Project

Determination of the infection rate of Toxoplasmosis in Belgian farms

Code
35IG8907
Duration
01 August 2007 → 31 July 2009
Funding
Federal funding: various
Promotor
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Microbiology
    • Systems biology
  • Medical and health sciences
    • Laboratory medicine
    • Microbiology
    • Laboratory medicine
    • Laboratory medicine
    • Microbiology
Keywords
Toxoplasmosis
 
Project description

This project aims to identify the prevalence of Toxoplasmosis, i.h.b. in pigs and sheep, as these animals are very susceptible to infection with the parasite. In the first part of the study, piglets and lambs will be infected experimentally to generate positive controls (serological and tissue). This will be set to point serological detection techniques such as an ELISA and a modified agglutination test. Besides antigen-specific antibody response will also address antigen-specific induction of cytokines. On the other hand will also be determined whether infectious parasites may be found in the muscle tissue of the infected animals. The isolation method for tissue cysts will be refined here in the first place to obtain a better settlement of cysts.