Rapid detection of Toxoplasma gondii antigen in experimentally infected mice by dot- ELISA

ABSTRACT

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide endemic disease. In congenitally infected infants and AIDS patients, toxoplasmosis causes high rates of morbidity and mortality. In these cases antibody detection is difficult; so detection of parasite or its components could be useful tool for early detection and following treatment of the infection. Sixty-three BALB/c mice were injected intra-peritoneal with 5x10[3] tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii RH strain, nine mice were sacrificed daily for 7 days. Fourteen mice were injected with phosphate buffer saline as control group. Dot-ELISA was performed for detection of T.gondii antigen in mice sera and capture -ELISA was done as golden standard assay too. Toxoplasma gondii antigen was detected from day 2 in mice sera; 22% of mice sera on day 2, 33% on day 3,77% on day 4 and 100% on day 5 till their death on day 7 had shown antigenemia by dot -ELISA, no positive result was detected in control mice by dot-ELISA. Dot-ELISA is a sensitive method for diagnosis of T. gondii infection in the animal model; also, this technique is more rapid and easy to perform method in comparison with capture-ELISA