Diagnosis of neurotoxoplasmosis by antibody detection in cerebrospinal (CSF) fluid using Latex Agglutination Test and ELISA

Abstract

The present study was carried out to evaluate the utility of Anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody detection in CSF specimens using Latex Agglutination Test (LAT) and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for the diagnosis of NT. The study included CSF specimens from twenty-five HIV seropositive, autopsy proven (histopathological) cases of NT and 29 control cases with CNS diseases other than NT. All the specimens were subjected for antibody detection by LAT, IgG ELISA and IgM ELISA. Out of 25 CSF samples from autopsy proven cases of NT, LAT was positive in 48%, whereas ELISA for IgG antibody was positive in 92% of the cases. IgM antibodies were present in only one case that was also positive by LAT and IgG ELISA. None of the control CSF specimens showed anti-T. gondii antibodies either by LAT or ELISA. Detection of anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies in CSF can be a useful adjunct to the clinical and CT findings in the diagnosis of NT. IgG ELISA is more sensitive when compared to LAT. IgM antibody detection has a negligible value in the diagnosis of NT.