Lectin used in the purification process of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites

Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites were purified from mouse peritoneal exudates using lectins to remove the host cells. Best results were obtained with phytohemagglutinin P at a concentration of 0.01% (W/V), which provided a 99.7% pure Toxoplasma suspension. The process was reproducible and easy to perform. Toxoplasmas so obtained were infective and served as sources of high quality antigens for immunofluorescence, hemagglutination, and complement fixation tests.