Publications

evolutionary repurposing of endosomal systems for apical organelle biogenesis in toxoplasma gondii.	it is very difficult to define an endocytic system in toxoplasma gondii. the parasite does not appear to take up exogenous materials via classical endocytosis. the presence of rab5 and rab7, classical markers of endocytic compartments, and their decoration of endomembranous structures suggest, however, that an endosomal-like system may operate. additionally, new findings reveal that dynamin and the transmembrane type-i receptor sortilin are involved in the biogenesis of t. gondii micronemes and ...	2014	24211609
morphometric changes in c57bl/6 mice retina infected by toxoplasma gondii me 49 strain.	this study evaluated the morphometric implications in c57bl/6 mouse retina infected by toxoplasma gondii, me 49 strain. twenty c57bl/6 female mice were divided into group 1 (n=8, intraperitoneally infected with 30 cysts of t. gondii me 49 strain) and group 2 (n=12 non-infected controls). the eyes were enucleated on the 60th day after infection, fixed and processed for light microscopy. changes in retinal thickness and in the perimeter/area ratio (p/a) of the retinal layers were analyzed by digit ...	2014	24211418
new clinical and experimental insights into old world and neotropical ocular toxoplasmosis.	retinal lesions or other ocular manifestations are serious consequences of infection with the protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii. whilst classically considered a consequence of congenital transmission, recent screening studies estimated that 2% of t. gondii seropositive persons in europe and north america have retinal lesions, most of them persisting unnoticed. the situation is more dramatic in south america, probably due to the predominance of virulent strains. some of these strains seem to e ...	2014	24200675
gcn2-like eif2α kinase manages the amino acid starvation response in toxoplasma gondii.	the apicomplexan protozoan toxoplasma gondii is a significant human and veterinary pathogen. as an obligate intracellular parasite, toxoplasma depends on nutrients provided by the host cell and needs to adapt to limitations in available resources. in mammalian cells, translational regulation via gcn2 phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eif2α) is a key mechanism for adapting to nutrient stress. toxoplasma encodes two gcn2-like protein kinases, tgif2 ...	2014	24126185
prevalence of different forms of infarct-atypical late gadolinium enhancement in patients early and late after heart transplantation.	late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (lge-cmr) enables high-resolution myocardial tissue characterization, showing the results of different injuries, especially in the early period after heart transplantation (htx).	2014	24122145
it is not only the cat that did it: how to prevent and treat congenital toxoplasmosis.	the apicomplexan parasite toxoplasma gondii was discovered a little over one hundred years ago and was soon recognized as a pathogen responsible for congenital infection. but detailed understanding of its epidemiology emerged only after 1970 with the discovery of its life cycle. in the last ten years, high resolution molecular tools have allowed the characterization of various strain types with different virulence patterns, and current studies are exploring the distribution of these different ge ...	2014	24119928
t cell suppression in vitro during toxoplasma gondii infection is the result of il-2 competition between tregs and t cells leading to death of proliferating t cells.	a reduced proliferation to t cell mitogens is observed in vitro in murine cells isolated during the acute phase of toxoplasma gondii infection. foxp3(+) regulatory t cells (tregs) mediate this suppression, which is interleukin (il)-2 dependent. in this work, we analysed the mechanism of this treg-mediated suppression. we found that removal of antigen-presenting cells (apc) from spleen cells from infected mice did not modify suppression but further elimination of tregs led to a restored prolifera ...	2014	24117537
seropositivity of toxoplasma gondii in domestic donkeys (equus asinus) and isolation of t. gondii from farm cats.	donkeys (equus asinus) are used as both companion and working animals throughout the world and in some countries, their meat and milk are used for human consumption. here we report the first serological survey of toxoplasma gondii in donkeys in the united states. serum samples from 373 donkeys from eight farms in five states were tested for t. gondii antibodies by the modified agglutination test (mat). twenty-four of 373 (6.4%) of donkeys were seropositive, with mat titers ranging from 25 to ≥ 2 ...	2014	24140163
species or local environment, what determines the infection of rodents by toxoplasma gondii?	toxoplasmosis is largely present in rural areas but its spatial distribution in this environment remains poorly known. in particular, it is unclear if areas of high density of cats, the only hosts excreting toxoplasma gondii, constitute foci of high prevalence. to improve our understanding of the spatial distribution of t. gondii in rural areas, we performed a serological survey in rodents from two villages in france. we trapped 710 rodents including commensal rats and meadow or forest voles and ...	2014	24135380
toxoplasmosis among pregnant women: high seroprevalence and risk factors in kinshasa, democratic republic of congo.	to determine the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women, as well as the proportion of acutely infected and risk factors in the democratic republic of congo.	2014	24144134
cd44 mediated hyaluronan adhesion of toxoplasma gondii-infected leukocytes.	toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite that infects humans and animals. ingested parasites cross the intestinal epithelium, invade leukocytes and are then disseminated to peripheral organs. however, the mechanism of extravasation of the infected leukocytes remains poorly understood. in this study, we demonstrate that t. gondii-invaded human and mouse leukocytes express higher level of cd44, a ligand of hyaluronan (ha), and its expression on myeloid and non-myeloid l ...	2014	24157443
neuropsychiatric manifestations of latent toxoplasmosis on mothers and their offspring.	toxoplasmosis is one of the most common parasitic diseases worldwide. it is estimated that approximately one-third of the world's population is latently infected. infection generally occurs via oral the route and maternal transmission. damage of the central nervous system is one of the most serious consequences of congenital toxoplasmosis. moreover, recent investigations proposed that acute and sub-acute congenital toxoplasmosis as well as latent toxoplasmosis during pregnancy; play various role ...	2014	24156764
