Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 71 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Saadatnia G, Mohamed Z, Ghaffarifar F, Osman E, Moghadam ZK, Noordin R
    APMIS, 2012 Jan;120(1):47-55.
    PMID: 22151308 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0463.2011.02810.x
    Infection with Toxoplasma gondii is widespread and important in humans, especially pregnant women and immunosuppressed patients. A panel of tests is usually required for diagnosis toxoplasmosis. Excretory secretory antigen (ESA) is highly immunogenic, and thus it is a good candidate for investigation into new infection markers. ESA was prepared from tachyzoites of RH strain of T. gondii by mice intraperitoneal infection. Sera were obtained from several categories of individuals who differed in their status of anti-Toxoplasma IgM, IgG and IgG avidity antibodies. The ESA was subjected to SDS-PAGE, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis. Antigenic bands of approximate molecular weights of 12, 20 and 30 kDa, when probed with anti-human IgM-HRP and IgA-HRP, showed good potential as infection markers. The highest sensitivity of the bands was 98.7% with combination of IgM and IgA blots with sera of patients with anti-Toxoplasma IgM+ IgG+. The specificities were 84% and 70% with sera from other infections and healthy controls in IgM blots and IgA blots respectively. By mass spectrometry, the 12 kDa protein was identified as thioredoxin. The two top proteins identified for 20 kDa molecule were microneme protein 10 and dense granule protein 7; whereas that for 30 kDa were phosphoglycerate mutase 1 and phosphoglycerate mutase.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
  2. Kotresha D, Noordin R
    APMIS, 2010 Aug;118(8):529-42.
    PMID: 20666734 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0463.2010.02629.x
    Toxoplasma gondii is an important human pathogen with a worldwide distribution. It is primarily of medical importance for pregnant women and immunocompromised patients. Primary infection of the former is often associated with fetal infection, which can lead to abortion or severe neonatal malformation. Immunocompromised patients are at risk of contracting the severe form of the disease that may be fatal. Thus, detection of T. gondii infection with high sensitivity and specificity is crucial in the management of the disease. Toxoplasmosis is generally diagnosed by demonstrating specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies to toxoplasma antigens in the patient's serum sample. Most of the commercially available tests use T. gondii native antigens and display wide variations in test accuracy. Recombinant antigens have great potential as diagnostic reagents for use in assays to detect toxoplasmosis. Thus in this review, we address recent advances in the use of Toxoplasma recombinant proteins for serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood*
  3. Noordin R, Smith HV, Mohamad S, Maizels RM, Fong MY
    Acta Trop, 2005 Jan;93(1):57-62.
    PMID: 15589798
    Diagnosis of human toxocariasis, caused by Toxocara canis or Toxocara cati, normally relies on a combination of the presence of clinical signs and symptoms backed by positive serology. The use of Toxocara excretory-secretory antigen (TES) in ELISA assays increases the test specificity. However, in tropical countries where soil-transmitted helminths are endemic, cross-reactivity from antibodies to these intestinal parasites poses a significant limitation for Toxocara serodiagnosis. To increase the specificity of serodiagnosis, we compared the use of IgG-ELISA to the use of IgG4-ELISA using commercially manufactured TES-coated plates. The sensitivity of the IgG-ELISA was 97.1%, while that of the IgG4-ELISA was 45.7%; the specificities were 36.0 and 78.6%, respectively. The study shows that employing both assays can improve the serodiagnosis of toxocariasis. An IgG4 immunoassay would also be useful in the secondary screening of antigen clones in the effort to develop improved serological tests for toxocariasis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood*
  4. Archibald CP, Mak JW, Mathias RG, Selvajothi S
    Acta Trop, 1990 Dec;48(2):149-57.
    PMID: 1980570
    Indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) tests and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to measure antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum in an indigenous population in an area of Malaysia with high malaria prevalence. The results of three surveys were analyzed to examine the relation of these serologic measures with age, parasite rate, and spleen size. For children 0-4 years old, increasing spleen size was associated with an increasing likelihood of malaria parasitemia, while for 5-9 year olds the two variables were unrelated. Parasite rate declined with age and ELISA titre increased with age in all surveys; IFA titre was consistently high and did not vary with age. Neither antibody measure was significantly correlated with either the presence or the actual density of parasitemia. These antibody measures are most useful as adjuncts to the more traditional techniques of malaria assessment.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood*
  5. Wong WK, Foo PC, Olivos-Garcia A, Noordin R, Mohamed Z, Othman N, et al.
    Acta Trop, 2017 Aug;172:208-212.
    PMID: 28506795 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.05.017
    Crude soluble antigen (CSA) produced from Entamoeba histolytica trophozoite is conventionally used for serodiagnosis of invasive amoebiasis. However, high background seropositivities by CSA-assay in endemic areas complicate the interpretation of positive result in clinical settings. Instead, incorporating a second assay which indicates active or recent infection into the routine amoebic serology could possibly complement the limitations of CSA-assay. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacies of indirect ELISAs using CSA and excretory-secretory antigen (ESA) for serodiagnosis of amoebic liver abscess (ALA). Reference standard for diagnosis of ALA at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia is based on clinical presentation, radiological imaging and positive indirect haemagglutination assay (titer ≥256). Five groups of human serum samples collected from the hospital included Group I - ALA diagnosed by the reference standard and pus aspirate analysis using real-time PCR (n=10), Group II - ALA diagnosed by the reference standard only (n=41), Group III - healthy control (n=45), Group IV - other diseases control (n=51) and Group V - other infectious diseases control (n=31). For serodiagnosis of ALA serum samples (Group I and II), CSA-ELISA showed sensitivities of 100% for both groups, while ESA-ELISA showed sensitivities of 100% and 88%, respectively. For serodiagnosis of non-ALA serum samples (Group III, IV and V), CSA-ELISA showed specificities of 91%, 75% and 100%, respectively; while ESA-ELISA showed specificities of 96%, 98% and 100%, respectively. Indirect ELISAs using CSA and ESA have shown distinct strength for serodiagnosis of ALA, in terms of sensitivity and specificity, respectively. In conclusion, parallel analysis by both assays improved the overall efficacies of amoebic serology as compared to either single assay.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood*
  6. Puvanesuaran VR, Noordin R, Balakrishnan V
    Avian Dis, 2013 Mar;57(1):128-32.
    PMID: 23678741
    Toxoplasma gondii is a parasitic protozoan that infects nearly one-third of humans. The present study was performed to isolate and genotype T. gondii from free-range ducks in Malaysia. Sera, heads, and hearts from 205 ducks were obtained from four states in Peninsular Malaysia, and 30 (14.63%) sera were found to be seropositive when assayed with the modified agglutination test (MAT > or = 1:6). All the positive samples were inoculated into mice, and T. gondii was successfully isolated from four individual duck samples (1.95%), which were initially found to be strongly seropositive (MAT > or = 1:24). The isolates were subjected to PCR-RFLP analysis, and two T. gondii strains were identified: type I and type II. This is the first reported study on the genetic characterization of T. gondii isolates from free-range farm animals in Southeast Asia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
  7. Saidin S, Yunus MH, Zakaria ND, Razak KA, Huat LB, Othman N, et al.
    BMC Infect Dis, 2014 Apr 04;14:182.
    PMID: 24708664 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2334-14-182
    BACKGROUND: Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) is the most common clinical manifestation of extraintestinal amoebiasis especially in developing countries, causing up to 100 000 fatal cases annually. Accurate and early diagnosis is important to prevent the disease complications, however its diagnosis still poses many challenges due to the limitations of the available detection tools. Pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK), an excretory-secretory protein of E. histolytica, has been reported as a potential diagnostic marker for ALA, hence it may be exploited in the development of a new test for ALA.

