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neurophysiological changes induced by chronic toxoplasma gondii infection.although the parasite toxoplasma gondii is one of the most pervasive neurotropic pathogens in the world, the host-parasite interactions during cns infection and the consequences of neurological infection are just beginning to be unraveled. the chronic stages of infection have been considered dormant, although several studies have found correlations of infection with an array of host behavioral changes. these may facilitate parasite transmission and impact neurological diseases. during infection, ...201728513566
purification toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts using percoll gradients.the protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii is capable of infecting all warm-blooded animals and humans. infectious, transmissible forms of the parasite include oocysts produced by the sexual cycle within the definitive feline host and tissue cysts that form toxoplasma in the central nervous system and muscle during the asexual cycle within all chronically infected warm-blooded hosts. these tissue cysts are populated with slow-growing bradyzoites, which until recently have been thought to be dorman ...201728510363
mhc i presentation of toxoplasma gondii immunodominant antigen does not require sec22b and is regulated by antigen orientation at the vacuole membrane.the intracellular toxoplasma gondii parasite replicates within a parasitophorous vacuole (pv). t. gondii secretes proteins that remain soluble in the pv space, are inserted into pv membranes or are exported beyond the pv boundary. in addition to supporting t. gondii growth, these proteins can be processed and presented by mhc i for cd8(+) t-cell recognition. yet it is unclear whether membrane binding influences the processing pathways employed and if topology of membrane antigens impacts their m ...201728508576
toxoplasma gondii and schizophrenia: a review of published rcts.over the last 60 years, accumulating evidence has suggested that acute, chronic, and maternal toxoplasma gondii infections predispose to schizophrenia. more recent evidence suggests that chronically infected patients with schizophrenia present with more severe disease. after acute infection, parasites form walled cysts in the brain, leading to lifelong chronic infection and drug resistance to commonly used antiparasitics. chronic infection is the most studied and closely linked with development ...201728508166
frequency of toxoplasma gondii in the retina in eye banks in brazil.ocular toxoplasmosis is the main cause of posterior uveitis worldwide frequently leading to vision loss. in brazil, the seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii infection ranges from 50 to 80% depending of the region studied. the frequency of toxoplasmic retinal scar may reach 18% of the adults in the south of brazil. our goal was to determine the frequency of t. gondii dna in retinas from eye banks from different regions in brazil. a total of 162 eyes were obtained from eye banks in manaus (n = 60), ...201728508165
seroepidemiological study of toxoplasma gondii infection in a population of iranian epileptic patients.epilepsy is one of the most common neurologic disorders. underlying cause of epilepsy is unknown in 60 % of the patients. toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite which is capable of forming tissue cysts in brain of chronically infected hosts including humans. some epidemiological studies suggested an association between toxoplasmosis and acquisition of epilepsy. in this study we determined seroprevalence of latent toxoplasma infection in a population of iranian epileptic patients. partici ...201728507471
toxoplasma gondii type i, predominant genotype isolated from sheep in south of iran.this study was performed to determine the genetic diversity of toxoplasma gondii in sheep using nested-polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (pcr-rflp) in southern iran.201728507409
socio-demographic determinants of toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in migrant workers of peninsular malaysia.the number of migrants working in malaysia has increased sharply since the 1970's and there is concern that infectious diseases endemic in other (e.g. neighbouring) countries may be inadvertently imported. compulsory medical screening prior to entering the workforce does not include parasitic infections such as toxoplasmosis. therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of t. gondii infection among migrant workers in peninsular malaysia by means of serosurveys conducted on a volunt ...201728506241
seroprevalence and risk factors of toxoplasma gondii infection among cat sitters in korea.the seroprevalence of human toxoplasmosis has been increasing in korea, and it is controversial whether cats are an important infection source or not. this study was performed to evaluate the seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii infection in a high risk group (cat sitters) and to determine the possible importance of cats as an infection source in korea. risk factors, including the age, sex, and diet of cat sitters, their contact experience and contact frequency with stray cats, and origin, number ...201728506044
influenza m1 virus-like particles consisting of toxoplasma gondii rhoptry protein 4.toxoplasma gondii infections occur throughout the world, and efforts are needed to develop various vaccine candidates expressing recombinant protein antigens. in this study, influenza matrix protein (m1) virus-like particles (vlps) consisting of t. gondii rhoptry antigen 4 (rop4 protein) were generated using baculovirus (rbv) expression system. recombinant rop4 protein with influenza m1 were cloned and expressed in rbv. sf9 insect cells were coinfected with recombinant rbvs expressing t. gondii ...201728506036
genetic alterations within tlr genes in development of toxoplasma gondii infection among polish pregnant women.the research was conducted to evaluate the role of genotypes, haplotypes and multiple-snp variants in the range of tlr2, tlr4 and tlr9 single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) in the development of toxoplasma gondii infection among polish pregnant women.201728500897
the common parasite toxoplasma gondii induces prostatic inflammation and microglandular hyperplasia in a mouse model.inflammation is the most prevalent and widespread histological finding in the human prostate, and associates with the development and progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. several factors have been hypothesized to cause inflammation, yet the role each may play in the etiology of prostatic inflammation remains unclear. this study examined the possibility that the common protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii induces prostatic inflammation and reactive hyperplasia in a mou ...201728497488
lack of association between toxoplasma gondii infection and diabetes mellitus: a matched case-control study in a mexican population.very little is known about the association between infection with toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) and diabetes mellitus. we perform an age- and gender-matched case-control study to determine the association of t. gondii infection and diabetes mellitus.201728496551
