ABSTRACT
In the present work, the diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis was based on the clinical picture and the serological test results of enzyme linked-immunosorbent assay [IgM-ELISA and IgG-ELISA], ELISA and Western blotting of Toxoplasma antigen against sera from ocular patients in the acute and chronic phases of the disease. Forty-five cases of suspected ocular toxoplasmosis and five control samples were examined clinically and serologically. The clinical diagnosis was based on the manifestation of the characteristic biomicroscopic features, where a white and irregular inflammatory focus was detected frequently in association with an old scar. Fundus examination revealed five cases in the acute phase, twenty-seven cases in the chronic phase and thirteen atypical cases. Sera were collected to be tested serologically by ELISA and Western blot technique, where it was found that the diagnosis was confirmed for 82.3% by ELISA; this rate rose to 88.9% by Western blot technique adding better results. All control sera were negative by ELISA and Western blot. Toxoplasma gondii cyst antigen was prepared, characterized by SDS-PAGE and recognized by antibodies in serum samples from patients presenting with ocular toxoplasmosis by means of Western blot technique. Antigenic bands 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 66 and 67 kDa could be characterized as antigenic markers for acute ocular toxoplasmosis and 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 43, 66 and 67 kDa as antigenic markers for chronic ocular toxoplasmosis