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Results for “TOXOPLASMOSIS, CONGENITAL”

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PubMed2001

[Mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) and Toxoplasma gondii host cell invasion].

Toxoplasmosis is still a big concern in Public Health in France, regarding two particular aspects: congenital toxoplasmosis and reactivated toxoplasmosis in immunodeficient patients. Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite, that can invade almost all nucleated cells. The invasion step has been widely studied, but its accurate mechanism and the cell receptor remain largely unknown. In this work, we have attempted to investigate the role of kinases and signal transduction in the host cell penetration. We characterized mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). in the parasite itself by immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, and determination of enzymatic activity. In particular, we identified two proteins of 43 and 47 kDa, that could be homologues of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), i.e. ERK2 and ERK1, respectively. These parasite MAPK are activated by calcium and phorbolmyristyl acetate and inhibited by RO 31-8220, suggesting an activation through protein kinases C (PKC). Indeed the MAPK kinase (= MEK) inhibitor PD98059 inhibits the activation of parasite MAPK, suggesting that a MEK homologue could be responsible for the dual phosphorylation of MAPK on tyrosine and threonine residues, necessary for their activation. Finally, we demonstrated that activation or inhibition of parasite MAPK by preincubation of parasites with various activators or inhibitors led to an increased or reduced host cell invasion in vitro by parasites, respectively. All these results are in favour of a role of ERK-type parasite kinases in T. gondii infectivity in vitro.

Animals↗

PubMed1977

Toxoplasmic chorioretinitis affecting the macula.

To study macular changes in toxoplasmic chorioretinitis 41 patients with ocular toxoplasmosis were reviewed. Of the 41 patients, seven had central, large, deep, pigment ringed scars of congenital toxoplasmosis with poor central vision; squint was seen in two and nystagmus in two; 32, including 11 cases with a macular lesion, had recurrent active toxoplasmic chorioretinitis with a focal, yellowish-white, elevated lesion with indistinct borders mostly at the margin of an old scar and associated with vitreous opacities in all, secondary anterior uveitis in 28, macular oedema in 22, papilloedema in 14, and retinal perivasculitis in 16 cases; two had rare acquired toxoplasmic chorioretinitis affecting the macula. The results show that active toxoplasmic chorioretinitis often causes a widespread intraocular inflammation with vitritis, macular oedema, papilloedema, retinal perivasculitis and secondary anterior uveitis, and suggest a combined treatment of active lesions with antimicrobial agents and corticosteroids.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1977

The ocular manifestations of congenital infections produced by toxoplasma and cytomegalovirus.

Chorioretinitis is the most common ocular manifestation of congenital toxoplasmosis occurring in both symptomatic and the more freqeunt subclinical form of the disease. Chorioretinitis also occurs in symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) but not in the subclinical form of this congenital congenital infection. Diagnosis cannot be made from ocular signs alone. Knowledge of the epidemiology of both congenital infections along with information about the postnatal history will assist in the differentiation.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

[Cell-host-parasite interactions: biodiversity, pathogenesis, environment].

The apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular parasite, can infect humans and a wide range of vertebrates leading to toxoplasmosis. This generally benign affection can causes severe life-threatening disease, particularly in immunocompromised patients and in children with congenital toxoplasmosis. Our research team works on cell-host-parasite interactions by studying biodiversity, pathogenic mechanisms and environment. We search to identify prognostic factors of disease and markers of resistance. This project is an integral part of our Research Institute (IFR53) which receives support from the Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center for constituting a bank of well characterized toxoplasma isolates for genotyping, clinical and epidemiological data. The involvement of metalloproteinases implicated during monocytic cell invasion and identification of ABC transporter proteins in T. gondii, factors implicated in resistance, need to be explored.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

[New views on the pathogenesis and diagnosis of toxoplasmosis].

T. gondii is one of the most occurring human pathogenic parasites in Europe. While the majority of immunocompetent individuals with T. gondii infection do not present clinical symptoms, congenital toxoplasmosis and reactivation of a latent infection in immunocompromised patients (i. e. patients with AIDS) are of high clinical relevance. A classification of T. gondii isolates is not available so far, although it was possible to demonstrate strain differences by the use of several methods, i. e. by using monoclonal antibodies. T. gondii seems to be able to infect any mammalian cell. Host cell-derived as well as parasite-derived factors seem to be important for the contact between host cell and parasite and the subsequent internalization. Following invasion, T. gondii is located within a parasitophorous vacuole that does not fuse with lysosomes. The multiplication rate of these obligately intracellular growing parasites decreases during conversion from the tachyzoite stage to the bradyzoite stage. Finally, the bradyzoites-harbouring cysts persist for the lifetime of the host. Reconversion from bradyzoites to tachyzoites may occur in immunocompromised patients. Probably, IFN-gamma is involved in this process. In addition to serological methods, direct detection of T. gondii using PCR or demonstration of circulating antigens might be routinely used as diagnostical tools in the future. Determination of specific IgA antibodies, which can be evaluated using the immunoblot technique, seem to be important for early serological diagnosis. The use of recombinant antigens might be helpful in future diagnosis to circumvent discrepancies between serological test results which could have resulted from strain-specific differences.

