弓形虫
生物
弓形虫病
寄生虫寄主
精液
病毒学
性传播
免疫学
抗体
解剖
人类免疫缺陷病毒(HIV)
计算机科学
万维网
杀菌剂
作者
Wen Han Tong,Jana Hlaváčová,Samira Abdulai-Saiku,Šárka Kaňková,Jaroslav Flegr,Ajai Vyas
标识
DOI:10.1016/j.jinf.2022.10.034
摘要
Toxoplasma gondii is a widely prevalent protozoan parasite in human populations. This parasite is thought to be primarily transmitted through undercooked meat and contamination by cat feces. Here, we seek to determine if Toxoplasma gondii cysts can be found within human semen.We used a mixture of histological and immunofluorescence stains to visualize Toxoplasma gondii cysts in thin smears of human semen. Further, we probed for presence of bradyzoite-specific mRNA transcription using in-situ hybridization.We visualized Toxoplasma gondii cysts in ejaculates of immune-competent and latently infected human volunteers. We confirmed the encystment by probing transcription of a bradyzoite-specific gene in these structures. These observations extend previous observations of the parasite in semen of several non-human host species, including rats, dogs, and sheep.Toxoplasma gondii infection is a clinically significant infection, in view of its high prevalence, its purported role in neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, as well as in the more serious form of congenital toxoplasmosis. Our demonstration of intact Toxoplasma gondii cysts in the ejaculate supports the possibility of sexual transmission of the parasite and provides an impetus for further investigations.
科研通智能强力驱动
Strongly Powered by AbleSci AI