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Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic parasitic disease, is a huge challenge for which there is no effective vaccine up till now. In this study, chitosan nanospheres encapsulated with Toxoplasma lysate vaccine was evaluated for its ability to protect mice against both acute and chronic toxoplasmosis models of infection. Results showed that chitosan nanospheres were equally effective to Freund's incomplete adjuvant (FIA) in enhancing the efficacy of Toxoplasma lysate vaccine. The effectiveness was demonstrated by the delayed death of vaccinated mice following challenge either with virulent RH or avirulent Me49 strains, the significant decrease in parasite density in different organs, significant increase in the humoral and cellular immune response (IgG and IFN c) with a marked reduction of pathological changes in the different organs. However chitosan nanospheres were superior to FIA due to their cost effective preparation and much less necrotic changes induced in the studied organs. The success of chitosan polymer as an alternative to commonly used adjuvants paves the way for the use of other newly developed polymers to be used in the field of vaccine development.

Background: Hypersensitivity to Anisakis species is a worldwide medical problem. The aim of this study was to detect the immunological response in experimental mice, through measurement of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies in their lymphocytes by flow cytometry, following the ingestion of Anisakis crude antigen.Method: Sixty Swiss albino mice were divided equally into control and experimental groups and each of them were further subdivided into five subgroups, six mice each. The percentage of IgE antibodies was measured in the lymphocytes of their splenic suspensions at zero, 1 st , 3 rd , 5 th and 7 th weeks post inoculation using Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) anti -mouse IgE and were analyzed on a FACS Calibur flow cytometer Becton Dickinson equipped with an argon-ion laser apparatus operating at 488 nm. Results:The percentage of IgE antibodies was enhanced in lymphocytes of animals exposed to Anisakis antigen from the first week, peaking three weeks following initial exposure, starting a decline by week five and decreased more by the seventh week, as compared to the control group. Conclusion:The results obtained from this study proved the efficacy of flow cytometry in detecting the sensitization against Anisakis species through the measurement of IgE antibodies.

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