Foreword
The present issue of Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz is entirely devoted to Toxoplasma gondii and toxoplasmosis studies as part of the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the first discovery of the parasite in 1908 almost concomitantly in Brazil and Tunis, followed by its definitive nomination as T. gondii in 1909.
The issue was organized after the meeting "Toxoplasma Centennial Congress from Discovery to Public Health Management", held in September of 2008 at the city of Buzios, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The meeting provided a unique opportunity to up-to-date presentations and debates congregating four generation of distinguished researchers from different countries of all over the world. More than 450 delegates from 25 countries including Brazil presented 270 scientific abstracts. The meeting was hosted by Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro and supported by Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, the Brazilian and French Societies of Parasitology, the Brazilian Society of Protozoology, Neonatal Screening, Colégio Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária, FAPERJ, CNPq, CAPES, PETROBRAS, Banco Itaú, Abbott, Anilabsystems, Biomérieux, Diasorin, Jeol, LDbio Diagnostics and Roche. We consider that it was very successful and for this reason we wish to thank the participants for their efforts and to our colleagues who took part in Conferences, Round Tables and the Committees. The Toxoplasma Centennial Congress also nominated the first edition of the medal Splendore-Nicolle to seven outstanding scientists who have devoted most of their professional lives to Toxoplasma and toxoplasmosis and contributed to major advances in its diagnosis, prevention and treatment. They are in alphabetical order: Elmer Pfefferkorn (USA), Georges Desmonts (France), Jack Frenkel (Germany-USA), Jack S. Remington (USA), Jitender P Dubey (India-USA), Mario Endzfeld Camargo (Brazil) and Pierre Ambroise-Thomas (France).
This excellent issue of Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz includes several articles written by 166 scientists from 16 countries from Europe, North and South Americas and Australia. The papers are representing an enormous breadth of research ranging from basic cell biology, proteomics and genome projects to studies on clinical management, public health control through screening programs and environmental control.
The issue brings also, on its electronic version, the original papers of Splendore and the Nicolle and Manceaux, in their original languages (Italian and French) and also the translated to English version.
We believe that the papers and reviews published in the present issue give an overview of the richness and diversity of presentations and discussions that occurred during the meeting, reflect the state-of-the-art of investigations involving toxoplasmosis around the world, and will be able to contribute significantly to the advance of knowledge in this field.
It is an honor to Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo to publish the articles included in this special issue.
Elisa Cupolillo
Associated Editor
Lílian MG Bahia-Oliveira
Marie-Laure Dardé
Invited Editors for this issue
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
05 May 2009 -
Date of issue
Mar 2009