Animals↗

PubMed1979

Two forms of encephalitis in opportunistic toxoplasmosis.

Two adult patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy experienced toxoplasma cerebritis. In one, the brain findings were typical of this form of the disease in adults, but the clinical features and brain lesions of the other were atypical, and had some resemblance to those seen in congenital toxoplasmosis. It is suggested that two patterns of encephalitis can occur in opportunistic toxoplasma infections, a common form with random foci of gland necrosis associated with numerous intracerebral organisms, and another with vascular lesions and periventricular necrosis. The latter has morphologic features in common with congenital encephalitis, and may also have a similar pathogenesis.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Capture immunoassay for the detection of human IgG against Toxoplasma gondii protein P30].

Toxoplasmosis is a widely distributed disease with prevalence rates ranging between 40 and 80% in different parts of the world. The diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis constitutes a health problem since intra-uterine infection can lead to undesirable effects on the fetus. Immunoenzymatic methods are the techniques of choice for the serologic diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. The present paper describes an indirect sandwich ELISA with the murine anti-P30, the main surface antigen of Toxoplasma gondii, monoclonal antibody as the first antibody fixed to the polystyrene 96 wells plate for the capture of P30 molecule from T. gondii extracts and to detect the presence of human anti-P30 IgG. Serum samples from 42 pregnant women were studied and compared to results obtained with a commercial kit (Plastelia Toxo IgG, Institute Pasteur, Lille, France) for the same purpose, in which 83.4% of the serum samples were positives. Our results demonstrated a significant correlation (p < 0.001; r = 0.84) with those obtained with the commercial kit. We conclude that the IgG anti-P30 method should be very useful for screening of seroconversion in pregnant women not sensitized by T. gondii and to evaluate epidemiologically the prevalence rate infection by this parasite which can cause and transmit this disease subclinically.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

[Potential risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in cases with recently acquired toxoplasmosis].

Investigation of potential risk factors for T. gondii infection was performed in 31 cases with a recently acquired toxoplasmosis in comparison with 34 seronegative patients as a control group. Epidemiological study was performed according to a questionnaire elaborated by European Research Network on Congenital Toxoplasmosis. Essential risk factors for toxoplasmosis in examined population were: consumption of raw pork (p < 0.00001), raw meat tasting during meal preparation (p < 0.00001), eating salami (p = 0.03), professional contact with meat (p = 0.02) and drinking milk (p = 0.02) or untreated water (p = 0.01). In seronegative controls more common were university education (p = 0.001), washing hands after handling raw meat (p = 0.04) and washing fruit and vegetables (p = 0.03).

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Seroepidemiological study of toxoplasmosis in different sections of population of Union Territory of Chandigarh.

Infections with Toxoplasma gondii in humans are usually asymptomatic or in the form of mild febrile illness. Primary infection in pregnant women may result in congenital toxoplasmosis while infection in immunocompromised subjects like AIDS patients may cause potentially fatal toxoplasma encephalitis. In India, only a few studies in hospital based patients have shown prevalence of toxoplasmosis to be between 1.5 and 21%. No field study involving general population is available. The present study investigates the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in subjects from rural, urban and urban slum populations of Union Territory, Chandigarh. Serum samples from 500 subjects from each group were collected and antitoxoplasma IgM and IgG was detected by conventional micro ELISA technique using soluble Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoite antigen. Overall 5.4% subjects were positive for IgM while 4.66% showed IgG antitoxoplasma antibodies. Amongst the three groups, significantly higher number of subjects in slum area (7.8%) showed IgM antibodies as compared to urban and rural areas (4.2% each). There was no significant difference in IgG positivity between three study areas. Prevalence of T. gondii specific IgG antibodies was significantly higher amongst females of both slum (7.31%) and rural area (8.44%) as compared to the males (2.85% and 3.27% respectively) in the same areas (p<0.05) and also to females of the urban area (2.98%, p<0.05). Prevalence of IgM antibodies was significantly higher (p<0.05) in females in the slum area (10.5%) as compared to females in the urban area (2.55%). In both urban and slum areas, highest IgM seropositivity was observed in age group 6-12 years (10% and 13.3% respectively), while in the rural area the highest IgM seropositivity was seen in the age group > or = 5 years (17.7%). These data indicate that majority of children are exposed to toxoplasma before 12 years of age and particularly in rural areas higher number of subjects acquire Toxoplasma gondii infection early in childhood probably as a result of higher exposure due to farming, poor hygiene and handling of animals.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Current status of food-borne parasitic zoonoses in Singapore.

