Prevalence of IgG Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in Veterinary and Undergraduate Students at Virginia Tech,Blacksburg, Virginia

Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed parasitic protozoan that infects humans and other warm‐blooded vertebrates. Felids are the only definitive host for T. gondii, and they excrete oocysts in their faeces. The national prevalence in humans is declining in the United States. This zoonotic organism is of particular interest due to its importance in pregnant women, in individuals with altered immune systems, and in reactivated ocular infections. Exposure to the parasite in humans is usually associated with consumption of raw or undercooked meat or by accidental ingestion of oocysts. It was hypothesized that veterinary students would have a greater chance at exposure to the parasite than an average population of undergraduate students due to increased contact with cats who are infected. A commercially available ELISA was used to examine serum samples from 336 students (252 veterinary students and 84 undergraduate students) at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and the Virginia‐Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine for serum IgG antibodies to T. gondii antigen. The prevalence of T. gondii in these subjects was 5.6% in veterinary school students (n = 252) and 2.4% in undergraduates (n = 84). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies in veterinary versus undergraduate students. The overall prevalence of 4.8% in all students in this study reflects the continuing decline of antibodies to T. gondii in humans in the United States.     

Pathologic and immunohistochemical findings in an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of red kangaroos

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan pathogen that infects many endothermic vertebrates, including humans; the domestic cat and other felids serve as the definitive host. Macropodids are considered highly susceptible to toxoplasmosis. Here, we describe the clinical, pathologic, and immunohistochemical findings of an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of 11 red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), with high morbidity (73%) and mortality (100%) rates. Affected animals had either severe and rapidly deteriorating clinical conditions or sudden death, which was correlated with widespread necrotizing lesions in multiple organs and intralesional T. gondii organisms identified via MIC3-specific immunohistochemistry and confirmed by REP529-specific rtPCR. Quantification of parasites demonstrated the highest parasite density in pulmonary parenchyma compared with other tissues. Our study highlights the continued importance of this severe condition in Australian marsupials.     

弓形虫卵囊感染小鼠的急性期与慢性期的脑组织蛋白质组变化

弓形虫是一种呈世界性分布的机会性致病原虫,可引起致命性脑炎。人弓形虫病急性感染往往与弓形虫卵囊污染密切相关。探究弓形虫卵囊感染对宿主的致病机制和防控弓形虫病具有重要意义。因此,本研究利用iTRAQ技术,结合2D-LC-MS/MS分析弓形虫PRU虫株卵囊急、慢性感染小鼠后,其脑组织蛋白质的差异表达情况。结果表明,在急性感染期和慢性感染期小鼠脑组织中分别鉴定到85和51个差异表达的蛋白,而慢性感染期与急性感染期相比有114个蛋白差异表达。对差异表达蛋白进行功能分析发现其主要涉及到免疫、代谢过程等通路。本研究结果为进一步阐明弓形虫卵囊急慢性感染引起宿主脑组织损伤及致病机制提供了重要的数据。     

Serological Survey of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in the Domestic Goose (Anser domestica) in Southern China

In the present study, the antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in 191 farm‐bred and 83 house‐bred geese (Anser domestica) were assessed for the prevalence of T. gondii infection in southern China with the modified agglutination test. Antibodies to T. gondii (MAT ≥ 1 : 5) were found in 27 (14.14%) of farm‐bred geese and 14 (16.87%) of house‐bred geese. Geese infected with T. gondii may be a source of T. gondii infection for humans and cats.     

Assessment of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay based diagnostic kits (Toxokit-G and Toxokit-M) for the detection of IgG and IgM antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in human serum

An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using penicillinase was developed in the form of diagnostic kits (Toxokit-G and Toxokit-M) for the detection of IgG and IgM antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. The performance of both the kits was compared with commercially available diagnostic kits, i.e. Enzygnost-Toxoplasmosis/IgG (Behring Co., Germany), TOXOTEK-G (Flow Lab., U.K.) and Toxoplasma IgM Microassay (Diamedix Corp., U.S.A.) by testing toxoplasma-suspected human serum samples. The results indicate a good reliability between these diagnostic kits. Toxokit-G has 86.66 and 96.05% sensitivity and specificity respectively. The main advantage of Toxokit-G is that the end result can be assessed visually without using sophisticated instruments. Toxokit-M has 100% sensitivity and specificity and test results were not affected by the presence of antitoxoplasma IgG antibodies, rheumatoid factor or antinuclear antibodies.     

几种不同免疫程序制备抗弓形虫高免血清的比较

用弓形虫血清抗体阴性的健康家兔,以4种不同的免疫程序皮下接种弓形虫速殖子裂解抗原制备高免血清.研究结果表明,先以完全弗氏佐剂和不完全弗氏佐剂分别进行一免和二免,然后再以抗原进行三免或四免制备高免血清,其抗体效价高达1:4096(IHA),与每次都使用抗原的传统免疫程序制备的抗体效价相当,但所用抗原剂量减半,该法优于另外2种免疫程序.     

弓形虫ROP2基因在大肠杆菌内高效表达条件的优化

采用SDS-PAGE方法检测弓形虫(Toxoplasma gondii)棒状体蛋白(Rhoptry protein)ROP2基因原核表达质粒在大肠杆菌BL21Codon Plus中的表达量。通过改变菌体密度、诱导剂浓度和诱导时间进行高效表达条件的优化。结果显示,在菌体密度D600nm为0·6、IPTG浓度为0·4mmol·L-1和诱导表达3.5h时,融合蛋白的表达量最大,达到159mg·L-1培养液。这为利用重组ROP2研究和制备弓形虫病的诊断抗原奠定基础。     

血清法监测人工感染弓形虫病猪特异抗体的比较

应用ELISA、LAT、IHA血清试验对8头人工感染弓形虫猪的血清抗体滴度变化规律进行了监测,并对不同检测方法的结果进行了比较.结果发现,试验猪在皮下感染弓形虫RH株速殖子后,血清中的特异性抗体首次检出的时间方面,LAT(第4 d)早于ELISA(第14 d)和IHA(第20 d);检出持续时间方面,LAT(54 d)长于ELISA(44 d)和IHA(19 d);平均检出率方面,LAT(7/8)高于ELISA(6.7/8)和IHA(5/8).试验结果表明,ELISA和LAT适合于猪弓形虫病的诊断和血清学调查,LAT更适合于猪弓形虫病的早期检测.