title: Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in cats by comparing bioassay in mice and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
abstract: Feline toxoplasmosis can usually be diagnosed by serological and coprological methods. However, when the interpretation of results is difficult, it becomes necessary to rely on the direct detection of the parasite. In this study, samples of brain from 64 Toxoplasma-seropositive cats were subjected to direct detection of Toxoplasma gondii by bioassay in mice and nested-PCR. T. gondii was isolated by bioassay in mice in 41 (64%) cases, and nested-PCR was positive in 37 (57.8%) cases (p>0.05). The results therefore suggest that nested-PCR could be a rapid technique for diagnosing toxoplasmosis in cats.
authors.affiliation: Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montoya
authors.forename: Guadalupe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miró
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mateo
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramírez
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fuentes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology*; D002415:Cats; D051379:Mice; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary*; D014122:Toxoplasma; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis*