The leukaemogenic effect of irradiation associated with toxoplasmosis was studied. Rats were infected with Toxoplasma gondii RH strain 3 weeks prior to irradiation. The leukaemic effect of irra diation was aggravated by toxoplasmosis as leukaemia appeared in-. 10% of 300 cGy irradiated rats and in 30% of 500 cGy irradiated ones, six months after irradiation.
INTRODUCTION
Acute toxoplasmosis is uncommon (Remington et al., 1960). In deed most cases were reported in patients associated with malignancy as reticulum cell sarcoma, Hodgkin’s disease or leukaemia who re ceived corticosierOids, radiation or antimetabolites (Cheener et al.., 1965). lonising radiation is a leukaemogenic factor (Miale, 1977). Laurence (1964) expected that, between 1 and 6 out of a million exposed to 1 rad per year would develop leukaemia. The incidence of leukaemia was also greater in radiologists than in other physicians (Settser and Sarimell, 1965). Also, the Incidence of leukaemia is high among children treated with x-irradiation . for thymic enlargement (Hempe]mann, 1975). Several studies were performed . to detect the effect of radiation and other immunosuppressives on toxoplasmosis (Frerkel, 1957, Cheener et al., 1965; and El Rifaie et al., 1979) but, there s a wide gap of knowledge concerning the effect of toxoplasmo sis on irradiated patients.
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