title: Toxoplasma gondii detection by nested polymerase chain reaction in lens aspirate and peripheral blood leukocyte in congenital cataract patients: the first report from a tertiary eye hospital in India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect T. gondii DNA and specific antibodies in lens aspirates (LA) and peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL) of congenital cataract patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  ELISA for T. gondii antibodies on sera nPCR for T. gondii DNA (B1 gene) on LA and PBL were performed for 52 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  T. gondii DNA was detected in 29 (55.8%) of the 52 patients (LA-14, PBL-13, LA and PBL-2, and specific IgM in 2 sera). nPCR in PBL was more sensitive than ELISA (p<0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  nPCR is a sensitive technique to detect T. gondii from LA and PBL in congenital cataract patients.
authors.affiliation: Vision Research Foundation, L & T Microbiology Research Centre, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mahalakshmi
authors.forename: K Lily
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Therese
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shyamala
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Devipriya
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Madhavan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D002386:Cataract / Q000097:blood / Q000151:congenital*; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006782:Hospitals, Special; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000469:parasitology*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000469:parasitology*; D009885:Ophthalmology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014126:Toxoplasmosis, Ocular / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan