title: Molecular and serological detection of acute and latent toxoplasmosis using real-time PCR and ELISA techniques in blood donors of rafsanjan city, iran, 2013.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The differentiation between acute and latent forms of the Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection is still considered as a complicated issue. This study was aimed to elucidate the status of infection in the blood donors and the probable importance of blood transfusion in the transmission of the infection through detecting both immunological and genetic markers of acute and latent infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 235 blood samples from blood donors were collected. The levels of anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies were examined by specific ELISA kits. cDNA were synthesized from total extracted mRNA molecules from the serum samples and SAG1 gene, specific for tachyzoite form, were amplified using Real-Time PCR technique. Demographic information of study subjects including their gender, age, job, and habitat were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 235 serum samples, 80 (34.04%) and 4 (1.71%) were positive regarding anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies, respectively. Real-Time PCR results showed that 14 out of 200 (6.97%) of blood donor had mRNA molecules of SAG1 gene. The positive results of Real-Time PCR of SAG1 in female gender and housekeepers were significantly higher than those of male gender and other job categories.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of chronic and acute infection is high in Iranian blood donors. Additionally, evaluation of antibodies could not be reliable, because several donors negative for anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies had detectable SAG1 mRNA molecules. Hence, it seems that molecular diagnostic tests are essential to detect acute infections.
authors: Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
authors: Nahid
authors: N
authors: Zainodini
authors: Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Zare-Bidaki
authors: Molecular Medicine Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
authors: Seyyed Hossein
authors: SH
authors: Abdollahi
authors: Rafsanjan center of Iranian Blood transfusion Organization, Rafsanjan, Iran.
authors: Mohammadreza
authors: M
authors: Afrooz
authors: Research Center of Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors: Naser
authors: N
authors: Ziaali
authors: Dept. of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Ebrahimian
authors: Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Kazemi Arababadi
keywords: Blood donors; Blood transfusion; Iran; Tachyzoite; Toxoplasma