{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.06380120886501008, 'fraction_numerical': 0.052384150436534584, 'mean_word_length': 4.302491103202847, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 1, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Effect of toxoplasmic infection on the biodistribution of a brain radiopharmaceutical

Abstract Purpose: This study evaluated if Toxoplasma gondii infection and the drug-associated infection modifies the brain radiopharmaceutical Ethylene Cystine Diethylester Dihydrochloride (99mTc-ECD) biodistribution in mice. Materials and methods: A total of 18 mice were divided into 3 groups. Control group (C) received distilled water and 99mTc-ECD; Infected group (I) received T. gondii strain and 99mTc-ECD; Infected and Treated group (IT), in addition to infection, received association of Pyrimethamine and Sulfadiazine and 99mTc-ECD. The T. gondii strain used in this study was TgCkRrRN3. Forty minutes after administration of the 99mTc-ECD, all animals were euthanized, and blood and brain samples were isolated. The counting of the radioactivity percentage per gram of tissue (%ATI/g) was calculated, and statistical analysis was performed by t-test, with a level of significance of p < .05. Results: There was a significant increase in %ATI/g between groups C and I on brain (0.35 ± 0.02 and 0.45 ± 0.04; p = .041) and on blood (0.80 ± 0.09 and 1.14 ± 0.31; p = .049). A significant decrease in %ATI/g occurred between groups C and IT on blood (0.80 ± 0.09 and 0.54 ± 0.08; p = .001) and on brain (0.35 ± 0.02 and 0.22 ± 0.04; p = .049). Conclusions: Combined therapy of anti-Toxoplasma drugs in infected mice reduced the uptake of 99mTc-ECD, probably due to its binding to plasma proteins.