    METHODS: Recombinant PPDK (rPPDK) was expressed, purified and evaluated by Western blot. In parallel, recombinant galactose-and-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine inhibitable lectin (Gal/GalNAc lectin) was produced and tested similarly. The protein identity was confirmed by analysis using MALDI-TOF/TOF. A lateral flow dipstick (LFD) test using rPPDK was subsequently developed (rPPDK-LFD) and evaluated for serodiagnosis of ALA.

    RESULTS: rPPDK was expressed as soluble protein after 4 hours of induction with 1 mM isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) at 30°C. Purification using nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) resin yielded 1.5 mg of rPPDK from 1 L of culture with estimated molecular mass of 98 kDa on SDS-PAGE. Western blots using sera from patients with ALA, healthy individuals and other diseases probed with anti-human IgG4-HRP showed the highest sensitivity (93.3%) and specificity (100%); as compared to blots using IgG and IgG1 as secondary antibodies. Moreover, rPPDK showed better specificity when compared to rGal/GalNAc lectin. In the development of the LFD test, the optimum amount of rPPDK was 0.625 μg per dipstick and the optimum working concentration of colloidal gold conjugated anti-human IgG4 was optical density (OD) 5 (1.7 μg of anti-human IgG4). Evaluation of rPPDK-LFD using ALA patients and controls serum samples showed 87% diagnostic sensitivity and 100% specificity.

    CONCLUSION: The developed rPPDK-LFD showed good potential for rapid diagnosis of ALA, and merit further multicentre validation using larger number of serum samples.

    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
  8. Ning TZ, Kin WW, Noordin R, Cun ST, Chong FP, Mohamed Z, et al.
    BMC Infect Dis, 2013;13:144.
    PMID: 23514636 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2334-13-144
    Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) is the most frequent clinical presentation of extra-intestinal amoebiasis. The diagnosis of ALA is typically based on the developing clinical symptoms, characteristic changes on radiological imaging and serology. Numerous serological tests have been introduced for the diagnosis of ALA, either detecting circulating amoebic antigens or antibodies. However those tests show some pitfalls in their efficacy and/or the preparation of the tests are costly and tedious. The commercial IHA kit that used crude antigen was reported to be useful in diagnosis of ALA, however high antibody background in endemic areas may cause problems in its interpretation. Thus, discovery of well-defined antigen(s) is urgently needed to improve the weaknesses of current serodiagnostic tests.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
  9. Hajissa K, Zakaria R, Suppian R, Mohamed Z
    BMC Infect Dis, 2017 12 29;17(1):807.
    PMID: 29284420 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-017-2920-9
    BACKGROUND: The inefficiency of the current tachyzoite antigen-based serological assays for the serodiagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection mandates the need for acquirement of reliable and standard diagnostic reagents. Recently, epitope-based antigens have emerged as an alternative diagnostic marker for the achievement of highly sensitive and specific capture antigens. In this study, the diagnostic utility of a recombinant multiepitope antigen (USM.TOXO1) for the serodiagnosis of human toxoplasmosis was evaluated.

    METHODS: An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to evaluate the usefulness of USM.TOXO1 antigen for the detection of IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in human sera. Whereas the reactivity of the developed antigen against IgM antibody was evaluated by western blot and Dot enzyme immunoassay (dot-EIA) analysis.

    RESULTS: The diagnostic performance of the new antigens in IgG ELISA was achieved at the maximum values of 85.43% and 81.25% for diagnostic sensitivity and specificity respectively. The USM.TOXO1 was also proven to be reactive with anti- T. gondii IgM antibody.

    CONCLUSIONS: This finding makes the USM.TOXO1 antigen an attractive candidate for improving the toxoplasmosis serodiagnosis and demonstrates that multiepitope antigens could be a potential and promising diagnostic marker for the development of high sensitive and accurate assays.