saliva as a source of anti-toxoplasma gondii igg for enzyme immunoassay in human samples.	toxoplasmosis, a highly prevalent disease, is mainly diagnosed by serology. incidence studies could be feasible in children, but ethical concerns restrict blood sampling in this group. saliva contains small amounts of crevicular fluid igg. dot-elisa and a protein a igg capture immunoassay were standardized for anti-toxoplasma gondii igg in paired saliva and serum samples from 20 adult volunteers. a frequency of toxoplasmosis of 19% (95% ci 12-28) was found in 100 saliva samples from university g ...	2014	23848317
co-existence of classical and alternative activation programs in macrophages responding to toxoplasma gondii.	pro-inflammatory m1 macrophages are critical for defense against intracellular pathogens while alternatively-activated m2 macrophages mediate tissue homeostasis and repair. whether these distinct activation programs are mutually exclusive or can co-exist within the same cell is unclear. here, we report the co-existence of these programs in toxoplasma gondii-elicited inflammatory macrophages. this is independent of parasite expression of the virulence factor rop16 and host cell expression of sign ...	2014	24083945
enhanced surveillance for toxoplasmosis in england and wales, 2008-2012.	a report on toxoplasma gondii by the uk advisory committee on the microbiological safety of food recommended that more accurate figures on the burden of disease in the uk are needed. we present the first 5 years of data from an enhanced surveillance scheme for toxoplasmosis in england and wales. between 2008 and 2012, 1824 cases were reported, with an average of 365 each year. there were 1109 immunocompetent cases, the majority presenting with lymphadenopathy, and 364 immunosuppressed cases, wit ...	2014	24093517
toxoplasma gondii: immune response and protective efficacy induced by rop16/gra7 multicomponent dna vaccine with a genetic adjuvant b7-2.	toxoplasma gondii infection occurs commonly in humans and other warm-blooded animals. its serious impact on public health and livestock sectors makes the development of an effective vaccine particularly important. in the current study, we constructed a multiantigenic dna vaccine expressing rop16 and gra7 of t. gondii and evaluated the protective efficacy of these two fragments with or without a plasmid encoding murine costimulatory molecule b7-2. these recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmids ...	2014	24096573
antibodies to toxoplasma gondii in individuals with mania.	increased rates of infection with toxoplasma gondii have been found in individuals with schizophrenia as compared to control groups but this issue has not been studied in mania.	2014	24102676
seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii in donkeys (equus asinus) in italy.	toxoplasmosis, an important zoonosis, can be transmitted by eating meat or drinking milk of animals infected with toxoplasma gondii. samples were collected from 238 donkeys in the year 2010 in italy, which included 207 females and 31 males of five breeds and crossbreeds with the average age 9 years (1 month-24 years). sera were tested for t. gondii antibodies using a latex agglutination test and the indirect fluorescent antibody test; 5 and 8% seropositivity were recorded, respectively. we found ...	2014	24107428
identification of three novel toxoplasma gondii rhoptry proteins.	the rhoptries are key secretory organelles from apicomplexan parasites that contain proteins involved in invasion and modulation of the host cell. some rhoptry proteins are restricted to the posterior bulb (rops) and others to the anterior neck (rons). as many rhoptry proteins have been shown to be key players in toxoplasma invasion and virulence, it is important to identify, understand and characterise the biological function of the components of the rhoptries. in this report, we identified put ...	2014	24070999
toxoplasmosis in pregnancy in an area with low seroprevalence: is prenatal screening still worthwhile?	the effectiveness of toxoplasma gondii (tg) screening during pregnancy in areas with a low prevalence of the infection is debated. we investigate the tg serological status, the rate of primary infection in a cohort of pregnant women and the rate of congenital toxoplasmosis among their infants during a 3-year period in an urban area with low tg prevalence.	2014	24064557
prevalence of toxoplasma gondii and toxocara canis among patients with uveitis.	to investigate the prevalence of toxoplasma gondii and toxocara canis in patients with uveitis.	2014	24833105
plasmodium falciparum aldolase and the c-terminal cytoplasmic domain of certain apical organellar proteins promote actin polymerization.	the current model of apicomplexan motility and host cell invasion is that both processes are driven by an actomyosin motor located beneath the plasma membrane, with the force transduced to the outside of the cell via coupling through aldolase and the cytoplasmic tail domains (ctds) of certain type 1 membrane proteins. in plasmodium falciparum (pf), aldolase is thought to bind to the ctd of members of the thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (trap) family, which are micronemal proteins and re ...	2014	25261592
structure of toxoplasma gondii fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase.	the apicomplexan parasite toxoplasma gondii must invade host cells to continue its lifecycle. it invades different cell types using an actomyosin motor that is connected to extracellular adhesins via the bridging protein fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase. during invasion, aldolase serves in the role of a structural bridging protein, as opposed to its normal enzymatic role in the glycolysis pathway. crystal structures of the homologous plasmodium falciparum fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase hav ...	2014	25195889
a conserved apicomplexan microneme protein contributes to toxoplasma gondii invasion and virulence.	the obligate intracellular parasite toxoplasma gondii critically relies on host cell invasion during infection. proteins secreted from the apical micronemes are central components for host cell recognition, invasion, egress, and virulence. although previous work established that the sporozoite protein with an altered thrombospondin repeat (spatr) is a micronemal protein conserved in other apicomplexan parasites, including plasmodium, neospora, and eimeria, no genetic evidence of its contribution ...	2014	25092910
performance of coumarin-derived dendrimer-based fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (flisa) to detect malaria antigen.	due to limitation of conventional malaria diagnostics, including microscopy, polymerase chain reaction (pcr), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa), alternative accurate diagnostics have been demanded for improvement of sensitivity and specificity.	2014	25011624
a comparative study on the heparin-binding proteomes of toxoplasma gondii and plasmodium falciparum.	toxoplasma gondii is an obligatory intracellular apicomplexan parasite which exploits host cell surface components in cell invasion and intracellular parasitization. sulfated glycans such as heparin and heparan sulfate have been reported to inhibit cell invasion by t. gondii and other apicomplexan parasites such as plasmodium falciparum. the aim of this study was to investigate the heparin-binding proteome of t. gondii. the parasite-derived components were affinity-purified on the heparin moiety ...	2014	24888565
characterization of the chloroquine resistance transporter homologue in toxoplasma gondii.	mutations in the plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (pfcrt) protein confer resistance to the antimalarial drug chloroquine. pfcrt localizes to the parasite digestive vacuole, the site of chloroquine action, where it mediates resistance by transporting chloroquine out of the digestive vacuole. pfcrt belongs to a family of transporter proteins called the chloroquine resistance transporter family. crt family proteins are found throughout the apicomplexa, in some protists, and ...	2014	24859994
identifying novel cell cycle proteins in apicomplexa parasites through co-expression decision analysis.	hypothetical proteins comprise roughly half of the predicted gene complement of toxoplasma gondii and plasmodium falciparum and represent the largest class of uniquely functioning proteins in these parasites. following the idea that functional relationships can be informed by the timing of gene expression, we devised a strategy to identify the core set of apicomplexan cell division cycling genes with important roles in parasite division, which includes many uncharacterized proteins. we assembled ...	2014	24841368
inhibition and structure of toxoplasma gondii purine nucleoside phosphorylase.	the intracellular pathogen toxoplasma gondii is a purine auxotroph that relies on purine salvage for proliferation. we have optimized t. gondii purine nucleoside phosphorylase (tgpnp) stability and crystallized tgpnp with phosphate and immucillin-h, a transition-state analogue that has high affinity for the enzyme. immucillin-h bound to tgpnp with a dissociation constant of 370 pm, the highest affinity of 11 immucillins selected to probe the catalytic site. the specificity for transition-state a ...	2014	24585883
expression of the essential kinase pfcdpk1 from plasmodium falciparum in toxoplasma gondii facilitates the discovery of novel antimalarial drugs.	we have previously shown that genetic disruption of toxoplasma gondii calcium-dependent protein kinase 3 (tgcdpk3) affects calcium ionophore-induced egress. we examined whether plasmodium falciparum cdpk1 (pfcdpk1), the closest homolog of tgcdpk3 in the malaria parasite p. falciparum, could complement a tgcdpk3 mutant strain. pfcdpk1 is essential and plays critical roles in merozoite development, motility, and secretion. we show that expression of pfcdpk1 in the tgcdpk3 mutant strain rescues the ...	2014	24550330
discovery of compounds blocking the proliferation of toxoplasma gondii and plasmodium falciparum in a chemical space based on piperidinyl-benzimidazolone analogs.	a piperidinyl-benzimidazolone scaffold has been found in the structure of different inhibitors of membrane glycerolipid metabolism, acting on enzymes manipulating diacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid. screening a focus library of piperidinyl-benzimidazolone analogs might therefore identify compounds acting against infectious parasites. we first evaluated the in vitro effects of (s)-2-(dibenzylamino)-3-phenylpropyl 4-(1,2-dihydro-2-oxobenzo[d]imidazol-3-yl)piperidine-1-carboxylate (compound 1) on ...	2014	24550329
a dual-targeted aminoacyl-trna synthetase in plasmodium falciparum charges cytosolic and apicoplast trnacys.	plasmodium parasites possess two endosymbiotic organelles: a mitochondrion and a relict plastid called the apicoplast. to accommodate the translational requirements of these organelles in addition to its cytosolic translation apparatus, the parasite must maintain a supply of charged trna molecules in each of these compartments. in the present study we investigate how the parasite manages these translational requirements for charged trnacys with only a single gene for cysrs (cysteinyl-trna synthe ...	2014	24428730
structural determinants of the 5'-methylthioinosine specificity of plasmodium purine nucleoside phosphorylase.	plasmodium parasites rely upon purine salvage for survival. plasmodium purine nucleoside phosphorylase is part of the streamlined plasmodium purine salvage pathway that leads to the phosphorylysis of both purines and 5'-methylthiopurines, byproducts of polyamine synthesis. we have explored structural features in plasmodium falciparum purine nucleoside phosphorylase (pfpnp) that affect efficiency of catalysis as well as those that make it suitable for dual specificity. we used site directed mutag ...	2014	24416224
cell division in apicomplexan parasites.	toxoplasma gondii and plasmodium falciparum are important human pathogens. these parasites and many of their apicomplexan relatives undergo a complex developmental process in the cells of their hosts, which includes genome replication, cell division and the assembly of new invasive stages. apicomplexan cell cycle progression is both globally and locally regulated. global regulation is carried out throughout the cytoplasm by diffusible factors that include cell cycle-specific kinases, cyclins and ...	2014	24384598
expression and localization of rhoptry neck protein 5 in merozoites and sporozoites of plasmodium yoelii.	host cell invasion by apicomplexan parasites marks a crucial step in disease establishment and pathogenesis. the moving junction (mj) is a conserved and essential feature among parasites of this phylum during host cell invasion, thus proteins that associate at this mj are potential targets of drug and vaccine development. in both toxoplasma gondii and plasmodium falciparum, a micronemal protein, apical membrane antigen 1 (ama1), and rhoptry neck proteins (rons; ron2 and ron4) form an essential c ...	2014	25102354
a novel adjuvant, the mixture of alum and naltrexone, augments vaccine-induced immunity against plasmodium berghei.	we previously showed that the mixture of naltrexone (nlt), a general opioid antagonist, and alum, acts as an effective adjuvant in enhancing vaccine-induced t helper 1 (th1) humoral immune responses against toxoplasma gondii. here, we tested the efficacy of the mixture of nlt and alum in the induction of immunity in response to blood stages of plasmodium berghei (bspb) as a model vaccine. balb/c mice were divided into five vaccination groups. mice in the experimental groups received the bspb vac ...	2014	25020077
toxoplasma gondii upregulates interleukin-12 to prevent plasmodium berghei-induced experimental cerebral malaria.	a chronic infection with the parasite toxoplasma gondii has previously been shown to protect mice against subsequent viral, bacterial, or protozoal infections. here we have shown that a chronic t. gondii infection can prevent plasmodium berghei anka-induced experimental cerebral malaria (ecm) in c57bl/6 mice. treatment with soluble t. gondii antigens (stag) reduced parasite sequestration and t cell infiltration in the brains of p. berghei-infected mice. administration of stag also preserved bloo ...	2014	24396042
emerging roles for protein s-palmitoylation in toxoplasma biology.	post-translational modifications are refined, rapidly responsive and powerful ways to modulate protein function. among post-translational modifications, acylation is now emerging as a widespread modification exploited by eukaryotes, bacteria and viruses to control biological processes. protein palmitoylation involves the attachment of palmitic acid, also known as hexadecanoic acid, to cysteine residues of integral and peripheral membrane proteins and increases their affinity for membranes. impor ...	2014	24184909
a survey of toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum infecting house mice from a hybrid zone.	toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum are closely related coccidian parasites infecting a wide range of wild and domestic animals as intermediate hosts, and rodents serve as important reservoir hosts during the life cycles of these parasites. the present study is aimed at identifying t. gondii and n. caninum infection in 360 wild house mice (mus musculus) collected across the czech-german border, where 2 genetically distinct mouse subspecies meet and hybridize. toxoplasma gondii or n. caninum d ...	2014	23927367
unique features of apicoplast dna gyrases from toxoplasma gondii and plasmodium falciparum.	dna gyrase, an enzyme once thought to be unique to bacteria, is also found in some eukaryotic plastids including the apicoplast of apicomplexa such as plasmodium falciparum and toxoplasma gondii which are important disease-causing organisms. dna gyrase is an excellent target for antibacterial drugs, yet such antibacterials seem ineffective against apicomplexa. characterisation of the apicoplast gyrases would be a useful step towards understanding why this should be so. while purification of acti ...	2014	25523502
the c-terminal domain of eukaryotic acidic ribosomal p2 proteins is intrinsically disordered with conserved structural propensities.	the p2 protein (equivalent of l7/l12 in prokaryotes), a member of the ribosomal stalk in eukaryotes, is highly conserved, particularly its c-terminal domain. in order to understand the sequence-structure-function relationships in eukaryotic c-terminal stretches, about which nothing is known at the moment, we have investigated here, the structural characteristics of these domains of p2 proteins from three different species, namely, human, plasmodium falciparum, and toxoplasma gondii; the sequence ...	2014	25412900
trends in aids-defining opportunistic illnesses incidence over 25 years in rio de janeiro, brazil.	to assess the temporal trends in incidence of aids-defining opportunistic illnesses in an urban cohort of a middle-income country.	2014	24901419
exposure to multiple parasites is associated with the prevalence of active convulsive epilepsy in sub-saharan africa.	epilepsy is common in developing countries, and it is often associated with parasitic infections. we investigated the relationship between exposure to parasitic infections, particularly multiple infections and active convulsive epilepsy (ace), in five sites across sub-saharan africa.	2014	24875312
antenatal screening for toxoplasma gondii, cytomegalovirus, rubella and treponema pallidum infections in northern benin.	toxoplasma gondii, cytomegalovirus (hcmv) and rubella virus infections are among the most serious of those contracted during pregnancy in terms of foetal consequences. toxoplasma, hcmv and rubella antibody screening is unusual in africa, and there are few published data. the aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of these markers among pregnant women in northern benin on the occasion of routine syphilis screening.	2014	24612218
identification of host proteins interacting with the integrin-like a domain of toxoplasma gondii micronemal protein mic2 by yeast-two-hybrid screening.	toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan, causing the important zoonosis toxoplasmosis. this parasite utilizes a unique form of locomotion called gliding motility to find and invade host cells. the micronemal adhesin mic2 plays critical roles in these processes by binding to substrates and host cell receptors using its extracellular adhesive domains. although mic2 is known to mediate important interactions between parasites and host cells during invasion, the specific host protei ...	2014	25423901
protein phosphatase 2c of toxoplasma gondii interacts with human ssrp1 and negatively regulates cell apoptosis.	the protozoan toxoplasma gondii expresses large amounts of a 37 kda type 2c serine-threonine phosphatase, the so-called tgpp2c which has been suggested to contribute to parasite growth regulation. ectopic expression in mammalian cells also indicated that the enzyme could regulate growth and survival. in this study, we aimed to investigate the interaction of tgpp2c with human ssrp1 (structure-specific recognition protein 1) and the effects of tgpp2c on cell viability.	2014	25374021
an investigation into eukaryotic pseudouridine synthases.	a common post-transcriptional modification of rna is the conversion of uridine to its isomer pseudouridine. we investigated the biological significance of eukaryotic pseudouridine synthases using the yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae. we conducted a comprehensive statistical analysis on growth data from automated perturbation (gene deletion) experiments, and used bi-logistic curve analysis to characterise the yeast phenotypes. the deletant strains displayed different alteration in growth properties ...	2014	25152040
characterization of a homolog of dead-box rna helicases in toxoplasma gondii as a marker of cytoplasmic mrnp stress granules.	toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan which infects one-third of the human population. due to its high infection prevalence, toxoplasma offers an ideal system for the study of host-parasite interaction. similar to other eukaryotes, toxoplasma maintains levels and localization of cytoplasmic mrnas throughout its life cycle as part of a gene regulation network to meet all cellular and biochemical requirements. more recently, it was reported that the presence of cytoplasmic mrna ...	2014	24709106
toxoplasma gondii hsp90: potential roles in essential cellular processes of the parasite.	hsp90 is a widely distributed and highly conserved molecular chaperone that is ubiquitously expressed throughout nature, being one of the most abundant proteins within non-stressed cells. this chaperone is up-regulated following stressful events and has been involved in many cellular processes. in toxoplasma gondii, hsp90 could be linked with many essential processes of the parasite such as host cell invasion, replication and tachyzoite-bradyzoite interconversion. a protein-protein interaction ( ...	2014	24560345
