The antigenic structure of Toxoplasma gondii. III. Behavior of human sera as compared with purified antigens
Spanó, C.; LA Rosa, G.; LA Licata, R.
Bollettino dell'Istituto Sieroterapico Milanese 54(1): 36-44
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-2547 PMID: 1125110 Document Number: 89569
263 human serum samples obtained from 9 controls and 42 patients with clinical diagnosis suggestive for toxoplasmosis were examined by means of Sabin and Feldman's dye test (DT) in comparison with complement fixation test (CF) with a whole toxoplasma antigen. 6 out of 9 controls and 21 out of 42 patients showed analogous behaviour in both methods while the remaining ones behaved differently. 24 out of the 42 patients as well as the 9 controls were chosen between these two groups (showing concordant or discordant DT/CF behaviour) to determine the presence or absence of anti-"polysaccharide" and anti-"protein" antibodies against purified antigens by means of CF test. Presence of anti-polysaccharide antibodies was shown in 15 subjects (4 out of 17 "DT/CF discordant" groups) and antiprotien antibodies in 8 patients (2 and 6 respectively in the two groups). Antibodies against these two purified antigens were never shown in the 9 normal people. Critical as well as hypothetical implications concerning the results so far obtained are discussed.