Toxoplasmosis is an infection of vast worldwide distribution whose etiologic agent is Toxoplasma gondii. This disease can cause problems ranging from mild symptoms to serious conditions, such as encephalitis, miscarriage and blindness. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to perform a diagnosis with reproducible techniques in order to obtain a good prognosis. The aim of this review was to analyze the efficiency of toxoplasmosis diagnostic techniques based on sensitivity and specificity results. Five research platforms in English language were used (Eric, Elsevier, Google Scholar, PubMed and SciELO), which contained data on the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. The search and selection were performed for studies published prior to June 2021. The search resulted in the inclusion of 13 articles published from 2005 to 2020. The data revealed the use of different samples in the standardization of techniques such as serum, total blood, colostrum and amniotic fluid. The flow cytometry, lateral flow immunoassay and qPCR techniques showed 100% sensitivity, whereas the ELISA, western blotting, qPCR and RE-LAMP techniques achieved 100% specificity. Significantly, the qPCR and LAMP techniques were more accurate when the likelihood ratio was assessed. The meta-analysis identified that ISAGA and western blotting have low sensitivity values and LIASON, ELFA and ELISA, using a silica bioconjugate, also have low specificity values. It was noted that a wide range of methods have high values of sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, the choice of the method will be based on the conditions and its financial viability.

The risk of zoonotic parasitic infections is closely linked to direct and indirect interactions between animals and humans. The mutual coexistence of species in public spaces predisposes individuals to gastrointestinal parasitosis owing to various social and hygienic-sanitary factors. This study aimed to assess the risk of environmental contamination by gastrointestinal parasites in fecal samples collected from parks and public squares in 18 municipalities located in a microregion of the central plateau of Brazil, correlating the collection with the population size of each municipality. We collected 536 soil fecal samples from 117 randomly selected public areas across a 56,111.874 km² region. Eggs, cysts, and oocysts were detected using the Willis flotation technique and the Hoffman’s spontaneous sedimentation method. The Hoffman’s analysis revealed that 70.3% of the fecal samples were infected across 91.5% of the sampled areas. Identified parasites included the members of the family Ancylostomatidae (56.5%), Toxocara spp. (6.2%), Trichuris spp. (1.7%), Strongyloides spp. (0.2%), Dipylidium caninum (25.8%), Spirometra spp. (0.4%), Taeniidae (0.2%), Platynosomum fastosum (0.6%), Trematoda (0.2%), Giardia spp. (3.2%), Cystoisospora spp. (5.6%), Sarcocystis spp. (0.2%), and Entamoeba spp. (2.4%). The presence of positive fecal samples in public areas and municipalities correlated with populations of up to 10,000 inhabitants (p = 0.023). Areas contaminated with feces were 63.4% more likely to contain parasites than other areas (odds ratio 1.6336). Favorable environmental factors combined with inadequate sanitary management contribute to a high risk of environmental contamination, representing a significant zoonotic potential and highlighting the need for improved public health policies and preventive measures.

Toxoplasma gondii can cross the placental barrier, causing fetal infection with potentially severe sequelae. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the serological screening for toxoplasmosis should be included in the basic neonatal heel prick test in order to establish criteria for the confirmation and/or exclusion of the diagnosis of congenital infection in newborns treated at three public health units in the metropolitan region of Goiania, Goias State, Brazil. Blood samples were collected on filter paper from newborns and later, peripheral blood samples from the mothers and their respective children were obtained to confirm or exclude the diagnosis of suspected congenital infection, by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IgM and IgG) and a polymerase chain reaction assay. From a total of 1,159 blood samples collected on filter paper, 43.92% were reactive to IgG and 0.17% to anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG. One hundred and twenty-seven paired samples (mother and child) were collected following consensual protocols for peripheral blood collection. Results obtained from the filter paper and peripheral blood of the newborns were 90.55% concordant. A comparison of the mother and child blood test results showed agreement regarding the detection of IgG in 90.48% of the samples. The parasite DNA was detected in the peripheral blood of one child. In view of the results obtained in this study, the inclusion of the serological screening for toxoplasmosis in the newborn heel prick test proved to be effective for the early detection of congenital T. gondii infection.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotypic characteristics of Toxoplasma gondii isolated from free-range chickens in the metropolitan area of Goiânia, Goiás, in Brazil’s central-west region. The seroprevalence rate was found to be 96%, according to an indirect hemagglutination assay. Brain and heart samples were processed by peptic digestion for a mice bioassay. The tissues were homogenized and the resulting samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which revealed that 64% of them contained the parasite's DNA. The mice bioassay revealed 15 isolates, 8 of them tachyzoites isolates from the peritoneal lavage and 7 from brain cysts. T. gondii genotypes were determined through PCR-RFLP, using the following markers: SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, alt. SAG2, Apico and CS3. Three genotypes were identified, inclued ToxoDB #65, and the other two are not yet described in the literature. Hence, we conclude that the isolates obtained from the metropolitan area of Goiânia showed relatively low genetic diversity.