Toxoplasmosis serology: an efficient hemagglutination procedure to detect IgG and IgM antibodies

In search of an efficient but simple, low cost procedure for the serodiagnosis of Toxoplasmosis, especially suited for routine laboratories facing technical and budget limitations as in less developed countries, the diagnostic capability of Hematoxo® , an hemagglutination test for toxoplasmosis, was evaluated in relation to a battery of tests including IgG- and IgM-immunofluorescence tests, hemagglutination and an IgM-capture enzymatic assay. Detecting a little as 5 I.U. of IgG antitoxoplasma antibodies, Hematoxo® showed a straight agreement as to reactivity and non-reactivity for the 443 non-reactive and the 387 reactive serum samples, included in this study. In 23 cases presenting a serological pattern of acute toxoplasmosis and showing IgM antibodies, Hematoxo® could detect IgM antibodies in 18, indicated by negativation or a significant decrease in titers as a result of treating samples with 2-mercapto-ethanol. However, a neat increase in sensitivity for IgM specific antibodies could be achieved by previously removing IgG from the sample, as demonstrated in a series of acute toxoplasmosis sera. A simple procedure was developed for this purpose, by reconstituting a lyophilized suspension of Protein A - rich Staphylococcus with the lowest serum dilution to be tested. Of low cost and easy to perform, Hematoxo® affords not only a practical qualitative procedure for screening reactors and non-reactors, as in prenatal services, but also quantitative assays that permit to titrate antibodies as well as to identify IgM antibodies

Toxoplasmosis serology: an efficient hemagglutination procedure to detect IgG and IgM antibodies

In search of an efficient but simple, low cost procedure for the serodiagnosis of Toxoplasmosis, especially suited for routine laboratories facing technical and budget limitations as in less developed countries, the diagnostic capability of Hematoxo® , an hemagglutination test for toxoplasmosis, was evaluated in relation to a battery of tests including IgG- and IgM-immunofluorescence tests, hemagglutination and an IgM-capture enzymatic assay. Detecting a little as 5 I.U. of IgG antitoxoplasma antibodies, Hematoxo® showed a straight agreement as to reactivity and non-reactivity for the 443 non-reactive and the 387 reactive serum samples, included in this study. In 23 cases presenting a serological pattern of acute toxoplasmosis and showing IgM antibodies, Hematoxo® could detect IgM antibodies in 18, indicated by negativation or a significant decrease in titers as a result of treating samples with 2-mercapto-ethanol. However, a neat increase in sensitivity for IgM specific antibodies could be achieved by previously removing IgG from the sample, as demonstrated in a series of acute toxoplasmosis sera. A simple procedure was developed for this purpose, by reconstituting a lyophilized suspension of Protein A - rich Staphylococcus with the lowest serum dilution to be tested. Of low cost and easy to perform, Hematoxo® affords not only a practical qualitative procedure for screening reactors and non-reactors, as in prenatal services, but also quantitative assays that permit to titrate antibodies as well as to identify IgM antibodies.Avaliou-se o teste de hemaglutinação Hematoxo® , associado ou não à prévia remoção de IgG do soro pela Proteína A, como procedimento de rotina para o diagnóstico sorológico da toxoplasmose. A capacidade diagnóstica do teste foi investigada em soros já classificados por uma bateria de testes, de imunofluorescência, hemaglutinação e imunoenzimático de captura de IgM, segundo os diferentes perfis sorológicos observados na toxoplasmose. Revelando desde 5 U.I. de anticorpos IgG por mililitro de soro, Hematoxo® evidenciou estreita concordância quanto à reatividade e não reatividade em 443 soros não reagentes e 387 soros reagentes. De 23 casos de toxoplasmose aguda com perfil I, o teste de hemaglutinação detectou anticorpos IgM em 18, pela negativação ou queda significativa de títulos após tratamento das amostras com 2-mercapto-etanol. Porém, obteve-se nítido aumento da sensibilidade do teste Hematoxo® para anticorpos IgM removendo-se IgG das amostras. Para esse fim reconstituiu-se uma suspensão liofilizada de estafilococos produtores de Proteína A com a diluição do soro, que depois de centrifugada era utilizada no teste. Desse modo, Hematoxo® , como teste qualitativo, mostrou-se adequado para a identificação de reatores e não reatores, por exemplo, na triagem de gestantes de risco. Como teste quantitativo, permitiu o diagnóstico das várias fases sorológicas da toxoplasmose, pela titulação de anticorpos IgG e pela evidenciação de anticorpos IgM. De realização simples e baixo custo, Hematoxo® mostra-se um teste adequado para a rotina diagnóstica

Prevalence of infection with high-risk human papillomavirus in women in Colombia

AbstractThe prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in 2109 females inhabiting five cities of Colombia was determined. Of the 49.2% with an HPV infection, 59.8% were infected with more than one viral type. Species 7 (of the the genus Alphapapillomavirus) was associated with multiple infections. Analysis of the socio-demographic data revealed a statistically significant protective effect associated with the status of civil union (civil recognition of cohabitation without marriage), and indigenous ethnicity proved to be a risk factor for HPV infection. This is the first study comparing HPV infection among women from geographical regions of Colombia with different socio-cultural structures