• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.651-655
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• 2005

Background : Diagnosing a pulmonary embolism is difficult because its presenting symptoms are nonspecific and there are limitations with all of the objective tests. The D-dimer is known to be a marker of the lysis of intravascular cross-linked fibrin as a result of the activation of the endogenous fibrinolytic pathways, and the D-dimer assay is these an objective method for diagnosing a pulmonary embolism. This study assessed the benefits of the D-dimer test for diagnosing a pulmonary embolism using semiquantitative latex agglutination. Methods : The latex agglutination results of 185 patients were retrospectively reviewed. The D-dimer test was performed at the time a pulmonary embolism was suspected. Ninety patients(group I) were diagnosis with PE through spiral chest CT or a chest CT angiogram, perfusion/ventilation scans, and/or pulmonary angiogram. Ninety-five patients (group II) were found not to have a pulmonary embolism through the above tests. Results : The male to female ratio and mean age in groups I and II was 37:55, and 57 years old to 50:45 and 52 years old, respectively. When the cut off value for a positive D-dimer assay was set to $500{\mu}g$, the sensitivity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and specificity was 86.7%, 61.4%, 79.3%, and 48.4%, respectively. Conclusion : The semiquantitative latex agglutination method in the D-dimer test has a lower sensitivity and negative predictive value than the well known ELISA test particularly for small emboli. Therefore, this test is not a suitable screening test for excluding a pulmonary embolism.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 1979

A simple test using latex-agglutination was developed to detect serologically tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), soybean mosaic virus (SoyMV), and barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) from infected Plants. Latex spheres ( 0.81 $\mu$, Difco) were adsorbed with immuno globulin purified by electrophoresis from crude antiserum against viruses. The antibody- sensitized latex suspension was mixed with sap from virus -infected leaves in a glass capillary tube (inner diam. 1mm $\times$ 100 mm length) The mixture, after agitation, was observed under a stereo microscope at low magnification (X20 - X4O), to examine the reaction between antigen (Virus) and its antibody. Flocculation occurred when the reaction was positive.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.59-61
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• 2011

The prevalence of Toxoplasma (T.) gondii was surveyed using a latex agglutination test (LAT) in native Korean cattle. A blood sample was collected from female 105 cattle in the Daejeon area of Korea. All cattle were asymptomatic and had not received any prophylactic treatment for T. gondii. Blood samples were collected via the caudal vein. The cattle ranged in age from 2~6 years (mean 3.7 years). LAT detected antibody to T. gondii in four of 105 (3.8%) cattle. However, the hazard analysis and critical control point protocol has been applied to cattle farms and beef traceability has been strengthen.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 1992

Sensitivity of anti-Texoplasma antibody (IgG) test by enzyme·linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was evaluated in comparison with indirect laten agglutination (ILA) using 2,016 paired human samples of serum and cerebrospinal quid (CSF) . The samples were collected from neurologic patients in Korea with mass lesions in central nervous system(CNS) as revealed by imaging diagnosis(CTIMRI). When the sera were screened for anti-Toxoplasma antibody by ILA, 76 cases (3.8%) were positive (1:32 or higher titers). In the pairs samples of CSF, no positive reactions were observed. When ELISA was performed using PBS extract of Percoll purified tachysoites as antigen, cut-off absorbance was determined as 0.40 for serum and 0.27 for CSF tests. The antibody positive rates by ELISA were 7.0% in serum and 5.6% in CSF Of them, 40 cases(2.0%) showed positive reactions in both serum and CSF, The antibody positive rates were higher in groups older than 40 years, The rates were higher in male(4.7% by ILA, 8.3% by ELISA) than in female(2.2% by ILA, 5.0% by ELISA). The rates in CSF showed no such sex difference. ELISA showed twice higher positive rates when serum was tested, and was sensitive enough to detect specific antibodies in CSF. Etiologic relations between positive antibody tests and CNS lesions remained unknown.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.280-285
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• 1983

