REVIEW OF DNA VACCINE APPROACHES AGAINST THE PARASITE TOXOPLASMA GONDII.

Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite that affects both humans and livestock. Transmitted to humans through ingestion, it is the second-leading cause of foodborne illness-related death. Currently, there exists no approved vaccine for humans or most livestock against the parasite. DNA vaccines, a type of subunit vaccine which uses segments of the pathogen's DNA to generate immunity, have shown varying degrees of experimental efficacy against infection caused by the parasite. This review compiles DNA vaccine efforts against Toxoplasma gondii, segmenting the analysis by parasite antigen, as well as a review of concomitant adjuvant usage. No single antigenic group was consistently more effective within in vivo trials relative to others. © American Society of Parasitologists 2021.