Affiliation:
1. Gdańsk University of Technology, Chemical Faculty, Department of Microbiology, Gdańsk, Poland
Abstract
ABSTRACT
This paper describes the cloning, purification, and serological applications of matrix antigen MAG1 of
Toxoplasma gondii
. The expression system used allows the production of a large amount of
T. gondii
recombinant protein, which was assessed for its potential use in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of
T. gondii
infection in humans. Serum samples from 117 patients with different stages of infection, along with 10 serum samples from seronegative patients obtained for routine diagnostic tests, were used. The results were compared with those of an ELISA that uses a native
T. gondii
antigen extract. The MAG1 antigen detected antibodies more frequently from the acute stage (97.3%) than from the chronic stage (7.5%) of toxoplasmosis. Hence, this antigen may be used as a tool for detection of
T. gondii
immunoglobulin G antibodies in persons with acute toxoplasmosis.
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Subject
Microbiology (medical),Clinical Biochemistry,Immunology,Immunology and Allergy
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