first genetic characterization of toxoplasma gondii in stray cats from algeria.toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease with worldwide distribution and a major public health problem. in algeria, no data are currently available about genotypes of toxoplasma gondii isolated from animals or humans. the present study assesses for the first time the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in stray cats, and provides molecular characterization of t. gondii strains circulating in this feline population in algiers, the capital city of algeria. sera from 96 stray cats were tested for the prese ...201728495193
antibodies to toxoplasma gondii and leishmania spp. in domestic cats from luanda, angola.toxoplasma gondii and leishmania spp. are zoonotic protozoa of importance to animal and public health. the present study aimed to assess for the first time the seroprevalence of these zoonotic parasites in a domestic feline population living in luanda, angola. one hundred and two cats were sampled at a veterinary medical centre, from may 2014 to february 2016. the age of the cats ranged from 2.5 to 143 months (median: 12 months; interquartile range: 7.5-24). serum samples were tested for immunog ...201728495190
seroprevalence and factors associated with toxoplasma gondii infections in sheep in latvia: latvian dark headed sheep breed associated with higher seroprevalence.toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite with both public health and veterinary importance. the aims of our study were to estimate the t. gondii seroprevalence in sheep in latvia and to evaluate potential risk factors for seropositivity. the blood samples investigated were collected from 1039 sheep from 84 farms between january 2012 and april 2013. the sera were tested for immunoglobulin g antibodies against t. gondii using an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. antibodies against t. go ...201728488935
recombinant tghsp70 immunization protects against toxoplasma gondii brain cyst formation by enhancing inducible nitric oxide expression.toxoplasma gondii is known to cause congenital infection in humans and animals and severe disease in immunocompromised individuals; consequently development of vaccines against the parasite is highly necessary. under stress conditions, t. gondii expresses the highly immunogenic heat shock protein 70 (tghsp70). here, we assessed the protective efficacy of rtghsp70 immunization combined with alum in oral me-49 t. gondii infection and the mechanisms involved on it. it was observed that immunized mi ...201728487847
the antifungal aureobasidin a and an analogue are active against the protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii but do not inhibit sphingolipid biosynthesis.toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite of the phylum apicomplexa, and toxoplasmosis is an important disease of both humans and economically important animals. with a limited array of drugs available there is a need to identify new therapeutic compounds. aureobasidin a (aba) is an antifungal that targets the essential inositol phosphorylceramide (ipc, sphingolipid) synthase in pathogenic fungi. this natural cyclic depsipeptide also inhibits toxoplasma proliforation, wit ...201728486997
development of a murine vertical transmission model for toxoplasma gondii oocyst infection and studies on the efficacy of bumped kinase inhibitor (bki)-1294 and the naphthoquinone buparvaquone against congenital toxoplasmosis.establishment of a mouse model for congenital toxoplasmosis based on oral infection with oocysts from toxoplasma gondii me49 and its application for investigating chemotherapeutic options against congenital toxoplasmosis.201728486633
toxoplasma gondii infection induces high mobility group box 1 released from mouse macrophages.high mobility group box 1 (hmgb1) is abundantly expressed in intracellular engaged dna binding ability. however, more importantly, it is a weapon against infection through proinflammatory response and immune regulation while released to extracellular. toxoplasma gondii causes inflammatory pathological changes including ileitis and encephalitis in chronic infection. to investigate whether hmgb1 contributes to the toxoplasmosis lesions, we examined hmgb1 changes during t. gondii infection. the res ...201728484433
prevalence of igg and igm anti-toxoplasma gondii antibodies in blood donors at urmia blood transfusion organization, iran.the importance of toxoplasmosis lies in its global spread, opportunistic nature, and causative role in abortion or irreparable adverse effects on infants of infected pregnant women. toxoplasma gondii has different transmission routes to humans, including blood transfusion. the objective of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of igg and igm antibodies specific for t. gondii in blood donors at the urmia blood transfusion organization in west azerbaijan, iran.201728483726
brains and brawn: toxoplasma infections of the central nervous system and skeletal muscle.toxoplasma gondii is a widespread parasitic pathogen that infects over a third of the world's population. following an acute infection, the parasite can persist within its mammalian host as intraneuronal or intramuscular cysts. cysts will occasionally reactivate, and - depending on the host's immune status and site of reactivation - encephalitis or myositis can develop. because these diseases have high levels of morbidity and can be lethal, it is important to understand how toxoplasma traffics t ...201728483381
detection of toxoplasma gondii in chicken and soil of chicken farms in nanjing region, china.soil is increasingly recognized as an important source in the transmission of toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii). the aim of this study was to investigate the presence of t. gondii in the soil and to grasp the relationships between the contamination of soil and chicken infections.201728482918
acute infection with an avirulent strain of toxoplasma gondii causes decreasing and atrophy of nitrergic myenteric neurons of rats.in the enteric nervous system (ens), nitrergic neurons produce and use nitric oxide (no) as an inhibitory motor neurotransmitter in response to parasitic infections, including those caused by toxoplasma gondii. however, damage to the host caused by no has been reported by various authors, and the role of no in protection or cytotoxicity continues to be extensively studied. in this study, nitrergic neurons were investigated in the myenteric plexus of the jejunum and the distal colon of rats infec ...201728478954
nanomedicine advances in toxoplasmosis: diagnostic, treatment, and vaccine applications.toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the intracellular parasite toxoplasma gondii that affects about one third of the world's population. the diagnosis of this disease is carried out by parasite isolation and host antibodies detection. however, the diagnosis presents problems in regard to test sensitivity and specificity. currently, the most effective t. gondii treatment is a combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine, although both drugs are toxic to the host. in addition to the ...201728477099
