Topic
Toxoplasma gondii
About: Toxoplasma gondii is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 11343 publications have been published within this topic receiving 307588 citations. The topic is also known as: TgTSA1.
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TL;DR: Recent epidemiological data on T. gondii, hypotheses on the major routes of transmission to humans in different populations, and preventive measures that may reduce the risk of contracting a primary infection during pregnancy are presented.
3,160 citations
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TL;DR: The population genetic structure of Toxoplasma gondii was determined by multilocus restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis at 6 loci in 106 independent isolates from humans and animals, indicating a highly unusual population structure consisting of 3 widespread clonal lineages.
Abstract: The population genetic structure of Toxoplasma gondii was determined by multilocus restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis at 6 loci in 106 independent isolates from humans and animals. Phylogenetic and statistical analyses indicated a highly unusual population structure consisting of 3 widespread clonal lineages. Extensively mixed genotypes were only apparent in 4 strains, which indicated that, while not separate species, sexual recombination between the 3 lineages is exceedingly rare in natural populations. T. gondii is a major cause of subclinical human infection and an important opportunistic pathogen that causes severe disease in immunocompromised patients. While strains from all 3 lineages were isolated from humans, the majority of human toxoplasmosis cases were associated with strains of a type II genotype. The correlation of specific clonal lineages with human toxoplasmosis has important implications for development of vaccines, drug treatments, and diagnostic protocols.
1,288 citations
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TL;DR: The fact that an antibody to interferon-gamma can eliminate resistance to acute Toxoplasma infection in mice suggests that this lymphokine is an important mediator of host resistance to this parasite.
Abstract: Mice were injected with a monoclonal antibody to interferon-gamma to examine the importance of endogenous production of this lymphokine in resistance against infection with the sporozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Mice with intraperitoneal infections of T. gondii that received no antibody survived and developed chronic T. gondii infection, whereas the infected mice that received the monoclonal antibody died of toxoplasmosis. The activation of macrophages, which kill T. gondii in vivo, was inhibited by administration of the monoclonal antibody, but the production of antibodies to T. gondii was not suppressed. The fact that an antibody to interferon-gamma can eliminate resistance to acute Toxoplasma infection in mice suggests that this lymphokine is an important mediator of host resistance to this parasite.
1,127 citations
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TL;DR: A detailed account of the biology of tissue cysts and bradyzoites including in vivo and in vitro development, methods of separation from host tissue, tissue cyst rupture, and relapse is provided.
Abstract: Infections by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii are widely prevalent world-wide in animals and humans. This paper reviews the life cycle; the structure of tachyzoites, bradyzoites, oocysts, sporocysts, sporozoites and enteroepithelial stages of T. gondii; and the mode of penetration of T. gondii. The review provides a detailed account of the biology of tissue cysts and bradyzoites including in vivo and in vitro development, methods of separation from host tissue, tissue cyst rupture, and relapse. The mechanism of in vivo and in vitro stage conversion from sporozoites to tachyzoites to bradyzoites and from bradyzoites to tachyzoites to bradyzoites is also discussed.
1,103 citations
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TL;DR: A profilin-like molecule from the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is identified that generates a potent interleukin-12 (IL-12) response in murine DCs that is dependent on myeloid differentiation factor 88 and is the first chemically defined ligand for this TLR.
Abstract: Mammalian Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in the innate recognition of pathogens by dendritic cells (DCs). Although TLRs are clearly involved in the detection of bacteria and viruses, relatively little is known about their function in the innate response to eukaryotic microorganisms. Here we identify a profilin-like molecule from the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii that generates a potent interleukin-12 (IL-12) response in murine DCs that is dependent on myeloid differentiation factor 88. T. gondii profilin activates DCs through TLR11 and is the first chemically defined ligand for this TLR. Moreover, TLR11 is required in vivo for parasite-induced IL-12 production and optimal resistance to infection, thereby establishing a role for the receptor in host recognition of protozoan pathogens.
1,029 citations