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Toxoplasmosis is a prevalent infectious disease. Although most people infected by Toxoplasma gondii are asymptomatic, evidence has suggested that this disease might affect some aspects of a host's behavior and associate with schizophrenia, suicide attempt, changes in various aspects of personality, and poor neurocognitive performance. These associations may play roles in increasing the risk of a number of incidents, such as traffic accidents, among infected people. In this regard, this study aimed to provide summary estimates for the available data on the potential risk of toxoplasmosis for traffic accidents. To this end, using a number of search terms, i.e. toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, traffic accident, road accident, car accident, crash, and prevalence, literature searches (up to October 1, 2017) were carried out via 6 databases. The meta-analysis was conducted using the StatsDirect statistical software and a P-value less than 0.05 was regarded as significant in all statistical analyses. Out of 1841 identified studies, 9 studies were finally considered eligible for carrying out this systematic review. Reviewing results of these studies indicated that 5 out of 9 studies reported a significant relationship between Toxoplasma gondii and traffic accidents. Additionally, data related to gender showed significant differences between infected and control men and women. Considering age, reviewing the results of these studies revealed a significant difference between the infected people and the Toxoplasma-negative subjects under 45 years of age. However, no significant difference was found between the two groups aged 45 or older. Given these results, it can be concluded that Toxoplasma gondii significantly increases the risk of having traffic accidents., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan infection caused by an intracellular obligatory protozoan, Toxoplasma gondii. Infection to this parasite in immunocompetent patients is usually asymptomatic, but today it is believed that the infection can be a risk factor for a variety of diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is an autoimmune disease and the most common type of inflammatory arthritis that is a major cause of disability. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to address the association between RA and toxoplasmosis in light of the available research., Methods: Based on the keywords, a systematic search of eight databases was conducted to retrieve the relevant English-language articles. Then, the studies were screened based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The random effect model was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) using forest plot with 95% confidence interval (CI)., Results: Overall, 4168 Individual, extracted from 9 articles were included for systematic review evaluation, with 1369 RA patients (46% positive toxoplasmosis) and 2799 individuals as controls (21% positive toxoplasmosis). Then, eight articles (10 datasets) were used for meta-analysis (1244 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 2799 controls). By random effect model, the combined OR was 3.30 (95% CI: 2.05 to 5.30) with P < 0.0001., Conclusion: Although toxoplasmosis could be considered as a potential risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis, more and better quality studies are needed to determine the effect of T. gondii infection on induction or exacerbation of RA. Our study was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; code: CRD42017069384)., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Congenital toxoplasmosis occurs when a pregnant woman becomes infected with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) for the first time. Treatment typically involves antimicrobial medications, with spiramycin commonly used to prevent transmission. However, spiramycin's effectiveness is limited due to poor placental penetration. Clindamycin, another antibiotic, can cross the placenta but reaches the fetus at only half the maternal concentration. Encapsulating the drug in chitosan-coated niosomes (Cs-Nio) could enhance its effectiveness by targeting specific organs and ensuring sustained release. To address the challenges of using clindamycin, a niosome-coated chitosan system was investigated for treating congenital toxoplasmosis caused by the VEG strain of T. gondii in an animal model. Methods: Pregnant mice were infected with VEG strain of T. gondii on the 12th day of pregnancy, followed by treatment with various drugs across six groups. The treatments included chitosan-coated niosomes loaded clindamycin (Cs-Nio-Cli) and other controls. Parasitological evaluations (microscopic examination and real-time PCR), along with histopathological and immunological assessments were conducted to assess treatment efficacy. Finally, statistical analysis was conducted using GraphPad Prism 8.0 and SPSS 26, comparing test and control groups with T test and Mann–Whitney test. A p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study found that treatment with Cs-Nio-Cli significantly reduced the number of T. gondii cysts in the brain and eyes (97.59% and 92.68%, respectively) compared to the negative control group. It also mitigated inflammatory changes, prevented cell death, and reduced vascular cuffs in the brain. In addition, Cs-Nio-Cli treatment decreased bleeding, placental thrombosis, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the placenta while improving eye tissue health by reducing retinal folds and bleeds. Immunologically, nanoclindamycin treatment resulted in lower TNF-α cytokine levels and higher IL-10 levels, indicating an enhanced anti-inflammatory response. Conclusions: Although Cs-Nio-Cli demonstrates promise in reducing the transmission of congenital toxoplasmosis and mitigating the effects of congenital toxoplasmosis, additional research is necessary to determine the optimal treatment regimens for the complete eradication of the parasite in the fetus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current chemical treatments for toxoplasmosis have side effects, researchers are looking for herbal remedies with minimal side effects and the best effectiveness. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-toxoplasmic effects of silver nanoparticles based on Sambucus ebulus (Ag-NPs-S. ebulus) and Feijoa sellowiana (Ag-NPs-F. sellowiana) fruit extracts, in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Vero cells were treated with different concentrations (0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 40 μg/mL) of extracts and pyrimethamine as a positive control. Vero cells were infected with T. gondii and treated with extracts. The infection index and intracellular proliferation of T. gondii were evaluated. The survival rate of infected mice with tachyzoites of T. gondii was examined after intraperitoneal injection of the extracts at a dose of 40 mg/kg/day for 5 days after infection. Results: The Ag-NPs-S. ebulus and Ag-NPs-F. sellowiana, almost similar to pyrimethamine, reduced proliferation index when compared to untreated group. Also, high toxoplasmicidal activity was observed with Ag-NPs-S. ebulus extract. Mice in the treatment groups of Ag-NPs-S. ebulus and pyrimethamine achieved better results in terms of survival than the others. Conclusion: The results indicated that Ag-NPs-F. sellowiana and S. ebulus have a significant growth effect on T. gondii in vitro and in vivo. Ag-NPs-S. ebulus extract has a more lethal effect on the parasite than Ag-NPs-F. sellowiana. It is suggested that in future investigate the induction of Toxoplasma-infected cell apoptosis using nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasmosis is a disease with a worldwide prevalence that is caused by Toxoplasma gondii. Pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine are two pharmacological agents commonly used to treat of this infection. However, they are accompanied by some side effects. Therefore, the identifying of new drugs with low toxocytosis seems to be a matter of vital importance. Quinolones are DNA replication inhibitors, exerting inhibitory effects against many pathogens, including bacteria, mycoplasma, and protozoa. Given the importance of quinolones and their efficacy, the present in vitro study was conducted to investigate the antiparasitic activities of new quinolones (NFQ-2, NFQ-5, and NFQ-6) containing nitrofuran moiety against T. gondii. To this end, Vero cells were incubated with various concentrations of new quinolones and pyrimethamine (positive control) to determine their viability. Subsequently, they were infected with T. gondii (RH strain) and then subjected to drug treatment. The obtained IC 50 values were 3.60, 4.84, 5.59, 3.44 and 2.75 μg/mL for NFQ-2, NFQ-5, NFQ-6, ciprofloxacin and pyrimethamine, respectively. The CC 50 values for the NFQ-2, NFQ-5, and NFQ-6 were 25.20, 29.89, and 28.43 μg/mL, indicating the selectivity indexes more than 5 for these compounds. The anti- Toxoplasma efficiency was determined by evaluating infection index, number and size of plaques, and T. gondii intracellular proliferation. As the results indicated, the administration of new quinolone derivatives resulted in the reduction of intracellular proliferation, infection index, and the number and size of plaques in comparison to uninfected treated cells (P < 0.05). The results were indicative of a considerable synergetic effect when each of the derivatives was used in combination with pyrimethamine, compared to when used alone. Based on our results, the nitrofuran-derived quinolones can be considered as new leads for the design of new anti- Toxoplasma agents. [Display omitted] • New quinolones (NFQ-2, NFQ-5, and NFQ-6) were evaluated as anti- T. gondii agents. • All compounds showed potent activity against T. gondii -infected cells (IC 50 s = 3.60–5.59 μg/mL). • The selectivity indexes (SI) of tested compounds were more than 5. • New quinolones were as effective as pyrimethamine in the reduction of infection index. • A synergistic effect of each derivative in combination with pyrimethamine has been observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As current toxoplasmosis chemotherapies have many side effects along with toxicity on patients, we examined the anti- Toxoplasma effect of a biologically important natural antibiotic, kojic acid, in vitro and in vivo. Vero cells were incubated with different concentrations of kojic acid or pyrimethamine (positive control), and the cellular viability was determined. Next, Vero cells were infected with T. gondii (RH strain) and treated with drugs. Then, we calculated the infection index, T. gondii intracellular proliferation and the number and measure of plaque. Moreover, the effect of kojic acid on survival times, serum levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α and histopathological changes in the liver and spleen of Balb/c mice infected with T. gondii were determined. Kojic acid reduced the infection index, intracellular proliferation, the number and measure of plaque in vitro when compared to untreated infected cells. Kojic acid (100 mg/kg/day) also showed a better survival rate than infected untreated control mice (P < 0.05). IFN-γ and TNF-α secretions were significantly increased by kojic acid treatment in comparison to untreated groups (P < 0.05). In addition, its inhibitory effects on inflammatory alterations, apoptosis, and necrosis have been shown in sections of liver and spleen. We conclude that kojic acid exhibit potent anti- Toxoplasma activity with direct and indirect effects on the parasite, although further studies are needed before consideration of clinical trials. Image 1 • Kojic acid is firstly proved to has anti- T. gondii activity in vitro and in vivo. • Kojic acid may be a novel drug candidate for treating T. gondii infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]