acute onset of encephalomyelitis with atypical lesions associated with dual infection of sarcocystis neurona and toxoplasma gondii in a dog.	a two-year-old male, neutered, basset hound-beagle mix with progressive neurological impairment was examined postmortem. grossly, the dog had multiple raised masses on the spinal cord between nerve roots. microscopically, the dog had protozoal myeloencephalitis. toxoplasma gondii and sarcocystis neurona were detected in the cns by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction (pcr). sarcocysts in formalin-fixed muscle were negative for sarcocystis by pcr. banked serum was negative for t. go ...	2014	25260332
purine salvage in the apicomplexan sarcocystis neurona, and generation of hypoxanthine-xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase-deficient clones for positive-negative selection of transgenic parasites.	sarcocystis neurona is an apicomplexan parasite that causes severe neurological disease in horses and marine mammals. the apicomplexa are all obligate intracellular parasites that lack purine biosynthesis pathways and rely on the host cell for their purine requirements. hypoxanthine-xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (hxgprt) and adenosine kinase (ak) are key enzymes that function in two complementary purine salvage pathways in apicomplexans. bioinformatic searches of the s. neurona geno ...	2014	24923662
serological status of mares in parturition and the levels of antibodies (igg) against protozoan family sarcocystidae from their pre colostral foals.	protozoa from the family sarcocystidae are agents of reproductive and neurological disorders in horses. the transmission of these protozoa may occur via horizontal or vertical means, and the frequency and potential of the later is not fully elucidated in horses. thus, the aim of study was to correlation levels of antibodies in mares with pre colostral foals seropositive and assess the level and distribution of antibodies against neospora spp., sarcocystis neurona and toxoplasma gondii, in mares ...	2014	24183649
identification of early diagnostic antigens from spirometra erinaceieuropaei sparganum soluble proteins using immunoproteomics.	in order to identify early specific diagnostic antigens of spirometra erinaceieuropaei (syn. s. erinacei or s. mansoni) sparganum, soluble proteins were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-de) and western blotting probed with immune sera from infected mice at 14 days post-infection. from a total of approximately 462 proteins spots mainly distributed in pi range of 5-6.6 and with molecular mass of 25-48 kda, 6 immuno-reactive protein spots with molecular mass of 31.8-38.3 kda were char ...	2014	24974641
seroprevalence of latent toxoplasma gondii infection among hiv-infected pregnant women in bobo-dioulasso, burkina faso.	the deficit of cellular immunity, as found in hiv infected individuals, may lead to the reactivation of latent toxoplasma gondii cysts, with as consequence, the occurrence of toxoplasmosis and an eventual vertical transmission of the disease during pregnancy. the present study was designed for determining the occurrence of latent toxoplasma gondii among hiv-infected pregnant women during the first trimester in bobo-dioulasso. thus, 348 pregnant women aged from 17 to 47 years (average age of 6.64 ...	2014	26031029
[toxoplasma gondii infection in pet dogs and owners in hangzhou].	sixty pet feeding families were obtained by random sampling in hangzhou. the positive rate of igg antibodies to toxoplasma gondii in pet owners was 3.3% (4/120). the rate in males and females was 8.6% (3/35) and 1.2% (1/85) (χ2=4.207, p<0.05). the positive rate in pet dogs was 13.3% (8/60). the positive rate in dogs fed with a raw-meat diet (33.3%, 4/12) were significantly higher than that of others (4.2%, 2/48) (χ2=6.123, p<0.05).	2014	25902687
[research progress on uridine phosphorylase in vertebrate and parasites].	uridine phosphorylase (upp) is a key enzyme of pyrimidine salvage pathways, catalyzing the reversible phosphorolysis of ribosides of uracil to nucleobases and ribose 1-phosphate. upp plays an important role in the regulation of uridine homeostasis. although upp from a variety of organisms have many similarities in their functions, there are differences in many other aspects, such as physical and chemical properties, structure characteristics, active sites, and substrate binding sites. therefore, ...	2014	25902682
[dynamic changes of sciatic nerve conduction velocity in rats infected with toxoplasma gondii].	to observe the dynamic changes of sciatic nerve conduction velocity of toxoplasma gondii-infected rats at different time points.	2014	25902674
toxoplasma gondii exposure and the risk of schizophrenia.	schizophrenia is a major psychiatric disorder with a deeply destructive pathophysiology. there are evidences to indicate that infectious agents such as toxoplasma gondii may play some roles in etiology of the disorder.	2014	25774275
anti-toxoplasma activity of natural products: a review.	toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite widely distributed in nature. infection is asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals; however, various clinical manifestations may occur in immunocompromised individuals. although there are medications for the treatment of toxoplasmosis, such as pyrimethamine and sulfonamide, they cannot always be used due to adverse reactions or to therapeutic failures related to intolerance or malabsorption of drugs and to parasite drug resistance. in recent yea ...	2014	25858302
[study and application of surface antigen in tachyzoites of toxoplasma gondii].	toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite that infects all warm-blooded animals. the surface antigens of t. gondii with the potential for application as antigens of diagnosis and vaccines have been studied extensively in recent years, especially for p43, p35, p30, p23 and p22. the studies on the surface antigen in tachyzoites of t. gondii are reviewed in this paper.	2014	25856903
[isolation and identification of toxoplasma gondii strains from cats in xuzhou region].	to isolate toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) strains from stray cats and explore their prevalence in xuzhou city.	2014	25856893
[serological survey of toxoplasma gondii infection in some areas of pu' er city].	to understand the status of toxoplasma gondii infection in the population of pu'er city, so as to provide the evidence for formulating the strategy of toxoplasmosis control.	2014	25782270
