Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #86672
Title: SEROSURVEY OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII IN NORTH ATLANTIC MARINE MAMMALS BY THE USEOF AGGLUTINATION TEST EMPLOYING WHOLE TACHYZOITES AND DITHIOTHREITOL

Author
item OKSANEN, A - TROMSO, NORWAY
item TRYLAND, M - TROMSO, NORWAY
item JOHNSEN, K - TROMSO, NORWAY
item Dubey, Jitender

Submitted to: Comparative Immunology Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/6/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Infection by the protozoan (single-celled) parasite Toxoplasma gondii is widespread in man and livestock. Most hosts harbor T. gondii infection without clinical signs. Antibody tests are often used to diagnose these infections. The modified agglutination test (MAT) employing 2-mercaptoethanol, is one of the tests often used to detect T. gondii antibodies both in man and animals. Scientists at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and the Veterinary College, Oslo, Norway have successfully replaced mercaptoethanol with dithiothreitol in the MAT to eliminate toxicity. These results will be useful to parasitologists and diagnosticians.

Technical Abstract: Serum samples from North Atlantic populations of harp seal, Phoca groenlandica (n=316), ringed seal, Phoca hispida (n=48), hooded seal, Cystophora cristata (n=78), and minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata (n=202), were tested for Toxoplasma gondii-specific IgG. The modified agglutination test (MAT) was slightly modified to be more user-friendly by replacing the 0.2 M 2-mercaptoethanol with 10 mM dithiothreitol. No positive samples were fund at 1:40 dilution.