Toxoplasma gondii Seroprevalence in the United States 2009–2010 and Comparison with the Past Two Decades (original) (raw)
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Epidemiology and Infection, 2011
To estimate the change in the seroprevalence and risk factors for toxoplasmosis in The Netherlands, a study was conducted in the general population in 2006/2007, similarly designed as a previous study in 1995/1996. Testing 5541 sera for IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii showed a marked decrease of the overall seroprevalence to 26 . 0% [95 % confidence interval (CI) 24 . 0-28 . 0], compared to 40 . 5% (95 % CI 37 . 5-43 . 4) in 1995/1996. In women of reproductive age the seroprevalence decreased from 35 . 2 % (95 % CI 32 . 9-38 . 6) in 1995/1996 to 18 . 5 % (95 % CI 16 . 2-20 . 7) in 2006/2007, leaving the majority of pregnant women susceptible to primary infection with T. gondii and their babies to congenital toxoplasmosis. In participants aged o20 years, Toxoplasma seropositivity was associated with living in the Northwest, living in urban areas, low educational level, consumption of raw pork, keeping a cat, and not having occupational contact with clients or patients. For younger participants, risk factors were keeping sheep or cattle, consumption of raw unwashed vegetables and putting sand in the mouth.
Impact of Toxoplasma gondii infection on human health
Bioresearch Communications
Toxoplasmosis is one of the most prevalent infectious disease around the globe and it is caused by the parasite named Toxoplasma gondii. Infections normally lead to asymptomatic parasite persistence in immunocompetent warm-blooded hosts, including up to 30-50% of humans. However, T. gondii infection has also a major medical concern and can lead to life-threatening diseases, after reactivation in immunocompromized individuals, particularly in patients with human immunodeficiency virus/cancer or organ transplant recipients, after vertical transmission to fetuses of pregnant women and by inducing recurrent uveitis in immunocompetent adults. More importantly, T. gondii undergoes stage conversion from its fast-replicating tachyzoite to slow replicating dormant bradyzoite preferentially in the brain and skeletal muscles, and lesser extent in the eye, liver, kidney and lung which enable the parasite to persist for the whole life of an individual. Due to the persistence behavior of the para...
2009
In order to see the stability of toxoplasma antibodies’ prevalence at the population from the central and north-western part of the country, 1155 serums have been tested, from healthy persons aged 1 to 86, from 11 counties. We used the ELISA technique to detect specific IgG antibodie with Dia Sorin kits. The general seroprevalence was of 59.48%, with some zonal variations. The positivity is higher in the rural environment, 63.68%, compared to the urban one, 55.12%, similar for the two genders (60.49% for men, 58.87% for women), and grows in the successive age groups. The estimation of annual infection risk linked to age revealed a high receptivity from childhood up to adolescence (3 - 4.5% annual infection risk), a constant level for adults (1 - 2%), and then growing again with age (up to 5.5% at 65 years old). Seroprevalence at a lot of 105 women aged between 16 and 35 years is 51.43%. The annual T. gondii infection risk for women aged between 20 to 30 years is of 1.79%. Knowing th...
Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Related Risk Factors in
2012
Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908) is an obligatory intracellular protozoan parasite prevalent in animals and humans worldwide having medical and veterinary importance on account of causing abortion or congenital disease in intermediate hosts, including man. Since T. gondii has already been identified in the milk of goats, Capra aegagrus hircus (Linnaeus), the possibility of acquiring infection by ingesting unpasteurised goat milk should be taken into consideration. Thus, the aim of the present study was to determine the presence of T. gondii DNA in goat milk. First, 73 goats (females) from 36 farms located in Poland were examined serologically by direct agglutination test (DAT) to estimate the T. gondii serological status. Milk samples from 60 selected lactating females were examined for the presence of T. gondii DNA by Real time PCR and nested PCR (B1 gene). To estimate the clonal type of detected T. gondii, multiplex PCR was performed using 6 markers. In DAT, positive results were found in 70% of 73 goats. Among examined 60 milk samples, 65% were positive in Real time PCR and 43% in nested PCR. It is noteworthy that 11 samples positive in PCR were collected from seronegative goats. The multilocus PCR analysis mostly revealed the occurrence of genotype III, which is relatively rare in Europe. The recorded high prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies in tested goats (70%), associated with a high prevalence of T. gondii DNA in goat milk samples (65%), indicates a potential risk of the parasite transmission through goat milk ingestion.
Seroepidemiology of human Toxoplasma gondii infection in China
BMC Infectious Diseases, 2010
Background Toxoplasmosis is an important zoonotic parasitic disease worldwide. In immune competent individuals, Toxoplasma gondii preferentially infects tissues of central nervous systems, which might be an adding factor of certain psychiatric disorders. Congenital transmission of T. gondii during pregnancy has been regarded as a risk factor for the health of newborn infants. While in immune-compromised individuals, the parasite can cause life-threatening infections. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of T. gondii infection among clinically healthy individuals and patients with psychiatric disorders in China and to identify the potential risk factors related to the vulnerability of infection in the population. Methods Serum samples from 2634 healthy individuals and 547 patients with certain psychiatric disorders in Changchun and Daqing in the northeast, and in Shanghai in the south of China were examined respectively for the levels of anti-T. gondii IgG by indirect ELISA ...
Detection of antibodies to the 97 kDa component of Toxoplasma gondii in samples of human serum
Memorias Do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 2002
This study was carried out to investigate the immune response against 97 kDa (p97) molecular marker of Toxoplasma gondii that has been characterized as a cytosolic protein and a component of the excreted-secreted antigens from this parasite. A total of 60 serum samples from patients were analyzed by enzime-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot for toxoplasmosis. These samples were organized in three groups, based on clinical symptoms and results of serological tests. Group I: 20 samples reactive to IgG and IgM (acute phase); group II: 20 nonreactive samples (control group); and group III: 20 samples reactive only to IgG (chronic phase). Western blot was performed with total antigenic extracts or with excreted and secreted antigen from T. gondii to identify the fraction correspondent to p97. It was observed that this cytosolic component from T. gondii stimulates the immunologic system to produce both IgM and IgG antibodies in the beginning of the acute infection and IgG throughout the chronic stage of the asymptomatic toxoplasmosis.
Toxoplasma gondii infection seroprevalence20191002 122698 ecfvx2
Introduction: Toxoplasma gondii infection has been described as the most widespread zoonotic infection of humans and other animals. Information concerning T. gondii infection among schoolchildren is unavailable in Lagos City, Nigeria. Methods: This crosssectional study investigated the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with T. gondii infection among primary schoolchildren (PSC) from a community located in the center of Lagos, southern Nigeria, from November 2013 to March 2014. A total of 382 PSC were screened for the presence of sera anti-T. gondii antibodies using a latex agglutination test (TOXO Test-MT, Tokyo, Japan). A cutoff titer of ≥ 1:32 was considered positive, while titers ≥ 1:1,024 indicated high responders. Questionnaires were also used to obtain data on possible risk factors from parents/guardians. Results: The overall seroprevalence was 24% (91/382), and 83.5% (76/91) of seropositive PSC were classifi ed as high responders. Among the risk factors tested, including contact with cats and soil, consumption of raw meat and vegetables, and drinking unboiled water, none showed statistical signifi cance after multivariate adjustment. No associations were observed among age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and parents' occupation/educational level. Conclusions: The fi ndings in this study show evidence of active infection, and hence, there is need for urgent preventive measures in this city. Further investigation is required to clarify the transmission routes. Policy makers also need to initiate prevention and control programs to protect pregnant women and immunocompromised patients in particular because they are more severely affected by T. gondii infection.
Recently Acquired Toxoplasma gondii Infection, Brazil
Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2006
The city of Erechim, Brazil, has a 17% prevalence of ocular toxoplasmosis, and type 1 Toxoplasma gondii predominates. To examine risk factors for acute T. gondii infection in this area, we administered a questionnaire to recently infected persons (n = 131) and seronegative controls (n = 110). Eating undercooked meat; having a garden; working in the garden or yard more than once per week; eating rare meat; eating cured, dried, or smoked meat; eating frozen lamb; and being male increased risk for T. gondii infection in univariate analysis. Risk factors independently associated with acute T. gondii infection in multivariate analysis were working in the garden (odds ratio [OR] 2.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27-4.33) and eating frozen lamb (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.15-3.67). Among women (n = 86), having had children markedly increased the risk for T. gondii infection (OR 14.94, 95% CI 3.68-60.73).