Corticosteroids Opportunist Higher Toxoplasma gondii Brain Cysts in Latent Infected Mice

Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic zoonotic protozoan, distinguish superior brain parasite load in immune-suppressed patients. Corticosteroids are popular anti-inflammatory with immune-suppressive long course, it possible opportunist higher T. gondii brain parasite load and reverts encephalitis in latent infected personals. The present study concerns this concept and preferred for recognize different levels of T. gondii brain parasite load and immunoglobulin titers in both corticosteroids treated and untreated latent infected mice groups. A total number of 70 Swiss-Webster mice (12-18 g) were divided into four groups, the first and second ones are 30 each (infected-untreated and infected-treated group), the third and fourth 5 each (uninfected-untreated and uninfected-treated control). Administration of glucocorticoid (hydrocortisone sodium succinate) at a dose of 50 mg kgG1 (I.M) injection 3 times a week with oral administration of dexamethasone sodium phosphate in dose of 2.5 mg kgG1 dayG1 per mouse in drinking water for sequence 2 months. The 103 bradyzoites from mice brain of cystogenic ME-49 strain was used for inducing latent infected mice groups at 30 days before corticosteroids therapy. Serum and brain tissue samples were collected for serological assay and parasite load estimation from sacrificed mice. The results showed significance elevation of average percent of brain parasite load and IgM/IgG titers. All values exceeds higher and parallel to the progression of corticosteroids term in infected treated group than the infected-untreated one. In conclusion, long-term corticosteroids therapy possible opportunist higher T. gondii brain parasite load and induce encephalitis in latent infected murine model, imitate this serious condition in T. gondii infected patients who received corticosteroids therapy.