[seroprevalence rates of toxoplasma gondii, rubella, cytomegalovirus, syphilis, and hepatitis b, seroprevalences rate in the pregnant population in istanbul].	we retrospectively evaluated the rate of toxoplasma gondii, rubella, syphilis, cytomegalovirus, and hepatitis b in istanbul to compare these results with those of other literature and to contribute to the national screening program.	2014	25732880
[retrospective evaluation of the results of female patients of childbearing age at a microbiology laboratory for screening toxoplasma gondii in kocaeli derince].	the aim of the previous study was to retrospectively analyze the seropositive rate of toxoplasma among women of childbearing age who were suspected to have toxoplasmosis at the microbiology laboratory of kocaeli derince education and research hospital.	2014	25732879
investigation of anti-toxoplasma gondii antibodies in water buffaloes (bubalus bubalis) in samsun and afyon provinces.	the present study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii infection in water buffaloes.	2014	25732878
[seroepidemiological survey of toxoplasma gondii in dogs in urumqi].	from 2011 to 2012 in urumqi, blood samples of 308 household dogs and of 110 stray dogs were collected from three pet hospitals and a stray dog shelter, respectively. serum anti-toxoplasma gondii igg was detected by elisa. the results showed that the overall seropositive rate was 31.8% (133/418). the rate in household dogs and stray dogs was 29.9% (92/308) and 37.3% (41/110), respectively (p>0.05). among 308 household dogs, the positive rate in males and females was 27.0% (41/152) and 32.7% (51/1 ...	2014	25726611
[seroprevalance of toxoplasma gondii infection and genotyping of the isolates from cancer patients in anhui, eastern china].	to investigate the seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii infection and identify the genotypes of t. gondii isolates from cancer patients in anhui province.	2014	25726601
[interaction between toxoplasma gra7 dense granule protein and the protein from host macrophages].	to identify the protein from host macrophages which interacted with gra7 dense granule protein of toxoplasma gondii, and reveal the relationship between protein interaction and infection process.	2014	25726598
frequency of blood-tissue parasitic infections in patients with multiple sclerosis, as compared to their family members.	multiple sclerosis (ms) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system which has been identifies more prevalent in economically developed countries than in the developing countries. low prevalence of parasitic infections (which can activate immune response and prevent or modulate damage to host antigens) in these areas is among the possible responsible factors for such a difference. in this study we aimed to compare frequency of blood-tissue parasitic infections in patients wit ...	2014	25709793
toxoplasma gondii and women of reproductive age: an analysis of data from the chair of microbiology, jagiellonian university medical college in cracow.	the aim of the study is to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors for toxoplasma gondii infection in women of reproductive age within the małopolska province who were examined in the laboratory of microbiological diagnostics, chair of microbiology in cracow in 2013-2014. seventy-eight questionnaires completed by women of reproductive age (mean age 29.91±6.56) were analysed. in total, 82% of respondents signed up for serological testing while already pregnant (33 patients in the age group ...	2014	25706428
toxoplasma gondii and mast cells.	mast cells, discovered by paul burnet over one century ago, have been long recognized only as inductors of ige-dependent allergic diseases (allergy of type i, th2 lymphocytes dependent). however, numerous recent studies have indicated that they play an essential role in many other immunological and non-immunological processes. infection with toxoplasma gondii elicits the induction of a strong cell-mediated immunity characterized by a highly-polarized th1 response, which can protect against aller ...	2014	25706419
molecular survey of toxoplasma gondii in sheep, cattle and meat products in chaharmahal va bakhtiari province, southwest of iran.	toxoplasmosis is a worldwide spread disease. the present study examined the prevalence of toxoplasma gondii infection among animals of edible meat (cattle and sheep) in chaharmahal va bakhtiari province (southwest of iran) in 2012. furthermore, we attempted for the first time to identify this parasite from the meat products in the province.	2014	25678929
seroprevalence and associated risk factors of toxoplasma gondii in pregnant women attending in northwest ethiopia.	toxoplasmosis is a major public health problem among immuno-compromised individuals. this study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and associated risk factors of toxoplasma gondii infection among pregnant women with and out hiv infections.	2014	25678926
molecular and serological detection of acute and latent toxoplasmosis using real-time pcr and elisa techniques in blood donors of rafsanjan city, iran, 2013.	the differentiation between acute and latent forms of the toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) infection is still considered as a complicated issue. this study was aimed to elucidate the status of infection in the blood donors and the probable importance of blood transfusion in the transmission of the infection through detecting both immunological and genetic markers of acute and latent infection.	2014	25678917
current status of parasitic infections among pangkor island community in peninsular malaysia.	limited data is available on the prevalence of parasitic infections among the island communities in malaysia with most studies performed between 1960s-1980s. this study was conducted to determine the current prevalence status of parasitic infections among communities living in pangkor island peninsular malaysia. a total of 131 stool and 298 serum samples were collected and subjected to microscopic examination for intestinal protozoa and helminths and detection of toxoplasma gondii antibodies usi ...	2014	25776610
seroprevalence of igg and igm antibodies and associated risk factors for toxoplasmosis in cats and dogs from sub-tropical arid parts of pakistan.	pet cats and dogs are an important source of human toxoplasmosis because of their intimate relationship with humans. present study was designed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of toxoplasmosis in cats and dogs in northern sub-tropical arid region of pakistan where no such work has been previously conducted. for this study 420 cats and 408 dogs visiting different pet clinics and veterinary hospitals were screened for the presence of anti-toxoplasma igg and igm antibodies using elisa ...	2014	25776604