molecular detection and genetic characterization of toxoplasma gondii in farmed raccoon dogs (nyctereutes procyonoides) in shandong province, eastern china.toxoplasma gondii is a successful opportunistic parasite, affecting a wide range of vertebrate animals and humans. genetic diversity of t. gondii in raccoon dogs (nyctereutes procyonoides) is of great importance to understand the transmission of t. gondii in the environment. however, no information is available about the distribution of genetic diversity of t. gondii infection in raccoon dogs. this study was conducted to estimate the prevalence and genetic characterization of t. gondii from racc ...201728476602
calmodulin-like proteins localized to the conoid regulate motility and cell invasion by toxoplasma gondii.toxoplasma gondii contains an expanded number of calmodulin (cam)-like proteins whose functions are poorly understood. using a combination of crispr/cas9-mediated gene editing and a plant-like auxin-induced degron (aid) system, we examined the roles of three apically localized cams. cam1 and cam2 were individually dispensable, but loss of both resulted in a synthetic lethal phenotype. cam3 was refractory to deletion, suggesting it is essential. consistent with this prediction auxin-induced degra ...201728475612
disseminated toxoplasmosis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation showing unusual magnetic resonance images.we herein report a patient who had disseminated toxoplasmosis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation showing atypical clinical presentation and neuroimaging. parkinsonism symptoms such as muscle rigidity, bradykinesia, tremor, and postural instability were initial manifestations. magnetic resonance imaging showed diffuse symmetrical lesions of bilateral basal ganglia lacking ringed enhancement. post-mortem analysis revealed multiple tachyzoites of toxoplasma gondii in the basal ganglia, m ...201728474756
systematic assessment of environmental risk factors for bipolar disorder: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder is likely to involve both genetic and environmental risk factors. in our study, we aimed to perform a systematic search of environmental risk factors for bd. in addition, we assessed possible hints of bias in this literature, and identified risk factors supported by high epidemiological credibility.201728470927
cat-rodent toxoplasma gondii type ii-variant circulation and limited genetic diversity on the island of fernando de noronha, brazil.in brazil, studies on animals and humans in mainland areas have shown that most strains of toxoplasma gondii are pathogenic to mice and exhibit great genetic variability.201728468666
plasma membrane association by n-acylation governs pkg function in toxoplasma gondii.cyclic gmp (cgmp)-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase g [pkg]) is essential for microneme secretion, motility, invasion, and egress in apicomplexan parasites, however, the separate roles of two isoforms of the kinase that are expressed by some apicomplexans remain uncertain. despite having identical regulatory and catalytic domains, pkg(i) is plasma membrane associated whereas pkg(ii) is cytosolic in toxoplasma gondii to determine whether these isoforms are functionally distinct or redundan ...201728465425
seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii in humans and pigs in north sulawesi, indonesia.toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular protozoan parasite, is a major public health concern throughout the world. importantly, toxoplasmosis has several adverse effects, including neurological and ocular diseases. there are currently no data on the prevalence of t. gondii infection in humans or animals in north sulawesi, although indonesia is known to have a high seroprevalence of this parasite. in this study, the prevalence of t. gondii was determined in samples of humans and pigs from north sulaw ...201728465107
toxoplasma gondii and pre-treatment protocols for polymerase chain reaction analysis of milk samples: a field trial in sheep from southern italy.toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan toxoplasma gondii. ingestion of raw milk has been suggested as a risk for transmission to humans. here the authors evaluated pre-treatment protocols for dna extraction on t. gondii tachyzoite-spiked sheep milk with the aim of identifying the method that resulted in the most rapid and reliable polymerase chain reaction (pcr) positivity. this protocol was then used to analyse milk samples from sheep of three different farms in southern it ...201728462207
evidence for host genetic regulation of altered lipid metabolism in experimental toxoplasmosis supported with gene data mining results.toxoplasma gondii is one of the most successful parasites on earth, infecting a wide array of mammals including one third of the global human population. the obligate intracellular protozoon is not capable of synthesizing cholesterol (chl), and thus depends on uptake of host chl for its own development. to explore the genetic regulation of previously observed lipid metabolism alterations during acute murine t. gondii infection, we here assessed total chl and its fractions in serum and selected t ...201728459857
rottlerin-mediated inhibition of toxoplasma gondii growth in bewo trophoblast-like cells.autophagy is a crucial and physiological process for cell survival from yeast to mammals, including protozoan parasites. toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular parasite, typically exploits autophagic machinery of host cell; however host cell upregulates autophagy to combat the infection. herein we tested the efficacy of rottlerin, a natural polyphenol with autophagic promoting properties, against toxoplasma infection on the chorioncarcinoma-derived cell line bewo. we found that rottlerin, at sub-to ...201728455500
mechanisms and pathways of toxoplasma gondii transepithelial migration.toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous parasite and a prevalent food-borne parasitic pathogen. infection of the host occurs principally through oral consumption of contaminated food and water with the gastrointestinal tract being the primary route for entry into the host. to promote infection, t. gondii has evolved highly specialized strategies for rapid traversal of the single cell thick intestinal epithelial barrier. parasite transmigration via the paracellular pathway between adjacent cells enable ...201728452683
immunization with toxoplasma gondii peroxiredoxin 1 induces protective immunity against toxoplasmosis in mice.to develop a vaccine against toxoplasma gondii, a vaccine antigen with immune-stimulating activity is required. in the present study, we investigated the immunogenicity and prophylactic potential of t. gondii peroxiredoxin 1 (tgprx1). the tgprx1 was detected in the ascitic fluid of mice 6 days postinfection, while specific antibody levels were low in the sera of chronically infected mice. treatment of murine peritoneal macrophages with recombinant tgprx1 triggered il-12p40 and il-6 production, b ...201728448521
determination of a key antigen for immunological intervention to target the latent stage of toxoplasma gondii.toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, establishes a chronic infection by forming cysts preferentially in the brain. up to one third of the human population worldwide is estimated to be chronically infected with this parasite. however, there is currently no drug effective against the cyst form of the parasite. in addition, the protective immunity against the cysts remains largely unknown. we analyzed the molecular mechanisms by which the immune system detects host cells ...201728446567
