Rolling up the pieces of a puzzle: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in Iran

Abstract

a b s t r a c tToxoplasmosis is a neglected parasitic disease with global distribution in warm-blooded vertebrates and high prevalence among different human societies. We contrived a systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in Iran. Following the general methodology recommended for systematic reviews and meta-analysis, four English and three Persian electronic databases were explored up to April 2016. Out of 105,139 examined samples of different hosts, the weighted overall prevalence was 37% (95% CI = 31-43). Due to the significant heterogeneity (I 2 = 81.9%) the random-effects model was used. The pool estimated prevalence of toxoplasmosis in human intermediate hosts, animal intermediate hosts, and definitive hosts was 43% (95% CI = 38-47), 26 (95% CI = 17-35) and, 34% (95% CI = 22-46), respectively. Our results represent that regular inspection in food industries, improved screening programs using standard diagnostic assay as well as distinguishing toxoplasmosis condition in other zoonotic hosts are extremely recommended for better disease management in Iran. Ó 2017 Alexandria University Faculty of Medicine. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in hemodialysis patients in Iran

“…It has been well demonstrated that suppression of the host immune response is an important risk factor for the reactivation of chronic infections. Other important risk factors for T. gondii infection are intake of sporulated oocysts from contaminated water or unwashed fruit and vegetables, keeping cats indoors as pets, and the consumption of raw or undercooked meat containing T. gondii tissue cysts [ 1 , 4 , 10 , 12 ]. The geographical area is also an important factor associated with the prevalence of T. gondii infection [ 12 ].…”

“…Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan parasitic zoonosis caused by the well-known intracellular protist, Toxoplasma gondii [ 1 , 2 ]. Recently published systematic review articles have estimated the pooled prevalence of global T. gondii infection in various groups of humans.…”

Calcium-dependent protein kinases are potential targets forToxoplasma gondiivaccine

“…Toxoplasma gondii belongs to the Apicomplexa phylum that caused a widespread zoonotic infection in a wide range of intermediate hosts, including men, livestock, birds, marine mammals, and snakes [ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ]. More than one century ago, this protist was discovered from the spleen and liver smears of a north African rodent namely Ctenodactylus gondii [ 8 ].…”

“…Toxoplasmosis predominantly is asymptomatic in immunocompetent persons, while may cause severe complications with life-threatening outcomes in immunosuppressed persons such as human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome subjects, patients with malignancy and transplant recipients [ 3 10 13 14 15 ]. Upon maternal infection, fetus is probably to be exposed with vertical transmission, which may cause abortion in those pregnant women that acquired toxoplasmosis during her pregnancy.…”

“…In the other hand, this unicellular protozoan parasite may result in fetal death, neonatal loss, and abortion in domestic animals, especially in goats and sheep which imposes heavy economic losses in the industry of veterinary medicine and animal husbandry. Furthermore, they serve as a source of transmission to humans [ 3 21 ]. Interestingly, it has been shown chronic toxoplasmosis considerably associated with some autoimmune diseases, mental and neurodegenerative disorders.…”