does the prevalence of latent toxoplasmosis and frequency of rhesus-negative subjects correlate with the nationwide rate of traffic accidents?	latent toxoplasmosis is probably the most common protistan parasitic disease with many indirect negative impacts on human health. one of the important impacts is impaired psychomotor function leading to reduced driving efficiency in toxoplasma-seropositive subjects. numerous case-control studies have established a positive relation between the seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii (nicolle et manceaux, 1908) and probability of traffic accidents in study populations. the prevalence of toxoplasmosis ...	2014	25651689
an insight into the behavior, course and kinetics of acute infection of toxoplasma gondii human rh strain in experimentally infected murine model.	toxoplasma gondii, an apicomplexan parasite, is capable of infecting a broad range of intermediate warm-blooded hosts including humans. the parasite seems to be capable of altering the natural behavior of the host to favor its transmission in the environment. the aim of this study was to evaluate the course, alterations in behavior along with normal kinetics of the abnormally induced experimental acute toxoplasmosis in murine models.	2014	25642267
[brain calcifications: a case presentation of congenital toxoplasmosis].	toxoplasmosis is a common disease in latin america. the infection has a major impact on public health worldwide. congenital toxoplasmosis is part of the spectrum of the disease and the consequences for the newborn are devastating. in this article, we present a case of brain calcifications and hydrocephalus secondary to infection with toxoplasma gondii in a newborn, as well as the outcome during follow-up and long-term sequelae. it is of high importance for the clinician to think about this disea ...	2014	25627676
prevalence of anti-toxoplasma gondii antibodies in aborted ewes in kuwait.	serum samples from 528 aborted ewes from different sheep flocks in kuwait were tested for toxoplasma gondii. the indirect hemagglutination test (ihat) was used with a titer of 1:80 considered positive. antibodies to t. gondii were found in 94 (17.8%). the highest number of positive ewes (23; 24.5%) had a titer of 1:640. only one aborted ewe had a titer of 1:2560. this study is the first to report toxoplasma infection in sheep which may pose risk to humans who consume under cooked mutton. the det ...	2014	25597154
screening of toxoplasma gondii infection among childbearing age females and assessment of nurses' role in prevention and control of toxoplasmosis.	toxoplasmosis, caused by toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular zoonotic protozoan parasite, with a worldwide distribution particularly in arab countries including egypt. the study evaluated toxoplasmosis infection among childbearing age egyptian females and assessed the military nursing staff knowledge, attitude and compliance to toxoplasmosis prevention and control measures. the study was conductedin a general military hospital.	2014	25597147
evidence of toxoplasma gondii exposure among horses in korea.	the present study investigated the seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) antibodies by elisa in horses reared in korea. serum samples were collected from 2009 through 2013 from 816 horses reared in korea. analysis was performed using a commercial toxoplasmosis elisa kit to detect anti-t. gondii antibodies. overall, 24 out of 816 horses (2.9%) were seropositive for t. gondii. the result was analyzed by age, gender, breed and region. significant differences were observed according to bre ...	2014	25649954
[fever and lymphadenopathy: acute toxoplasmosis in an immunocompetent patient].	toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the intracellular parasite toxoplasma gondii. in switzerland about a third of the population has antibodies against this pathogen and has thus already been in contact with the parasite or has contracted the disease. immunocompetent patients are usually asymptomatic (80-90%) during primary infection. the most common symptom is neck or occipital lymphadenopathy. serology is the diagnostic gold standard in immunocompetent individuals. the presence of ...	2014	25562978
3-d imaging and analysis of neurons infected in vivo with toxoplasma gondii.	toxoplasma gondii is an obligate, intracellular parasite with a broad host range, including humans and rodents. in both humans and rodents, toxoplasma establishes a lifelong persistent infection in the brain. while this brain infection is asymptomatic in most immunocompetent people, in the developing fetus or immunocompromised individuals such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome (aids) patients, this predilection for and persistence in the brain can lead to devastating neurologic disease. thu ...	2014	25549001
prominent il-12 production and tumor reduction in athymic nude mice after toxoplasma gondii lysate antigen treatment.	toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite that causes a th1 cellular immunity. our previous study showed that t. gondii lysate antigen (tla) treatment in s180 tumor-bearing mice resulted in tumor reduction by suppressing cd31 expression, a marker of angiogenesis. in the present study, to investigate tumor suppressive effect of tla under the absence of t lymphocytes, athymic nude mice were compared with euthymic mice in the anti-tumorigenic effect triggered by tla in ct26 tumors. a ...	2014	25548411
recent advances in toxoplasma gondii immunotherapeutics.	toxoplasmosis is an opportunistic infection caused by the protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii. t. gondii is widespread globally and causes severe diseases in individuals with impaired immune defences as well as congenitally infected infants. the high prevalence rate in some parts of the world such as south america and africa, coupled with the current drug treatments that trigger hypersensitivity reactions, makes the development of immunotherapeutics intervention a highly important research prio ...	2014	25548409
enhancing in silico protein-based vaccine discovery for eukaryotic pathogens using predicted peptide-mhc binding and peptide conservation scores.	given thousands of proteins constituting a eukaryotic pathogen, the principal objective for a high-throughput in silico vaccine discovery pipeline is to select those proteins worthy of laboratory validation. accurate prediction of t-cell epitopes on protein antigens is one crucial piece of evidence that would aid in this selection. prediction of peptides recognised by t-cell receptors have to date proved to be of insufficient accuracy. the in silico approach is consequently reliant on an indirec ...	2014	25545691
lack of association between toxoplasma gondii infection and occupational exposure to animals.	the association of infection with toxoplasma gondii and occupational exposure to animals has been scantly determined. we performed a case-control study with 200 subjects from durango province, mexico, occupationally exposed to animals and 200 age- and gender-matched subjects without this occupation. sera from all participants were analyzed for anti-t. gondii igg and igm antibodies using enzyme-linked immunoassays. the association of seroprevalence with sociodemographic, work, clinical, and behav ...	2014	25544890
