FELINE OCULAR AND CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID TOXOPLASMA GONDII-SPECIFIC HUMORAL IMMUNE-RESPONSES FOLLOWING SPECIFIC AND NONSPECIFIC IMMUNE STIMULATION

Toxoplasma gondii-naive cats and cats previously infected orally with T. gondii tissue cysts were inoculated with soluble tachyzoite antigen s plus adjuvant or adjuvant alone. Toxoplasma gondii-specific IgM and IgG were measured in serum, aqueous humor, and cerebrospinal fluid (CS F). The Goldman-Witmer coefficient (C value) for ocular or central ner vous system (CNS) antibody production was calculated for aqueous humor or CSF samples positive for T. gondii-specific antibodies. Following inoculation with adjuvant plus soluble tachyzoite antigens, ocular and CNS T. gondii-specific IgG C values increased in the three previously infected cats. Following inoculation with adjuvant, the two previousl y infected cats had increases in ocular and CNS T. gondii-specific IgG C values. Ocular (2/3 cats) or CNS (1/3 cats) T. gondii-specific IgG C values of over 1 were detected in some T. gondii-naive cats followin g inoculation with adjuvant plus soluble tachyzoite antigens, The resu lts of this study suggest that T. gondii-specific IgG C values of over 1 in aqueous humor or CSF do not prove active ocular or CNS infection in all cats.