management of suspected primary toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnant women in norway: twenty years of experience of amniocentesis in a low-prevalence population.primary infection with toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy may pose a threat to the fetus. women infected prior to conception are unlikely to transmit the parasite to the fetus. if maternal serology indicates a possible primary infection, amniocentesis for toxoplasma pcr analysis is performed and antiparasitic treatment given. however, discriminating between primary and latent infection is challenging and unnecessary amniocenteses may occur. procedure-related fetal loss after amniocentesis is of ...201728441952
chronic toxoplasma gondii infection exacerbates secondary polymicrobial sepsis.sepsis is a severe syndrome that arises when the host response to an insult is exacerbated, leading to organ failure and frequently to death. how a chronic infection that causes a prolonged th1 expansion affects the course of sepsis is unknown. in this study, we showed that mice chronically infected with toxoplasma gondii were more susceptible to sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (clp). although t. gondii-infected mice exhibited efficient control of the bacterial burden, they showed ...201728439500
tgf-β1 improving abnormal pregnancy outcomes induced by toxoplasma gondii infection: regulating nkg2d/dap10 and killer subset of decidual nk cells.our current aim was to investigate whether injection of tgf-β1 played an important role in improving abnormal pregnancy outcomes with t. gondii infection and how the tgf-β1 regulated. results showed that tgf-β1 exhibited improved pregnancy outcomes induced by t. gondii infection. dnk cytotoxicity was increased with t. gondii infection while decreased with tgf-β1 treatment. dnk cytotoxicity related nkg2d/dap10 expression, perforin, granzyme, ifn-γ and killer subsets were all increased with t. gon ...201728438315
a novel dense granule protein, gra41, regulates timing of egress and calcium sensitivity in toxoplasma gondii.toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite with high seroprevalence in humans. repeated lytic cycles of invasion, replication, and egress drive both the propagation and the virulence of this parasite. key steps in this cycle, including invasion and egress, depend on tightly regulated calcium fluxes and, although many of the calcium-dependent effectors have been identified, the factors that detect and regulate the calcium fluxes are mostly unknown. to address this knowle ...201728436089
toxoplasma infection in an immunocompetent host: possible risk of living with multiple cats.a 32-year-old man presented with agitation, headache, and confusion. he was immunocompetent and had been living with multiple cats for many years. his vital signs were stable. he was afebrile. multiple blood tests did not show any serious problem. brain magnetic resonance imaging (mri) revealed multiple ring-enhancing white matter lesions. cerebrospinal fluid analysis did not show any signs of infection. based on a presumptive diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, high-dose corticosteroid treatment w ...201728435763
prevalence and genetic characterization of toxoplasma gondii in badgers (melogale moschata) in southern china by pcr-rflp.toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite which is able to infect almost all warm-blooded animals. there is no information about the prevalence and genetic characterization of t. gondii in badgers (melogale moschata) in china. here, a total of 367 badgers were captured from different cities in jiangxi province, southern china. genomic dna was extracted from brain tissues of each badgers, and 57 (15.45%) of them were positive for t. gondii by semi-nested pcr of the b1 g ...201728434971
prevalence of toxoplasma gondii infection in hiv-infected patients and food animals and direct genotyping of t. gondii isolates, southern ghana.toxoplasma gondii is of public health and veterinary importance causing severe diseases in immunocompromised individuals including hiv/aids patients and in congenital cases and animals. there is limited information on the epidemiology of t. gondii infection in humans, particularly hiv patients and food animals and the parasite genotypes in ghana. a total of 394 hiv-infected patients from three hospitals were screened for t. gondii anti-igg and igm using elisa. dnas from blood samples of seroposi ...201728434050
epidemiology of toxoplasma gondii among blood donors in iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis.asymptomatic toxoplasma gondii transmitted from blood donors to receiving patients has become a concern. numerous articles have been published on the epidemiology of t. gondii in blood donors in iran and a systematic review of the results shows quite different findings, hence this study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of t. gondii in iranian blood donors using meta-analysis.201728433405
are poikilothermic animals real hosts for toxoplasma gondii?the protozoan toxoplasma gondii is believed to be a common parasite of almost all endothermic animals and humans. however, recent reports of toxoplasmosis in marine mammals raise concern that cold-blooded animals may also be a potential source of t. gondii infection. the article discusses the presence of t. gondii in aquatic and terrestrial poikilothermic animals, which may be important elements in the transmission of the parasite.201728432838
dual role of the toxoplasma gondii clathrin adaptor ap1 in the sorting of rhoptry and microneme proteins and in parasite division.toxoplasma gondii possesses a highly polarized secretory system, which efficiently assembles de novo micronemes and rhoptries during parasite replication. these apical secretory organelles release their contents into host cells promoting parasite invasion and survival. using a crelox-based inducible knock-out strategy and the ddfkbp over-expression system, we unraveled novel functions of the clathrin adaptor complex tgap1. first, our data indicate that ap1 in t. gondii likely functions as a cons ...201728430827
the roles of mast cells in parasitic protozoan infections.protozoan parasites such as plasmodium spp., leishmania spp., trypanosoma spp., and toxoplasma gondii are major causes of parasitic diseases in both humans and animals. the immune system plays a critical role against protozoa, but their immune mechanism remains poorly understood. this highlights the need to investigate the function of immune cells involved in the process of parasite infections and the responses of host immune system to parasite infections. mast cells (mcs) are known to be centra ...201728428784
toxoplasma gondii in backyard pigs: seroepidemiology and mouse bioassay.the aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of toxoplasma gondii in backyard pigs destined for human consumption in pernambuco state, brazil. blood and tissue samples (liver, heart, brain, lung and diaphragm) were collected from 224 pigs from legal slaughterhouses and tested for t. gondii infection. antibodies to t. gondii were found in the sera of 37.9% (85/224) by using the immunofluorescence antibody test (cut-off - 1:64). tissue samples from seropositive pigs were bioassayed in mice ...201728426411