the opposite effects of dna and protein components of listeria monocytogenes and toxoplasma gondii on immunologic characteristics of dendritic cells.	the innate immune system utilizes pattern recognition receptors (prrs) to recognize microbes. pathogens contain various molecules with diverse effects on immune response. in this study, we evaluated the effect of dna and protein components derived from two intracellular microorganisms including listeria monocytogenes (l. monocytogenes) and toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) on dendritic cells (dcs) activation and ensuing adaptive immune responses. dna and protein components of l. monocytogenes and t. ...	2015	26546901
hiv-1 tat inhibits phagocytosis by preventing the recruitment of cdc42 to the phagocytic cup.	most macrophages remain uninfected in hiv-1-infected patients. nevertheless, the phagocytic capacity of phagocytes from these patients is impaired, favouring the multiplication of opportunistic pathogens. the basis for this phagocytic defect is not known. hiv-1 tat protein is efficiently secreted by infected cells. secreted tat can enter uninfected cells and reach their cytosol. here we found that extracellular tat, at the subnanomolar concentration present in the sera of hiv-1-infected patients ...	2015	25648615
immune alterations in acute bipolar depression.	immunologic abnormalities have been found in bipolar disorder and acute mania. however, there have been fewer studies of patients with acute bipolar depression.	2015	26061032
apoptotic cell clearance of leishmania major-infected neutrophils by dendritic cells inhibits cd8⁺ t-cell priming in vitro by mer tyrosine kinase-dependent signaling.	neutrophils are the predominant recruited and infected cells during the early stages of leishmania major infection in the skin, and depletion of neutrophils promotes immunity to infection transmitted by sand fly bite. in order to better understand how the acute neutrophilic response suppresses immunity, we assessed the consequences of the interaction between neutrophils recovered from the skin-inoculation site and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (dcs) in vitro. the capture of infected, apopt ...	2015	26658192
low seroprevalence of leishmania infantum and toxoplasma gondii in the horse population in israel.	a cross-sectional investigation was done on the seroprevalence of leishmania infantum and toxoplasma gondii infection among apparently healthy horses in israel. this survey included 383 horses distributed in 22 farms throughout israel during the years 2011-2013. serum samples were tested for the presence of immunoglobulin g (igg) antibodies using the direct agglutination test (dat) specific to leishmania and by the modified agglutination test (mat) for the presence of igg antibodies to t. gondii ...	2015	26580094
potential relevance of melatonin against some infectious agents: a review and assessment of recent research.	melatonin, a tryptophan-derived neurohormone found in animals, plants, and microbes, participates in various biological and physiological functions. among other properties, numerous in vitro or in vivo studies have reported its therapeutic potential against many parasites, bacteria and viruses. in this concern, melatonin was found to be effective against many parasites such as plasmodium, toxoplasma gondii, and trypansoma cruzi, via various mechanisms such as modulation of calcium level and/or h ...	2015	26310920
the fusion of toxoplasma gondii sag1 vaccine candidate to leishmania infantum heat shock protein 83-kda improves expression levels in tobacco chloroplasts.	chloroplast transformation technology has emerged as an alternative platform offering many advantages over nuclear transformation. sag1 is the main surface antigen of the intracellular parasite toxoplasma gondii and a promising candidate to produce an anti-t. gondii vaccine. the aim of this study was to investigate the expression of sag1 using chloroplast transformation technology in tobacco plants. in order to improve expression in transplastomic plants, we also expressed the 90-kda heat shock ...	2015	25823559
an atypical toxoplasma gondii genotype in a rural brazilian dog co-infected with leishmania (viannia) braziliensis.	toxoplasmosis and leishmaniasis are two worldwide zoonoses caused by the protozoan parasites toxoplasma gondii and leishmania spp., respectively. this report describes the clinical and laboratorial findings of a co-infection with both parasites in a 4-year-old female dog suspected of ehrlichiosis that presented anemia, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, hyperglobulinemia, tachyzoite-like structures to the lung imprints, and polymerase chain reaction (pcr) results positive for t. gondii (kidney, ...	2015	25992942
seroprevalence of parvovirus b19 antibodies among young pregnant women or planning pregnancy, tested for toxoplasmosis.	acute parvovirus b19 (b19v) infection is a proven risk for pregnant women and fetus. the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of b19v antibodies among pregnant women or planning pregnancy, who were referred for preventive toxoplasmosis screening.	2015	26519843
[serological diagnosis of congenital infections and algorithms to improve diagnostic efficacy].	congenital infection is those transmitted by the mother to the fetus before delivery. it can occur transplacentally or by direct contact with the pathogen during birth or in the immediate postnatal period. congenital infection can be due to viruses (rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex, varicella-zoster, hepatitis b and c virus, human inunodeficiencia, erythrovirus b19) as bacteria (treponema pallidum) and parasites (toxoplasma gondii and trypanosoma cruzi). serological diagnosis of congenit ...	2015	26320992
spinal cord toxoplasmosis in human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.	neurological complications in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (hiv/aids) are still common, even in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy. opportunistic infections, immune reconstitution, the virus itself, antiretroviral drugs and neurocognitive disorders have to be considered when establishing the differential diagnosis. toxoplasmic encephalitis remains the major cause of space-occupying lesions in the brain of patients with hiv/a ...	2015	25835092
neospora caninum and toxoplasma gondii serodiagnosis in human immunodeficiency virus carriers.	neospora caninum and toxoplasma gondii belong to the sarcocystidae family, and both have one definitive and various intermediary hosts. owing to their weak immune systems, immunocompromised persons might be prone to opportunistic infections. the aim of this study was to investigate the presence of anti- n. caninum and anti- t. gondii antibodies in immunocompromised individuals.	2015	26516966