A total of 573 Patients hospitalized in National Seoul Mental Hospital and 76 of healthy Persons as control were examined by indirect latex agglutination test in order to evaluate Toxoplasma antibody titers in mental patients. Throughout this survey, 1:32 or more titers of diluted sera were regarded as positive. 1, The 573 samples of test sera showed negative in 386 cases (67.4%), 1:2 in 93 cases (16.2%), 1:4 in 57 cases (9.9%), 1:8 in 14 cases (2.4%), 1:16 in 12 cases (2.1%), 1:32 in 5 cases (0.9%), 1:64 in 1 case (0.2%), 1:128 in 3cases (0.5%) and 1:256 in 2 cases (0.3%) respecttively, 2. Among total 573 mental patients, 11 cases (1.9%) showed positive, and they were 9 cases 41.8%) of schizophrenia and 2 cases (7.4%) of manic depression. 3. One case (1.3%) out of 76 control sera showed positive result.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.641-647
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• 1992

This study was conducted to determine the serum antibodies against toxoplasma in the artificially infected dogs, pet and street dogs by latex agglutination (LA) and indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test. LA test was carried out with commercial Toxo-MT kit (Eiken chemical Co.) and IFA test was carried out with rabbit-anti-dog IgG labelled with FITC (Cappel Co.) and toxo-antigen slides prepared in laboratory. The results obtained were as follows ; 1. Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in the artificially infected dogs were detected firstly at the Day 8 in IFA and Day 9 in LA test after inoculation. Positive antibody reactions by these tests were declined gradually afterward but maintained up to 12 weeks. 2. In LA test serum antibody titers in 310 test sera were shown as 10 cases(32%) in 1 : 32.5(1.0%) in 1 : 64, 4(1.3%) in 1 : 128 and 2(0.7%) in 1 : 256. In IFA test serum antibody titers 310 test sera were shown as 17 cases(5.5%) in 1 : 64, 8(2.6%) in 1 : 128 and 5(1.6%) in 1 : 256. 3. In the total of 310 sera from pet and street dogs toxoplasma antibody positive rates were 21 cases (6.8%) by LA and 30 cases (9.7%) by IFA test and the positive detection rates between these two groups by LA and IFA test were not significant(p<0.05). 4. In the total of 115 sera from pet dogs toxoplasma antibody positive rates were 12 cases(10.4%) by LA and 15(13.0%) by IFA test. And in the 195 street dogs the positive rates were 9 cases(4.6%) by LA and 15(7.7%) by IFA test. Also, the positive detection rates between these two groups by LA and IFA test were not significant(p<0.05). 5. Agreement of reactivity between LA and IFA test for 310 sera was 91.3% in total of 283 cases consisting of 12 cases(3.9%) of both LA and IFA positive and 271 cases(87.4%) of LA and IFA negative. 6. LA test was almostly equivalent to the IFA test in producibility and proved to be a simple tool for the screening of toxoplasma antibody in laboratory.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.29-39
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• 1998

This study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of antibody against Toxoplasma gondii in the dog by Latex agglutination test and Indirect fluorescent antibody test. Two month-old dogs were infected intraperitoneally with T gondii to observe histopathological and immunohisto-chemical changes. Results obtained through this experiment were summarized as follows ; 1. Among the serum samples of 163 heads of the dog, 10 samples(6.1%) were positive. 2. In the sex, 6 heads (7.1%) out of 84 female dogs and 4 heads(5.1%) out of 79 male dogs were positive. However, there were no significant differences between the male and female. 3. Overall proportion of agreement between indirect fluorescent antibody and Latex agglutination test in 163 sera of dogs was 97.5%. 4. When 2 month-old dogs were infected intraperitoneally with T gondii, main clinical signs were intermittent fever, dyspnea, diarrhea. In general, the infected dogs recovered closely on the 11th day of post-inoculation. 5. At necropsy, petechial and ecchymotic hemorrages and swelling in small intestine, lung, spleen, liver and kidney were observed. 6. In histopathological observation, interstitial pneumonia, hyperemia and hemorrhages in lung were observed. Focal necrosis of hepatocytes, the neutrophil and basophil in the renal tubular epithelium were observed. 7. By immunohistochemical staining using Vectorstain ABC kit, the positive cells were recognized in the lung and the liver. 8. By indirect fluorescent antibody test, the Toxoplasma antibodies in the infected dogs were detected on the 15th day of postinoculation.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.300-304
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• 1985

