Toxoplasma polymerase chain reaction on experimental blood samples

A two-stage polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay employing oligonucleotide primers from the B1 gene of Toxoplasma gondii was developed and assessed for sensitivity and specificity. It was able to detect T. gondii DNA from as little as one parasite/sample in mock-infected rat or mouse leucocyte preparations. Parasitaemia was also identified in animals at five stages between 16 and 66 h after infection with the virulent RH strain, and at 12 stages between 2 and 38 days after infection with the cyst-forming Beverley strain. In the latter case, PCR was more sensitive than animal culture. No cross-reactions were observed in samples containing various opportunist pathogens which may also be found in the blood of immunocompromised patients.