    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
  10. Wong WK, Tan ZN, Othman N, Lim BH, Mohamed Z, Olivos Garcia A, et al.
    Clin. Vaccine Immunol., 2011 Nov;18(11):1913-7.
    PMID: 21918120 DOI: 10.1128/CVI.05356-11
    Serodiagnosis of amoebiasis remains the preferred method for diagnosis of amoebic liver abscess (ALA). However, the commercially available kits are problematic in areas of endemicity due to the persistently high background antibody titers. Human serum samples (n = 38) from patients with ALA who live in areas of endemicity were collected from Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia during the period of 2008 to 2010. Western blots using excretory-secretory antigen (ESA) collected from axenically grown Entamoeba histolytica were probed with the above serum samples. Seven antigenic proteins of ESA with various reactivities were identified, i.e., 152 kDa, 131 kDa, 123 kDa, 110 kDa, 100 kDa, 82 kDa, and 76 kDa. However, only the 152-kDa and 110-kDa proteins showed sensitivities above 80% in the Western blot analysis. All the antigenic proteins showed undetectable cross-reactivity when probed with healthy human serum samples (n = 30) and serum samples from other infections (n = 33). From the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-two-stage time of flight (MALDI-TOF/TOF) analysis, the proteins were identified as heavy subunits of E. histolytica lectin and E. histolytica pyruvate phosphate dikinase, respectively. Use of the E. histolytica lectin for diagnosis of ALA has been well reported by researchers and is being used in commercialized kits. However, this is the first report on the potential use of pyruvate phosphate dikinase for diagnosis of ALA; thus, this molecule merits further evaluation on its diagnostic value using a larger panel of serum samples.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood*
  11. Slesak G, Tappe D, Keller C, Cramer J, Güthoff W, Zanger P, et al.
    Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr., 2014 May;139(19):990-5.
    PMID: 24782151 DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1370004
    Since 2011, about 100 travellers to the island of Tioman, Malaysia, have been diagnosed worldwide with suspected muscular sarcocystosis, a previously only sporadically observed parasitic disease. Source of infection and therapy remain unclear. Final diagnosis requires microscopic identification of cysts in muscle biopsies. The study objective was a systematic description of characteristic symptoms, laboratory investigations and treatment response.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
  12. Othman N, Mohamed Z, Yahya MM, Leow VM, Lim BH, Noordin R
    Exp Parasitol, 2013 Aug;134(4):504-10.
    PMID: 23680184 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2013.05.001
    Entamoeba histolytica is a causative agent of amoebic liver abscess (ALA) and is endemic in many underdeveloped countries. We investigated antigenic E. histolytica proteins in liver abscess aspirates using proteomics approach. Pus samples were first tested by real-time PCR to confirm the presence of E. histolytica DNA and the corresponding serum samples tested for E. histolytica-specific IgG by a commercial ELISA. Proteins were extracted from three and one pool(s) of pus samples from ALA and PLA (pyogenic liver abscess) patients respectively, followed by analysis using isoelectric focussing, SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Unpurified pooled serum samples from infected hamsters and pooled human amoebic-specific IgG were used as primary antibodies. The antigenic protein band was excised from the gel, digested and analysed by MALDI-TOF/TOF and LC-MS/MS. The results using both primary antibodies showed an antigenic protein band of ∼14kDa. Based on the mass spectrum analysis, putative tyrosine kinase is the most probable identification of the antigenic band.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
  13. Othman N, Mohamed Z, Verweij JJ, Huat LB, Olivos-García A, Yeng C, et al.
    Foodborne Pathog Dis, 2010 Jun;7(6):637-41.
    PMID: 20132028 DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2009.0427
    Entamoeba histolytica is the second major cause of liver abscess disease in humans, particularly in developing countries. Recently, DNA molecular-based methods have been employed to enhance the detection of E. histolytica in either pus or stool specimens. In this study, the results of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect E. histolytica DNA in pus from liver abscess cases were compared with those of indirect hemagglutination assay on the corresponding serum samples. Bacterial cultures were also performed on the pus samples for the diagnosis of pyogenic liver abscess. The real-time PCR detected E. histolytica DNA in 23 of 30 (76.7%) pus samples, when compared with 14 of 30 (46.7%) serum samples in which anti-Entamoeba antibodies were detected by indirect hemagglutination assay and 4 of 30 (13.3%) pus samples that showed bacterial infection by culture. The use of real-time PCR is a promising detection method for diagnosis and epidemiology assessment of amoebic liver abscess.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
  14. Tessema SK, Utama D, Chesnokov O, Hodder AN, Lin CS, Harrison GLA, et al.
    Infect Immun, 2018 08;86(8).
    PMID: 29784862 DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00485-17
    Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) mediates parasite sequestration to the cerebral microvasculature via binding of DBLβ domains to intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1) and is associated with severe cerebral malaria. In a cohort of 187 young children from Papua New Guinea (PNG), we examined baseline levels of antibody to the ICAM1-binding PfEMP1 domain, DBLβ3PF11_0521, in comparison to four control antigens, including NTS-DBLα and CIDR1 domains from another group A variant and a group B/C variant. Antibody levels for the group A antigens were strongly associated with age and exposure. Antibody responses to DBLβ3PF11_0521 were associated with a 37% reduced risk of high-density clinical malaria in the follow-up period (adjusted incidence risk ratio [aIRR] = 0.63 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.45 to 0.88; P = 0.007]) and a 25% reduction in risk of low-density clinical malaria (aIRR = 0.75 [95% CI, 0.55 to 1.01; P = 0.06]), while there was no such association for other variants. Children who experienced severe malaria also had significantly lower levels of antibody to DBLβ3PF11_0521 and the other group A domains than those that experienced nonsevere malaria. Furthermore, a subset of PNG DBLβ sequences had ICAM1-binding motifs, formed a distinct phylogenetic cluster, and were similar to sequences from other areas of endemicity. PfEMP1 variants associated with these DBLβ domains were enriched for DC4 and DC13 head structures implicated in endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) binding and severe malaria, suggesting conservation of dual binding specificities. These results provide further support for the development of specific classes of PfEMP1 as vaccine candidates and as biomarkers for protective immunity against clinical P. falciparum malaria.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood*
  15. Mahdy MA, Alareqi LM, Abdul-Ghani R, Al-Eryani SM, Al-Mikhlafy AA, Al-Mekhlafi AM, et al.
    Infect Dis Poverty, 2017 Feb 13;6(1):26.
    PMID: 28190399 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-017-0243-0
    BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic coccidian parasite causing morbidity and mortality. In Yemen, T. gondii infection has been reported among pregnant women seeking healthcare in the main cities. However, no data are available on the prevalence of T. gondii infection and its associated risk factors among pregnant women in the rural communities of the country. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii and identify its risk factors among pregnant women in the rural communities of Taiz governorate, Yemen.

