Primary and Nested PCR Amplification of B1 Gene to Confirm Seropositivity of Toxoplasmosis Among Cancer Patients in Sri Lanka

Toxoplasmosis, caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, affects approximately 30% of the human population worldwide. Reactivation of latent infection in immunocompromised people leads to fatal disease. This study aimed to determine the seropositivity of toxoplasmosis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent...

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Main Authors: G. P. C. Weerasooriya, A. Manamperi, B. M. H. A. Banneheke
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:Journal of Tropical Medicine
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/jotm/5040196
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author G. P. C. Weerasooriya
A. Manamperi
B. M. H. A. Banneheke
author_facet G. P. C. Weerasooriya
A. Manamperi
B. M. H. A. Banneheke
author_sort G. P. C. Weerasooriya
collection DOAJ
description Toxoplasmosis, caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, affects approximately 30% of the human population worldwide. Reactivation of latent infection in immunocompromised people leads to fatal disease. This study aimed to determine the seropositivity of toxoplasmosis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), confirmed by primary polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested PCR (nPCR), and validate ELISA against nPCR among a group of cancer patients. Of the 321 participants, six (1.9%) patients were positive for nPCR and both IgG and IgM ELISA tests while 36 (11.2%) and 131 (40.8%) showed evidence of possibly acute and past infection, respectively, and 15 (4.7%) were indeterminate. Among them, 19 (5.9%) nPCR positives would have been ignored as having evidence of past infection. Four (1.2%) patients would not have been treated at all if only ELISA had been performed as they had indeterminate ELISA results. This is the first study that used primary and nPCR with B1 gene amplification for confirmation of toxoplasmosis among cancer patients in Sri Lanka. These findings emphasize the need for confirmatory tests, such as nPCR, particularly in cancer patients who exhibit a weak antibody response. Implementing such tests can aid clinicians in effectively managing these patients, given the rising incidence and mortality rates of cancer in Sri Lanka.
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spelling doaj-art-0931144b8aae49e4acdbbc50c82790f12025-08-20T02:15:41ZengWileyJournal of Tropical Medicine1687-96942025-01-01202510.1155/jotm/5040196Primary and Nested PCR Amplification of B1 Gene to Confirm Seropositivity of Toxoplasmosis Among Cancer Patients in Sri LankaG. P. C. Weerasooriya0A. Manamperi1B. M. H. A. Banneheke2Department of ParasitologyMolecular Medicine UnitNorth Wales Medical SchoolToxoplasmosis, caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, affects approximately 30% of the human population worldwide. Reactivation of latent infection in immunocompromised people leads to fatal disease. This study aimed to determine the seropositivity of toxoplasmosis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), confirmed by primary polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested PCR (nPCR), and validate ELISA against nPCR among a group of cancer patients. Of the 321 participants, six (1.9%) patients were positive for nPCR and both IgG and IgM ELISA tests while 36 (11.2%) and 131 (40.8%) showed evidence of possibly acute and past infection, respectively, and 15 (4.7%) were indeterminate. Among them, 19 (5.9%) nPCR positives would have been ignored as having evidence of past infection. Four (1.2%) patients would not have been treated at all if only ELISA had been performed as they had indeterminate ELISA results. This is the first study that used primary and nPCR with B1 gene amplification for confirmation of toxoplasmosis among cancer patients in Sri Lanka. These findings emphasize the need for confirmatory tests, such as nPCR, particularly in cancer patients who exhibit a weak antibody response. Implementing such tests can aid clinicians in effectively managing these patients, given the rising incidence and mortality rates of cancer in Sri Lanka.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/jotm/5040196
spellingShingle G. P. C. Weerasooriya
A. Manamperi
B. M. H. A. Banneheke
Primary and Nested PCR Amplification of B1 Gene to Confirm Seropositivity of Toxoplasmosis Among Cancer Patients in Sri Lanka
Journal of Tropical Medicine
title Primary and Nested PCR Amplification of B1 Gene to Confirm Seropositivity of Toxoplasmosis Among Cancer Patients in Sri Lanka
title_full Primary and Nested PCR Amplification of B1 Gene to Confirm Seropositivity of Toxoplasmosis Among Cancer Patients in Sri Lanka
title_fullStr Primary and Nested PCR Amplification of B1 Gene to Confirm Seropositivity of Toxoplasmosis Among Cancer Patients in Sri Lanka
title_full_unstemmed Primary and Nested PCR Amplification of B1 Gene to Confirm Seropositivity of Toxoplasmosis Among Cancer Patients in Sri Lanka
title_short Primary and Nested PCR Amplification of B1 Gene to Confirm Seropositivity of Toxoplasmosis Among Cancer Patients in Sri Lanka
title_sort primary and nested pcr amplification of b1 gene to confirm seropositivity of toxoplasmosis among cancer patients in sri lanka
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/jotm/5040196
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