DIAGNOSIS OF TOXOPLASMOSIS IN CATS USING THE METHOD OF IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE OR / AND REAL TIME POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

Dimitra Bitchava, Theodora Irene Adam, Katerina Spilioti, Konstantina Bitchava

• Animal and Human Disease with global spread
• Zoonosis
• Cause: Toxoplasma gondii, intracellular protozoan
• Final and intermediate host: cats and other felines
• Intermediate hosts: Various animal species and Humans

BIOLOGICAL CYCLE OF THE PARASITE

RECOMMENDED DIAGNOSTICS FROM O.I.E (WORLD ORGANIZATION FOR ANIMAL HEALTH)

• Isolation of the parasite
• Direct detection of the parasite in tissues, coatings and biological materials
• Molecular techniques
• Antibody detection
  I. Neutralizing (Sabin – Feldman Dye Test)
  II. Indirect Immunofluorescence (IFA)
  III. Agglutinin reactions (DA, AC/HS)
  IV. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

LABORATORY INVESTIGATION OF 70 DOMESTIC CATS

• Period of 1 year
• Animals aged from 1 to 9 years from all breeds
• Aim
  I. Differential diagnosis of clinical disease in cats
  II. Precautionary

FOLLOWED METHODOLOGY

• Specification of antibodies
  I. Specification of IgG antibodies
  II. Specification of IgM antibodies
• Real-time PCR in focal samples

LABORATORY TEST RESULTS

CORRELATION OF IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE RESULTS FOR IGG/IGM ANTIBODIES

RESULTS OF REAL-TIME PCR IN FECAL SAMPLES OF ALL TESTED CATS

• Negative→ 62 negative in IFA – IgG/M
• Posstive→ 4 titled IFA – IgG 1/200
• Posstive→ 3 titled IFA – IgG 1/400
• Posstive→ 1 titled IFA – IgM 1/100