Parasitic infections adopt a rather low profile in the highly urbanized setting in Singapore. Very few food-borne parasitic infections are encountered. Apart from a few reports of infections with Clonorchis/Opisthorchis, Taenia spp. and hydatid disease, there are no other citations of such helminthic infections. Seroprevalence surveys have shown the presence of toxoplasmosis in local meat animals (sheep, pigs and cattle) and Toxoplasma strains have been isolated from the pig, tree shrew (Tupaia glis), slow loris (Nycticebus coucang) and guinea pigs. Human toxoplasmosis is prevalent in Singapore. Anti-Toxoplasma antibodies are found in the normal population as well as in clinical cases (cervical lymphadenopathy, ocular disease and congenital toxoplasmosis). Carcasses/organs from meat animals (sheep, pigs, cattle) slaughtered at local abattoirs were examined for parasites. The main parasites found were Ascaris suum, Dictyocaulus, Metastrongylus, Cysticercus ovis, Fasciola hepatica and Sarcocystis spp. Pigs were also examined for trichinosis and, thus far, these have all been negative.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Toxoplasmosis in England and Wales 1981 to 1992.

We have examined laboratory reports of toxoplasmosis received by the PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre between January 1981 and December 1992 in order to describe epidemiological trends in the three main clinical manifestations of toxoplasmosis-lymphadenopathy, eye disease, and neurological disease; and the two most important risk groups-fetuses and people whose immunity is impaired. The total numbers of reports each year did not change significantly between 1981 and 1992 and were similar to the numbers between 1976 and 1980, but different trends emerged in each subgroup. Reports of acute lymphadenopathic toxoplasmosis declined in children and young adults and eye disease associated with toxoplasmosis fell markedly in all age groups. Reports of neurological disease and severe toxoplasmosis complicating impaired immunity, due mainly to HIV infection or transplant surgery, rose. Reports of infections diagnosed in pregnancy rose steeply in the late 1980s although reports of congenital toxoplasmosis were no more common than in 1975 to 1980. Reports of acute toxoplasmosis came mainly from southern England. The emergence of these diverse trends from apparently unchanging totals emphasises the importance of surveillance systems capable of discrimination.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Toxoplasmosis in a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: the need for a good differential diagnosis.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis. Congenital and acquired forms of the disease have now been reported. In immunocompromised patients, the disease entity may resemble other diseases. Presented for discussion is an interesting case of acquired toxoplasmosis in an immunocompromised patient with several confounding factors necessitating a good differential diagnosis list. Also provided is a comprehensive review of toxoplasmosis diagnosis and management.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1979

[Current zoonoses from the food hygiene point of view (author's transl)].

Of the numerous zoonoses part of which are reportable, according to the Federal Communicable Diseases Act, the food hygienist attributes topicality at present to salmonellosis, brucellosis, toxoplasmosis, taeniasis (T. saginata), trichinellosis, and sarcosporidiosis. In salmonellosis, combating is directed to breeding and keeping of Salmonella-free flocks, poultry offering favourable conditions for this purpose. Moreover, one tries to decontaminate feeds through certain pelleting machines with the aid of friction heat or by admixing propionic acid. In brucellosis, the possibility of infection by tourism, but also that through ingestion of imported dairy products (like soft cheese) play a certain role. Instruction of tourists and advising foreign labour from endemic areas are essential contributions to combating. Another important infection source of toxoplasmosis is infected raw pig meat. As the agent does not survive freezing temperatures under certain conditions, the decontamination procedure is particularly suitable. In pregnancy advising, the role of raw pig meat for development of congenital toxoplasmosis should be clearly explained. In trichinellosis, apart from the traditional examination by the trichinoscope, the modified digestion procedure using pepsin as a digestive fluid was successful. Moreover, it is suitable for detecting weakly infected swine. The importance of systematic examinations of all domestic and wild pigs became evident only recently in 1977, when in Bavaria an epidemic of trichinellosis occurred following the ingestion of undetected Trichinella containing wild pig meat. According to most recent knowledge on the cycle of development of sarcosporidia, the studies showed that the species Sarc. bovihominis and suihominis were pathogens for human beings. Quite apart from necessary supplementary examinations, the freezing procedure would here too, warrant an effective protection for the raw meat consuming population.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

[Toxoplasmosis and rubella in Moroccan women. Results of a serological survey].