    METHODS: A total of 359 pregnant women living in the rural communities of Taiz governorate were enrolled in this study by house-to-house visits. Data were collected using a pre-designed questionnaire, and blood samples were collected and tested for the detection of anti- T. gondii IgM and IgG antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

    RESULTS: The prevalence of T. gondii infection among pregnant women in this study was 46.2% (166/359). Bivariate analysis identified the age of  ≥ 30 years (odds ratio [OR] = 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09-2.65, P = 0.019) and unimproved water sources (OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.10-4.55, P = 0.023) as factors associated with T. gondii infection among pregnant women. The multivariable analysis, however, identified unimproved water sources as an independent risk factor (adjusted OR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.16-5.0, P = 0.018) associated with T. gondii infection among pregnant women.

    CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women in the rural communities of Taiz, Yemen are at high risk of contracting T. gondii infection. Unimproved water sources (wells, water streams and water tanks) are significantly associated with T. gondii infection and should be considered in prevention and control strategies, especially among pregnant women.

    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
  16. Nissapatorn V, Lee C, Quek KF, Leong CL, Mahmud R, Abdullah KA
    Jpn J Infect Dis, 2004 Aug;57(4):160-5.
    PMID: 15329448
    The seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis among 505 of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS patients was 226 (44.8%; 95% CI 42.64-51.76): 27 (47.4%) and 199 (44.4%) showed Toxoplasma seropositivity with and without toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE), respectively (P <0.05). The majority of these patients were in the 25-34 age group (44 versus 39%), male (86 versus 76%), and Chinese (49 versus 53%), though no statistical significance was found between the two. Significant differences between these two groups were noted, however, in terms of marital status, occupation, and present address. The heterosexual exhibited the most frequent behavior at risk for HIV infection, and accounted for 51 and 59% of patients with and without TE, respectively. Only 17/260 (6.5%) and 1/137 (0.7%) of them later acquired TE after receiving primary chemoprophylaxis (cotrimoxazole) and antiretroviral therapy including HAART (P <0.05). Fifty-seven (11.3%) out of those 505 patients were diagnosed with AIDS-related TE. The most common clinical manifestation was headache (56%). The computed tomography scan findings showed most lesions to be multiple (96.4%), hypodense (66.7%), and in the parietal region (39.3%). Twenty-seven (47.4%) patients had chronic (latent) Toxoplasma infection as evidenced by seropositivity for anti-Toxoplasma (IgG) antibody. At the time of diagnosis, the range of CD4 cell count was from 0-239 with a median of 25 cells/cumm. We also found that a CD4 count of less than 100 cells/cumm was significantly associated with development of TE (P <0.05). Clinical outcomes showed that among those who survived, 21 (36.8%), 16 (28.1%), and 2 (3.5%) of patients had completed treatment, transferred out, and were lost to follow up, respectively. Unfortunately, 18 (31.6%) of the cases were officially pronounced dead. Overall, 7 (12.3%) patients were detected as recurrent TE in this study.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
  17. Nhidza AF, Naicker T, Stray-Pedersen B, Chisango TJ, Sibanda EP, Ismail A, et al.
    J Microbiol Immunol Infect, 2020 Aug;53(4):612-621.
    PMID: 30583941 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2018.11.005
    BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic Entamoeba histolytica infections in pregnant women puts infants at risk of infection through vertical transmission or transmission during breastfeeding in high HIV prevalence areas. The study aimed at investigating the immune response to asymptomatic E.histolytica infection in pregnant women and their infants in a high HIV burdened setting in Harare, Zimbabwe.

