the potential risk factors for toxoplasmosis in Romanian patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and may serve as a foundation for future research and the development of preventive strategies.
PubMed: 38790960
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12050998 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024This study aims to screen for IgG antibodies against () in the sera of 155 newly diagnosed Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive patients under surveillance in...
This study aims to screen for IgG antibodies against () in the sera of 155 newly diagnosed Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive patients under surveillance in Greek Infectious Disease Units. Additionally, risk factors based on patient demographics were examined, and a comparative evaluation of commercially available serological methods was conducted. Three methods were employed to detect IgG antibodies against : Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), Indirect Immunofluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT), and Western Blot (WB), which was used as a reference here. Forty-nine sera samples were true-positive for IgG antibodies against , resulting in a 31.61% positivity rate, and the immunoassay test statistical reliability analysis resulted in higher IFAT accuracy (90.97%) compared to ELISA (76.26%). Furthermore, statistical analysis of demographic and immunological data included in the study placed female and foreign/non-Greek individuals at 2.24 ( = 0.0009) and 2.34 ( = 0.0006) times higher risk of positive IgG testing compared to their male and Greek counterparts, respectively. Our findings on positivity rates and comparative serology underscore the importance of early and suitable screening measures for newly diagnosed HIV+ patients to mitigate the life-threatening outcomes that may arise from a potential subsequent activation.
PubMed: 38787227
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13050375