EJMS

Abstract

A nitrocellulose dipstick immunoassay (NCD) was evaluated for detection of immunoglobulin IgG and IgM antibodies of toxoplasmosis infection in experimental mice after a single dose of infection. Toxoplasma gondii-specific antibody responses in serum were identified, 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks after infection, using NCD compared to the reference test enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The assays employed conjugated rabbit anti-mouse IgG and IgM and a soluble antigen of tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii strain RH (TSA) as the detecting antigen. The level of IgG was increased starting from four week after infection (1.629) to 1.844 and 1.843 at 8 and 12 weeks respectively and reached peak level at 24 weeks of infection (2.187); while the level of IgM was highest (1.524) at 4 weeks of infection and reached 1.289 at 8 weeks then decreased rapidly to 0.647 at 12 weeks and finally its level matched with the negative control level at 24 weeks of infection. The NCD test proved to be sensitive and effective for the detection of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies and generally agreed with the results of ELISA. It can be used, with some modifications, as a simple, sensitive and rapid applicable test for diagnosis of acute and chronic stages of Toxoplasma gondii infection.