    METHODOLOGY: Serum samples from 39 predominantly breastfeeding mother-infant pairs were analyzed for inflammatory cytokine and immunoglobulin profiles using BIOPLEX. The infants' ages ranged from 10 days to 14 weeks.

    RESULTS: IL-1r, IL-4, IL-9, IL-12p70, IL-17a, G-CSF and PDGF-BB were significantly raised in E. histolytica infected compared to non-infected lactating mothers (p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
  18. Nissapatorn V, Noor Azmi MA, Cho SM, Fong MY, Init I, Rohela M, et al.
    J Obstet Gynaecol, 2003 Nov;23(6):618-24.
    PMID: 14617462
    A total of 200 pregnant women were recruited in this cross-sectional study. The overall seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women was found to be 49%, in which 39%, 4% and 6% for anti-Toxoplasma IgG, IgM and both anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies, respectively. We found the differences in Toxoplasma seroprevalence rates among the races were significant: the highest rate was in the Malays (55.7%), followed by the Indian (55.3%) and the Chinese (19.4%) (P<0.05) populations. An increase in Toxoplasma seroprevalence with increasing parity was detected (P<0.05). Women with no children had a prevalence of 39.7%, while women with one or more than two children had a prevalence of 44.2% and 62.9%, respectively. In this study, there was no significant association between Toxoplasma seroprevalence and various possible risk factors in pregnant women (P>0.05). When multivariate analysis was performed, no significant association between Toxoplasma seroprevalence and history of contact with cats, consumption of undercooked meat and blood transfusion was found (P>0.05). We did not find any newly diagnosed cases of acute acquired toxoplasmosis in pregnancy during the study period.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
  19. Cheong FW, Fong MY, Lau YL, Mahmud R
    Malar J, 2013;12:454.
    PMID: 24354660 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-12-454
    Plasmodium knowlesi is the fifth Plasmodium species that can infect humans. The Plasmodium merozoite surface protein-1(42) (MSP-1(42)) is a potential candidate for malaria vaccine. However, limited studies have focused on P. knowlesi MSP-1(42).
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood
  20. Palaeya V, Lau YL, Mahmud R, Chen Y, Fong MY
    Malar J, 2013;12:182.
    PMID: 23734702 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-12-182
    Plasmodium knowlesi is the fifth species identified to cause malaria in humans and is often misdiagnosed as Plasmodium malariae due to morphological similarities. The development of an inexpensive, serological detection method utilizing antibodies specific to P. knowlesi would be a valuable tool for diagnosis. However, the identification of specific antigens for these parasites remains a major challenge for generating such assays. In this study, surface protein containing an altered thrombospondin repeat domain (SPATR) was selected as a potentially specific antigen from P. knowlesi. Its multistage expression by sporozoites, asexual erythrocytic forms and gametocytes, along with its possible role in liver cell invasion, suggests that SPATR could be used as a biomarker for diagnosis of P. knowlesi.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Protozoan/blood*
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links