A prospective sero-immunological enquiry of the rubella and toxoplasmosis immune status of 200 pregnant women in Casablanca (Morocco) revealed that 66,5% are immune to rubella and 51,5% are immune to toxoplasmosis. A study of the relation between the immune status and age shows that serum conversion takes place most frequently between the ages of 21 and 25. 7 women had high levels of anti-toxoplasmosis antibodies. The authors compare their results with those obtained in other regions of Morocco and in other countries. They also present a range of epidemiological and technical correlations. They conclude that the prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis and rubella must be integrated into a national programme of mother-and-child protection, notably by means of obligatory prenatal serological tests and the continued monitoring of those women who are not immune.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in Korean pregnant women.

This study was performed in order to evaluate the sero-epidemiological status of toxoplasmosis in pregnant Korean women. Among 5,175 sera and 750 amniotic fluid samples obtained from pregnant women, 41 serum samples (0.79%) and 10 (1.33%) amniotic fluid samples tested positive for IgG antibodies by ELISA. Fifty one cases showing a score more than 0.25 on ELISA were tested for PCR reaction against the SAG1 gene. Only one case of the 51 ELISA positive cases exhibited a positive reaction on all tests. This case had a history of acute nephropyelitis during early pregnancy, but fortunately, had delivered a phenotypically healthy baby. In this study, the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women was found to be comparatively low, consistent with previous reports from Korea. However our trials, performed with a variety of diagnostic tools, were considered to be useful for the precise diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Prenatal toxoplasmosis diagnosis from amniotic fluid by PCR.

Toxoplasmosis is one of the most common infections all over the world. Most cases are asymptomatic, except in immunosuppressed individuals and fetuses, which can be seriously damaged. Prenatal diagnosis should be made as soon as possible since treatment of the mother can minimize fetal sequelae. Our aim in this study was to test the polymerase chain reaction technique (PCR) in 86 samples of amniotic fluid from women who seroconverted during pregnancy. DNA was amplified using external primers and, in a second step, internal primers, in a nested PCR system. Samples were also inoculated into mice and the newborn were evaluated by T. gondii serology, skull x-ray, transfontanel ultrasound, fundoscopic examination, lumbar puncture and clinical examination. PCR was positive in seven cases and negative in 79. Among PCR-positive cases, two were negative by inoculation into mice and by clinical evaluation; among PCR-negative ones, three had clinical evidence of toxoplasmosis and one was positive after inoculation into mice. PCR showed values of sensitivity = 62.5% and specificity = 97.4%; the values of inoculation into mice where 42.9% and 100%, respectively. Although PCR should not be used alone for prenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis, it is a promising method and deserves more studies to improve its efficacy.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

[Segmental retinal arteritis and retinochorioiditis].

Acute ocular toxoplasmosis is characterized by a focal retinochoroidal infiltrate, often appearing in the immediate vicinity of an old retinochoroidal scar (satellite lesion). There are atypical forms of ocular toxoplasmosis, including retinal granulomas, intraretinal and subretinal neovascularization, preretinal gliosis and retinal detachment. In rare instances, associated immunological phenomena, i.e. concomitant vasculitis and perivasculitis, have been described. We report on a 28-year-old male patient presenting with signs of congenital toxoplasmosis with intracerebral calcifications and internal hydrocephalus (Whytt's disease). Ocular manifestations included an acute retinochoroidal infiltrate adjacent to a retinochoroidal scar and segmental retinal periarteritis. All arterioles were involved, but there was no inflammation of the venules. Fluorescein angiography revealed filling irregularities of the vessel segments involved. Like a tubercular patient with segmental periarteritis reported on as long ago as 1939, our patient had undergone treatment for active tuberculosis of the lung 6 years earlier. Considering the fact that segmental periarteritis without concomitant periphlebitis is very rarely seen, the coincidence of acute toxoplasmosis and previous tuberculosis suggests a complex immunological etiology of retinal vasculitis. This assumption may be supported by the fact that a combined systemic treatment with pyrimethamine, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole and prednisolone reduced the retinochoroidal inflammation and periarterial infiltrates.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

[Ocular manifestation of toxoplasmosis in children].

The paper presents contemporary opinions on toxoplasmosis infection in the children, commonest form of posterior uveitis. Different clinical forms of ocular affection, current by available diagnostic methods, possible therapeutic approaches, their indications and contraindications, are analyzed. Risk of transplacentar infection and therapy of affected women are emphasized with the purpose of congenital toxoplasmosis prevention. (Fig. 2, Ref. 6.)

Child↗