cd103(+) cd8 t cells in the toxoplasma-infected brain exhibit a tissue-resident memory transcriptional profile.during chronic infection, memory t cells acquire a unique phenotype and become dependent on different survival signals than those needed for memory t cells generated during an acute infection. the distinction between the role of effector and memory t cells in an environment of persistent antigen remains unclear. here, in the context of chronic toxoplasma gondii infection, we demonstrate that a population of cd8 t cells exhibiting a tissue-resident memory (trm) phenotype accumulates within the br ...201728424687
induction of protective immunity against toxoplasma gondii in mice by nucleoside triphosphate hydrolase-ii (ntpase-ii) self-amplifying rna vaccine encapsulated in lipid nanoparticle (lnp).rna-based vaccine represents an irresistible and safe immunization strategy with decreasing theoretical risks of genomic integration and malignant cell transformation. to our knowledge, however, there is no report about development of rna vaccine against toxoplasma gondii infection. we have previously demonstrated that the recombinant t. gondii nucleoside triphosphate hydrolase-ii (ntpase-ii) protein is able to provide protective th1 cell-mediated immunity against t. gondii. herein, we evaluated ...201728424680
global mirna expression profiling of domestic cat livers following acute toxoplasma gondii infection.although micrornas (mirnas) play an important role in liver homeostasis, the extent to which they can be altered by toxoplasma gondii infection is unknown. here, we utilized small rna sequencing and bioinformatic analyses to characterize mirna expression profiles in the liver of domestic cats at 7 days after oral infection with t. gondii (type ii) strain. a total of 384 mirnas were identified and 82 were differentially expressed, of which 33 were up-regulated and 49 down-regulated. also, 5690 pr ...201728424428
tgpl2, a patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein, is involved in the maintenance of apicoplast lipids homeostasis in toxoplasma.patatin-like phospholipases are involved in numerous cellular functions, including lipid metabolism and membranes remodeling. the patatin-like catalytic domain, whose phospholipase activity relies on a serine-aspartate dyad and an anion binding box, is widely spread among prokaryotes and eukaryotes. we describe tgpl2, a novel patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein from the parasitic protist toxoplasma gondii. tgpl2 is a large protein, in which the key motifs for enzymatic activity ...201728419631
intestinal, extra-intestinal and systemic sequelae of toxoplasma gondii induced acute ileitis in mice harboring a human gut microbiota.within seven days following peroral high dose infection with toxoplasma gondii susceptible conventionally colonized mice develop acute ileitis due to an underlying t helper cell (th) -1 type immunopathology. we here addressed whether mice harboring a human intestinal microbiota developed intestinal, extra-intestinal and systemic sequelae upon ileitis induction.201728414794
presence of toxoplasma gondii in drinking water from an endemic region in southern mexico.toxoplasmosis can be acquired through the ingestion of contaminated drinking water with oocysts of toxoplasma gondii, highly resistant to the routinely disinfection processes; based on chlorination commonly used in the water supply industry. the aim of this study was to determine the presence of t. gondii dna in samples of public drinking water from an endemic region of southern mexico. in total 74 samples of water (5 l each) were collected from the three well fields (i, ii, and iii) and 71 inde ...201728414523
toxoplasmosis seroprevalence in iranian women and risk factors of the disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.toxoplasmosis is caused by an intracellular obligatory parasite, toxoplasma gondii, and it has global distribution. the purposes of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to evaluate the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in iranian pregnant women, and girls and women of childbearing age, and identify potentially preventable risk factors.201728413330
disruption of outer blood-retinal barrier by toxoplasma gondii-infected monocytes is mediated by paracrinely activated fak signaling.ocular toxoplasmosis is mediated by monocytes infected with toxoplasma gondii that are disseminated to target organs. although infected monocytes can easily access to outer blood-retinal barrier due to leaky choroidal vasculatures, not much is known about the effect of t. gondii-infected monocytes on outer blood-retinal barrier. we prepared human monocytes, thp-1, infected with t. gondii and human retinal pigment epithelial cells, arpe-19, grown on transwells as an in vitro model of outer blood- ...201728406972
protection induced by virus-like particles containing toxoplasma gondii microneme protein 8 against highly virulent rh strain of toxoplasma gondii infection.toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) microneme protein 8 (mic8) represents a novel, functional distinct invasion factor. in this study, we generated virus-like particles (vlps) targeting toxoplasma gondii mic8 for the first time, and investigated the protection against highly virulent rh strain of t. gondii in a mouse model. we found that vlp vaccination induced toxoplasma gondii-specific igg and igg1 antibody responses in the sera. upon challenge infection with rh strain of t. gondii tachyzoites, vacc ...201728406951
toxoplasma gondii antibody profile in hiv-1-infected and uninfected pregnant women and the impact on congenital toxoplasmosis diagnosis in rio de janeiro, brazil.compare the anti-t. gondii igg titer between hiv-1 infected and non hiv-1 infected pregnant women and report three cases of congenital toxoplasmosis resulting from reactivation of infection during pregnancy of hiv-1 infected women.201722552460
novel fitc-labeled igy antibody: fluorescence imaging toxoplasma gondii in vitro.toxoplasmosis is caused by t. gondii and can create serious health problems in humans and also worldwide economic harm. because of the clinical and veterinary importance of toxoplasmosis, its timely and accurate diagnosis has a major impact on disease-fighting strategies. t. gondii surface antigen 1 (sag1), an immunodominant-specific antigen, is often used as a diagnostic tool. therefore, the aim of this study was the optimization of novel fluorescein isothiocyanate (fitc) labeling of the sag1-s ...201728404997
investigation of toxoplasma gondii in semen, testicle and epididymis tissues of primo-infected cats (felis catus).this study aimed to investigate the presence of toxoplasma gondii in semen, testicle and epididymis tissues of cats experimentally infected by this coccidium. a total of 12 male felines without a definite breed that were of reproductive age and serologically negative for t. gondii were selected and distributed to the following three experimental groups: gi, inoculated with 600 tissue cysts of the p strain of t. gondii (isolate iii); gii, inoculated with 2×10(5) tachyzoites of the rh strain (isol ...201728404209
rrop2 from toxoplasma gondii as a potential vaccine against oocyst shedding in domestic cats.the aim of the present study was to evaluate oocyst shedding in cats immunized by nasal route with t. gondii proteins rop2. twelve short hair cats (felis catus) were divided in three groups g1, g2 and g3 (n=4). animals from g1 received 100 μg of rrop2 proteins plus 20 μg of quil-a, g2 received 100 μg of bsa plus 20 μg of quil-a, and the g3 only saline solution (control group). all treatments were done by intranasal route at days 0, 21, 42, and 63. the challenge was performed in all groups on day ...201728403374
different inoculum loads of toxoplasma gondii induce reduction of myenteric neurons of the rat colon.toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by toxoplasma gondii, is an important health problem, especially in immunocompromised hosts. t. gondii uses the gut wall as an infection gateway, with tropism for muscular and nervous tissues causing intestinal alterations, including some in the enteric nervous system. this study aims at investigating the colon of rats infected by t. gondii in order to understand how the amount of oocysts influences in myenteric neuronal changes. sixty wistar rats (rattus norvegic ...201728403373
seroprevalence and risk factors of toxoplasma gondii in slaughter pigs in shaanxi province, northwestern china.toxoplasma gondii is an important food-borne zoonotic protozoan parasite, which can infect endothermic animals, including pigs. however, data on t. gondii in slaughter pigs in shaanxi province were still lacking. to detect the seroprevalence and analyze the risk factors of t. gondii infection in slaughter pigs in shaanxi province, northwestern china, a total of 784 serum samples were collected from four administrative regions and detected by indirect hemagglutination test for t. gondii infection ...201728402727
loss of predator aversion in female rats after toxoplasma gondii infection is not dependent on ovarian steroids.toxoplasma gondii infection reduces aversion to cat odors in male rats. relevant proximate mechanisms include interaction of gonadal testosterone and brain nonapeptide arginine-vasopressin. both of these substrates are sexually dimorphic with preferential expression in males; suggesting either absence of behavioral change in females or mediation by analogous neuroendocrine substrates. here we demonstrate that toxoplasma gondii infection reduces aversion to cat odor in female rats. this change is ...201728400143
toxoplasma gondii in raw and dry-cured ham: the influence of the curing process.the aim of this work was to analyze toxoplasma gondii in raw hams by mouse bioassay and to evaluate the effect of curing on the viability of the parasite to assess the risk of infection from eating dry-cured ham. after a serology study of 1200 pigs in aragón (spain), forty-one naturally infected pigs with different serological titers against t. gondii were selected. two cured periods (9 and 12 months) were evaluated as well as the influence of the physicochemical composition of hams on t. gondii ...201728400005
evaluation of toxoplasma elite mgb real-time pcr assay for diagnosis of toxoplasmosis.molecular diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis or disseminated toxoplasmosis is based mainly on pcr. the repeated dna element rep529 has become the main dna target used in most pcr methods, whether laboratory developed or commercial. in this multicenter study, we evaluated the toxoplasma elite mgb (elitech) commercial kit by comparison with three reference quantitative pcr assays (ras) used routinely in three proficient laboratories of the french national reference center for toxoplasmosis netw ...201728202794
ocular toxoplasmosis i: parasitology, epidemiology and public health.ocular toxoplasmosis results from retinal infection with the protozoan, toxoplasma gondii. this parasite, which exists as multiple clonal subpopulations and in three stages, is capable of replication in any nucleated cell of its primary feline or multiple paratenic hosts. human seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis is high across the globe, but with geographic variation. while prevalence of ocular toxoplasmosis is not well documented, toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis is the commonest form of posterior uv ...201622594908
passage of parasites across the blood-brain barrier.the blood-brain barrier (bbb) is a structural and functional barrier that protects the central nervous system (cns) from invasion by blood-borne pathogens including parasites. however, some intracellular and extracellular parasites can traverse the bbb during the course of infection and cause neurological disturbances and/or damage which are at times fatal. the means by which parasites cross the bbb and how the immune system controls the parasites within the brain are still unclear. in this revi ...201622460639
ocular toxoplasmosis ii: clinical features, pathology and management.the term, ocular toxoplasmosis, refers to eye disease related to infection with the parasite, toxoplasma gondii. recurrent posterior uveitis is the typical form of this disease, characterized by unilateral, necrotizing retinitis with secondary choroiditis, occurring adjacent to a pigmented retinochoroidal scar and associated with retinal vasculitis and vitritis. multiple atypical presentations are also described, and severe inflammation is observed in immunocompromised patients. histopathologica ...201622712598
vaccination against parasites - status quo and the way forward.although vaccination against various pathogens is integral to health management of swine, vaccines against parasites have not yet been commercialized for the use in pigs. the incentive to develop and commercialize anti-parasitic vaccines in swine are twofold; on the one hand parasitic diseases which are economically important, such as ascarosis and neonatal coccidiosis, could be controlled in a sustainable manner; on the other hand, the transmission of zoonotic parasites, such as toxoplasma gond ...201628405456
toxoplasmosis-associated abortion and stillbirth in tehran, iran.this study was aimed to evaluate the role of toxoplasmosis in etiology of abortion and stillbirth based on molecular and serological techniques.201625564725
toxoplasma gondii-infected natural killer cells display a hypermotility phenotype in vivo.toxoplasma gondii is a highly prevalent intracellular protozoan parasite that causes severe disease in congenitally infected or immunocompromised hosts. t. gondii is capable of invading immune cells and it has been suggested that the parasite harnesses the migratory pathways of these cells to spread through the body. although in vitro evidence suggests that the parasite further enhances its spread by inducing a hypermotility phenotype in parasitized immune cells, in vivo evidence for this phenom ...201625533287
quantitative assessment of the effects of sulfamethoxazole on toxoplasma gondii loads in susceptible wt c57bl/6 mice as an immunocompetent host model.the abundance of toxoplasma gondii with or without sulfamethoxazole (smx) treatment was evaluated with quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction in various organs of wild-type c57bl/6 mice, a susceptible immunocompetent host, after peroral infection with a cyst-forming fukaya strain of t. gondii. smx affected different organs in three ways: t. gondii was reduced independently of smx (skin and kidney); t. gondii was not eradicated with continuous treatment (brain, heart, and lung); and t ...201626384856
real-time pcr using the 529 bp repeat element for the diagnosis of atypical ocular toxoplasmosis.ocular toxoplasmosis may present in atypical fashion, particularly in immunosuppressed patients, and pcr is an important diagnostic tool especially when differentiating from other infectious causes.201626174811
recurrent seizures during acute acquired toxoplasmosis in an immunocompetent traveller returning from africa.we report an unusual case of acute acquired toxoplasmosis (aat) presenting as lymphadenopathy and recurrent seizures in an immunocompetent 15-year-old boy.201626168861
in vivo efficacy of drugs against toxoplasma gondii combined with immunomodulators.the aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of pyrimethamine (pyr) and sulfadiazine (sdz) combined with levamisole and echinacea on the survival of mice infected with toxoplasma gondii. for this, we used 99 specific pathogen-free balb/c mice. all the mice were infected intraperitoneally with 10(5) t. gondii tachyzoites and were divided into 11 groups, each including 9 mice. except for the control group, oral treatment was initiated in all groups 24 h post infection and was continued for 10 ...201626166498
influence of drug therapy on the risk of recurrence of ocular toxoplasmosis.retrospective, observational case series with follow-up examination to analyse the influence of drug therapy on ocular toxoplasmosis (ot) in terms of recurrence-risk.201626163541
seroprevalence and risk factors of toxoplasma gondii infection in humans in east hararghe zone, ethiopia.a cross-sectional study was conducted from april 2013 to september 2013 to determine the seroprevalence and possible risk factors for human toxplasma gondii infection in east hararghe zone, ethiopia. serum samples were analysed using direct agglutination test, and immunosorbent agglutination assay for detecting igg (n = 354) and igm (n = 167) t. gondii antibodies. the t. gondii igg and igm seroprevalences were 65·8% [95% confidence interval (ci) 60·62-70·75] and 8·98% (95% ci 5·11-14·38), respec ...201626072985
the toxoplasma gondii rhoptry protein rop18 is an irga6-specific kinase and regulated by the dense granule protein gra7.in mice, avirulent strains (e.g. types ii and iii) of the protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii are restricted by the immunity-related gtpase (irg) resistance system. loading of irg proteins onto the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (pvm) is required for vacuolar rupture resulting in parasite clearance. in virulent strain (e.g. type i) infections, polymorphic effector proteins rop5 and rop18 cooperate to phosphorylate and thereby inactivate mouse irg proteins to preserve pvm integrity. in this s ...201626247512
seroprevalence of anti-toxoplasma igg and igm among individuals who were referred to medical laboratories in mazandaran province, northern iran.toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) is a protozoan parasite that can cause toxoplasmosis in humans. however, there is no current data regarding toxoplasma infection among individuals who were referred to medical laboratories in mazandaran province (northern iran). therefore, we performed a population-based study of toxoplasma seroprevalence in this region. a total of 1832 sera samples (from 654 men and 1178 women) were collected from people who were referred to medical laboratories in different cities ...201626159578
the aspartyl protease tgasp5 mediates the export of the toxoplasma gra16 and gra24 effectors into host cells.toxoplasma gondii and plasmodium species are obligatory intracellular parasites that export proteins into the infected cells in order to interfere with host-signalling pathways, acquire nutrients or evade host defense mechanisms. with regard to export mechanism, a wealth of information in plasmodium spp. is available, while the mechanisms operating in t. gondii remain uncertain. the recent discovery of exported proteins in t. gondii, mainly represented by dense granule resident proteins, might e ...201626270241
development of dose-response models to predict the relationship for human toxoplasma gondii infection associated with meat consumption.toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that is responsible for approximately 24% of deaths attributed to foodborne pathogens in the united states. it is thought that a substantial portion of human t. gondii infections is acquired through the consumption of meats. the dose-response relationship for human exposures to t. gondii-infected meat is unknown because no human data are available. the goal of this study was to develop and validate dose-response models based on animal studies, and to com ...201626477997
seroprevalence and serointensity of latent toxoplasma gondii in a sample of elderly adults with and without alzheimer disease.latent infection with toxoplasma gondii has been associated with behavioral and cognitive changes in animal models and in humans. early findings have suggested an association between latent toxoplasmosis and alzheimer disease (ad). on the basis of these factors, we sought to determine whether there is an association between latent toxoplasmosis and ad using a large, well-characterized sample of subjects with ad and age-matched and sex-matched controls without dementia.201626421353
shared immune and repair markers during experimental toxoplasma chronic brain infection and schizophrenia.chronic neurologic infection with toxoplasma gondii is relatively common in humans and is one of the strongest known risk factors for schizophrenia. nevertheless, the exact neuropathological mechanisms linking t gondii infection and schizophrenia remain unclear. here we utilize a mouse model of chronic t gondii infection to identify protein biomarkers that are altered in serum and brain samples at 2 time points during chronic infection. furthermore, we compare the identified biomarkers to those ...201626392628
targeting heat shock proteins 60 and 70 of toxoplasma gondii as a potential drug target: in silico approach.heat shock proteins (hsps) 60 and 70 are postulated as a potential drug target for toxoplasmosis due to its importance in the developmental and survival of toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii). as of today, there have been no reports on three-dimensional (3d) structure of hsp60 and hsp70 deposited in the brookhaven protein data bank. hence, this study was conducted to predict 3d structures for hsp60 and hsp70 in t. gondii by homology modeling. selection of the best predicted model was done based on mul ...201626297309
genotyping of toxoplasma gondii directly from human and animal biological samples: from partial genotypes to a new genotype.genotyping of toxoplasma gondii is traditionally performed using dna obtained from tachyzoites after isolation by bioassay in mice. in this study, genotyping of t. gondii was performed by multiplex nested polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (mn-pcr-rflp) in dna obtained from the lungs of experimentally infected mice, the hearts of naturally infected free-range chickens, and human blood samples of newborns with congenital toxoplasmosis. the efficiency of mn-pcr vari ...201626418172
identification of tgatg8-tgatg3 interaction in toxoplasma gondii.autophagy is a catabolic process in eukaryotic cells involved in the targeted degradation of cellular organelles and the cytoplasm. recent works in toxoplasma gondii suggest that the autophagy processes may serve as an important pathway in modulating parasite survival or death. as an important modulator of atg8 lipidation and autophagy, atg8-atg3 interaction has been attracting increasing attention. however, there is no direct evidence that tgatg8-tgatg3 interaction occurs in the parasite. in th ...201626407821
role of spiramycin in prevention of fetal toxoplasmosis.the aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of spiramycin in prevention of mother-to-child transmission of toxoplasma gondii infection.201626365472
the il-12 response of primary human dendritic cells and monocytes to toxoplasma gondii is stimulated by phagocytosis of live parasites rather than host cell invasion.as a major natural host for toxoplasma gondii, the mouse is widely used for the study of the immune response to this medically important protozoan parasite. however, murine innate recognition of toxoplasma depends on the interaction of parasite profilin with tlr11 and tlr12, two receptors that are functionally absent in humans. this raises the question of how human cells detect and respond to t. gondii. in this study, we show that primary monocytes and dendritic cells from peripheral blood of he ...201626597011
combined toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and high blood kynurenine--linked with nonfatal suicidal self-directed violence in patients with schizophrenia.toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii) chronic infection and elevated kynurenine (kyn) levels have been individually associated with non-fatal suicidal self-directed violence (nf-ssdv). we aimed to test the hypothesis that the association between t. gondii seropositivity and history of nf-ssdv would be stronger in schizophrenia patients with high plasma kyn levels than in those with lower kyn levels. we measured anti-t. gondii igg antibodies and plasma kyn in 950 patients with schizophrenia, and used log ...201626594873
prevalence of anti-toxoplasma gondii antibody in domestic horses in japan.the present study is the first report that investigated the seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic horses in various prefectures of japan and analyzed risk factors for seropositivity. we performed a latex agglutination test for riding/racing horses from 11 prefectures in japan (783 samples) and 4 groups of japanese native horses (254 samples). the total seroprevalence of anti-t. gondii antibody in horses examined in this study was 4.24% (44/1037). as for riding/racing horses, ...201626593178
iga and igg1 reactivities assessed by flow cytometry mirror clinical aspects of infants with ocular congenital toxoplasmosis.this study intended to apply the flow cytometric analysis of iga and igg reactivity and intracytoplasmic cytokine analysis to understand and decode the clinical aspects of infants with ocular congenital toxoplasmosis. the toxoplasma gondii-infected infants (toxo) were subdivided according to their clinical aspects based on the absence (nrl), presence of active (arl), active/cicatricial (acrl) or cicatricial retinochoroidal lesions (crl) and compared to non-infected controls (ni). the reactivity ...201626592658
identification of direct kinase substrates using analogue-sensitive alleles.identifying the substrates of protein kinases remains a major obstacle in the elucidation of eukaryotic signaling pathways. promiscuity among kinases and their substrates coupled with the extraordinary plasticity of phosphorylation networks renders traditional genetic approaches or small-molecule inhibitors problematic when trying to determine the direct substrates of an individual kinase. here we describe methods to label, enrich, and identify the direct substrates of analogue-sensitive kinases ...201626584919
a lipolytic lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase secreted by toxoplasma facilitates parasite replication and egress.the protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii develops within a parasitophorous vacuole (pv) in mammalian cells, where it scavenges cholesterol. when cholesterol is present in excess in its environment, the parasite expulses this lipid into the pv or esterifies it for storage in lipid bodies. here, we characterized a unique t. gondii homologue of mammalian lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (lcat), a key enzyme that produces cholesteryl esters via transfer of acyl groups from phospholipids to the 3 ...201626694607
extracellular toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites metabolize and incorporate unnatural sugars into cellular proteins.toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that infects all nucleated cell types in diverse warm-blooded organisms. many of the surface antigens and effector molecules secreted by the parasite during invasion and intracellular growth are modified by glycans. glycosylated proteins in the nucleus and cytoplasm have also been reported. despite their prevalence, the complete inventory and biological significance of glycosylated proteins in toxoplasma remain unknown. in this study, we ai ...201626687036
validation of the modified agglutination test for the detection of toxoplasma gondii in free-range chickens by using cat and mouse bioassay.the modified agglutination test (mat) is one of the most commonly used tests for the detection of antibodies to toxoplasma gondii in animal and human sera. the objective of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the mat and bioassay in free-range/backyard (fr) chickens (gallus domesticus). previously-published t. gondii test results from 2066 chickens from 19 countries were compiled for the present study. the frequency of isolation of t. gondii increased for mat titres betw ...201626625933
genetic characterization of toxoplasma gondii isolates from pigs in jilin province, northeastern china.toxoplasma gondii is prevalent in humans and animals worldwide. the present study aimed to determine the genetic diversity of t. gondii isolates from pigs in jilin province, northeastern china. a total of 100 dna samples were extracted from the hilar lymph nodes of slaughtered pigs, and 9 (9.0%, 95% confidence interval: 3.4-14.6%) were detected positive for t. gondii b1 gene by a nested polymerase chain reaction (pcr). the positive dna samples were typed at 11 genetic markers, including 10 nucle ...201626682614
an ensemble of specifically targeted proteins stabilizes cortical microtubules in the human parasite toxoplasma gondii.although all microtubules within a single cell are polymerized from virtually identical subunits, different microtubule populations carry out specialized and diverse functions, including directional transport, force generation, and cellular morphogenesis. functional differentiation requires specific targeting of associated proteins to subsets or even subregions of these polymers. the cytoskeleton of toxoplasma gondii, an important human parasite, contains at least five distinct tubulin-based str ...201626680740
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