A total of 377 pregnant women, 43 pelvic tumor patients and 80 of multiphysic health center persons as controls were examined by indirect latex agglutination test in order to evaluate Toxoplasma antibody titers at Kang-Nam St. Mary's Hospital in Seoul. Throughout this survey, 1 : 32 or more titers of diluted sera were regarded as positive. 1. The 377 samples of test sera in pregnant women showed negatives in 319 cases (84.6%), 1 : 2 in 44 cases (11.7%), 1:4 in 9 cases (2.4%), 1:8 in 2 cases (0.5%), 1:16 in 1 case (0.3%) and 1 : 32 in 2 cases (0.5%) respectively. 2. The 43 samples of test sera in pelvic tumor patients showed negatives in 29 cases (67.4%), 1:2 in 8 cases(18.6%), 1:4 in 1 case(2.3%), 1:16 in 2 cases (4.7%), 1:32 in 1 case(2.3%) and 1 : 128 in 2 cases (4.7%). 3. The 80 samples of test sera in multiphysic health center persons as controls negatives in 56 cases (70.0%), 1.2 in 19 cases (23.8%), 1:4 in 3 cases (3.8%), 1:8 in 1 case (1.3%) and 1 : 128 in 1 case (1.3%). 4. Among total 420 study cases, 5 cases (1.2%) showed Positives, and they were 2 cases (0.5%) of pregnant women and 3 cases (7.0%) of pelvic tumor patients. 5. One case (1.3%) out of 80 control sera showed positive result.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.89-98
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• 2001

This study was conducted to detect the toxoplasma specific-DNA in circulating blood and organs collected from slaughtered pigs at slaughtering house and experimentally infected pigs with Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites by polymerase chain reaction(PCR), and also PCR was applied to diagnose for acute phase of swine toxoplasmosis as a newly developed diagnostic test. The sensitivity of oligonucleotide primer, T-1 & T-2, designed from toxoplasma B1 gene amplification method was compared with Tp parasite detection by mouse inoculation(MI). On the other hand, latex agglutination test(LAT) was conducted to detect the serum antibodies comparing with the detection of toxoplasma by PCR and MI. The results obtained were summarized as follows. PCR was able to determine at the lowest level of $10^0/ml$ T. gondii in blood samples which were blended with a serial diluted T gondii in vitro. On the other hand, $10^2/5g$ of T gondii could detect from a variety of tissues including lung, diaphragm, liver, heart, spleen and brain in vitro. The primer was proved to specifically determine T gondii in blood and tissues in vitro but it did not detect Neospora caninum used as a negative control. DNA of T. gondii was effectively extracted by freezing, thawing and grinding twice both tissues mixed with T gondii in vitro and in experimentally infected pig's tissues. PCR detected specific DNA in the blood of experimentally infected pigs at 108 hrs and 120 hrs post-infection, it was the same time that the pigs showed fever and parasitaemia. In case of tissue, specific DNA was, however, detected only lung from experimentally infected pigs. Even though the duration of acute phase was from 3 to 7 days post-infection, but the latex agglutination test (LAT) results appeared from 8 days post-infection. A comparison of sensitivity in determining T gondii in blood samples between PCR and MI, PCR positive rate ranged from 25 to 33.3%, but that of MI covered from 75 to 100%.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.199-201
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• 2008

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular zoonotic protozoan with a worldwide distribution. It infects humans as well as a broad spectrum of vertebrate hosts. Cats and wild felidae play crucial roles in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis. This study was performed to survey the prevalence of T. gondii infection among stray cats in the Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. A total of 174 stray cat blood samples were collected from Gwacheon-si (n = 20), Bucheon-si (82), and Yangju-si (72). Positive sera for T. gondii were identified in 14 samples (8.1%) exclusively via the latex agglutination test, 28 (16.1%) via ELISA, and 23 (13.2%) via PCR analysis. The overall infection rate of female stray cats (29.2%) presented as higher than that of male cats (24.0%). This study suggests that T. gondii is widespread in the stray cat population of Gyeonggi-do, Korea. It is urgently needed to control urban stray cat population and to reduce the risk of zoonotic transmission of toxoplasmosis to other animal hosts and humans.