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.

To conduct a serological screening for toxoplasmosis in the heel prick test and to evaluate its epidemiological aspects in newborns and postpartum women in Jataí, Goiás.

Toxoplasmosis is a widespread zoonotic disease that poses significant public health concern globally, with neurotoxoplasmosis being a severe complication associated with high mortality rates. The standard therapy for neurotoxoplasmosis involves a combination of sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine, which, despite its efficacy, is often limited by adverse effects leading to treatment discontinuation. This study aimed to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of nitazoxanide in treating neurotoxoplasmosis in mice infected with the Me49 strain. The study comprised two groups: Group I, including subgroups of uninfected, infected and treated with saline, and infected and untreated mice; and Group II, comprising infected mice treated with nitazoxanide at 100 mg/kg/day, nitazoxanide at 150 mg/kg/day, and pyrimethamine combined with sulfadiazine. After 14 days of treatment, the mice were euthanized for organ collection. Histopathological examination of the brains revealed that the highest dose of nitazoxanide reduced parasitic load and cerebral hemorrhages. Biochemical and histopathological analyses of liver and kidney tissues demonstrated toxicological profiles comparable to pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine. However, despite showing efficacy and similar toxicity levels, nitazoxanide treatment was less effective regimen in controlling neurotoxoplasmosis in this experimental model compared to the pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine. Thus, while nitazoxanide presents potential in neurotoxoplasmosis treatment, pyrimethamine combined with sulfadiazine remains the preferred therapeutic choice based on better efficacy observed in this study.

The extensive consumption of processed foods in restaurants, such as rice, beans, vegetables, and legumes, represents 69.5% of the daily diet of Brazilians. This high intake of processed foods can carry Waterborne and Foodborne Diseases (WTAFs) due to poor hygiene of food handlers and contamination of water by parasites, resulting in symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Intestinal parasites cause clinical manifestations that can vary from asymptomatic to severe symptoms depending on the parasitic load, the individual's immune status, and the parasite in question. Thus, the objective of this study was to analyze freshly prepared salads marketed and consumed in restaurants in the city of Jataí-GO in the years 2018 and 2019. A total of 122 samples of salads, approximately 100 grams each, were acquired, and different conventional parasitological methods were applied for parasite detection. For the isolation of Free-Living Amoebas (FLAs), sedimentation with agar plate seeding was used. The culture revealed a high contamination of restaurants by FLAs, and it was observed that the contamination in 2019 was higher than in 2018. Helminths identified in the parasitological analysis include Taenia sp., Fasciola sp., Eurytrema sp., Enterobius vermicularis, Toxocara sp., Eimeria sp., Trichuris sp., eggs from the Strongylidae family, and the protozoa Entamoeba coli and Cystoisospora sp. The high contamination rate of salads indicates poor food hygiene or poor hygiene of handlers, reflecting the lack of inspection by health authorities in establishments providing ready-to-eat foods. O grande consumo de alimentos processados em restaurantes, como arroz, feijão, verduras e legumes, representa 69,5% da alimentação diária dos brasileiros. Essa alta ingestão de alimentos processados podem carrear Doenças Transmitidas por Água e Alimentos (DTAAs) devido à má higienização dos manipuladores aos alimentos e à contaminação da água por parasitos, tendo como sintomas náuseas, diarreia, vômitos e dores abdominais. Os parasitos intestinais provocam manifestações clínicas que podem variar de assintomáticas ou evoluir para sintomas graves dependendo da carga parasitária, estado imunológico do indivíduo e do parasito em questão. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar saladas in natura comercializadas e consumidas em restaurantes na cidade de Jataí-GO nos anos de 2018 e 2019. Foram adquiridas 122 amostras de saladas com aproximadamente 100 gramas cada, sendo aplicados diferentes métodos parasitológicos convencionais para a detecção de parasitos e para o isolamento das amebas de vida livre (AVL) utilizou-se o sedimento com a semeadura em placa com ágar. A cultura revelou elevada contaminação dos restaurantes por AVL e observou-se que a contaminação em 2019 foi maior do que em 2018. Foram identificados na análise parasitológica os helmintos: Taenia sp., Fasciola sp., Eurytrema sp., Enterobius vermicularis, Toxocara sp., Eimeria sp., Trichuris sp., ovos da família Strongylidae; e os protozoários Entamoeba coli e Cystoisospora sp. A alta taxa de contaminação das saladas indica má higienização dos alimentos, ou má higiene dos manipuladores, retratando a falta de inspeção pela vigilância sanitária em estabelecimentos provedores de comidas prontas.

This study analyzed the biofilm production of S. pseudintermedius isolated from the ocular surface of dogs with ophthalmopathies and investigated the genes involved. Of the 63 isolates, 50.8% produced biofilm, 71.9% being weak, 25% moderate and 3.1% strong. All methicillin-resistant isolates had weak to moderate production, and multiresistant isolates produced biofilm at different intensities. Entropion was the ocular condition with the most biofilm-producing isolates, followed by keratoconjunctivitis sicca. A strong strain was identified in a dog with chalazion. The nuc gene was detected in 42.8% of isolates, while icaA and icaD were found together in 68.2%, icaD alone in 3.2%, and neither gene in 26.9%. Among genetically identified isolates, 74.1% had both genes, while 25.9% did not. Agreement between phenotypic and genotypic tests was poor (Kappa = 0.1046), highlighting the need for combined methods to identify biofilm production. S. pseudintermedius showed significant biofilm formation capacity, especially in species such as S. pseudintermedius, which represents a relevant single health problem.