FlowCytomix analysis forToxoplasma gondiiinfection in pregnant women in central Taiwan

Abstract

The study was to determine the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in the sera of pregnant women in central Taiwan and to investigate the levels of cytokine in the sera of pregnant women with Toxoplasma gondii infection. The 220 blood samples were collected from pregnant women. The haematological parameters of peripheral blood were analysed by a haematology analyser. Serum samples of the pregnant women were analysed by a commercially available anti-T. gondii IgM/IgG antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit and FlowCytomix assays. Six (2.7%) of the sera samples had IgM anti-T. gondii antibodies, and twenty (9.1%) had T. gondii IgG seropositive. All six IgM seropositive samples had low IgG avidity, indicative of acute infection. Total white blood cells and eosinophils were statistically significantly increased (p<0.05) in pregnant women with T. gondii infection, as compared with healthy pregnant women. Th1 cytokines IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2 and IL-12 p70, and Th2 cytokines IL-10 in pregnant women with T. gondii IgM/IgG seropositive were significantly increased (p<0.05), as compared with healthy pregnant women. These results showed that both of Th1 and Th2 cytokines play an important role in the toxoplasmosis of pregnant women.

Seroprevalence, Seroconversion, and Risk Factors for Toxoplasmosis among Pregnant Women in Taipei, Taiwan

“…The overall seroprevalence in the 104 pregnant women evaluated in this study was 7.7z (8/104). Our results indicated that the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis among pregnant women in Taipei was much lower than that reported among aboriginal pregnant women (40.6z) and immigrant pregnant women (18.2z) in Central Taiwan (22), but was similar to that reported in a previous study on Taiwanese pregnant women in Taipei (9.1z) (19), and in Central Taiwan (11.8z) (23). Compared with neighboring countries, the overall seroprevalence in the present study was similar to that reported in Japan (10.3z) (13), and in Changchun, northern China Toxoplasma in Pregnant Women in Taipei City (10.6z) (16); however, the overall seroprevalence in the present study was higher than that reported in South Korea (4z) (12).…”

Toxoplasma infection in pregnant women: a current status in Songklanagarind hospital, southern Thailand

“…This finding fell within the range of 2.6% - 28% of seroprevalence that have been reported in Thailand [10-18]. However, our prevalence rate is still higher compared to previous studies conducted recently in our Asian counterparts such as China, Japan and Taiwan being 3.98%, 10.3% and 11.8%, respectively [19-21]. Globally, the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma infection remains high in many countries across the continents, e.g., 84.7% in Congo [22], 83.6% in Ethiopia [23], 45% in India [24], 59% in Brazil [25] and 30.9% in Tanzania [26].…”

ELISA in the multiplex era: Potentials and pitfalls

“…Several high‐content protein microarrays for comparative profiling are available commercially (Tables and ) , however, of these, relatively few have been validated for in vitro diagnostics (IVD) applications; moreover, despite the theoretical multiplexing capacities of the platforms, commercially available panels appear to only harness a fraction of this capacity, seldom exceeding 20 individual analytes . Contemporary multiplex immunoassay systems may be divided into the two described formats: planar assays and microbead‐based suspension assays (Fig.…”