Seroepidemiological evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii immunity among the general population in southwest of Iran

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan zoonotic infection, caused by a unicellular protozoan parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) that belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa. The present investigation was aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in the general population of Abadan city. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 496 subjects were participated. Anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies were tested using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Moreover, a structured questionnaire was completed for each person. Out of 496 subjects, 188 (37.9%) and 30 (6.05%) samples were seropositive for IgG and IgM, respectively. The more seroprevalence was found during spring season, among female subjects, in rural inhabitants, in persons with the education level of diploma or lower, from the subjects with a history of contact with cat, in individuals who consumed raw/undercooked meat, and amongst who drink unpurified water. The results showed that inhabitants of tropical areas, may be moderately exposed to T. gondii. Increase of knowledge of people about toxoplasmosis, certainly affects in reduction of the infection.

Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in patients undergoing hemodialysis and healthy group

“…A structured questionnaire containing some demographic information was developed and accomplished for each person in case and control groups, as previously described [ 16 , 17 ]. The demographic information and related risk factors with T. gondii infection were as follows: gender, age, residence, education level, contact with cats, consumption of raw/undercooked meat, and source of drinking water.…”

“…From each participant who have met the inclusion criteria, 5 mL of venous blood was taken and then the samples were transferred to the laboratory of the Abadan Faculty of Medical Sciences. As earlier described [ 17 ], the sera were separated by centrifugation at 1700× g for 5 min and then stored in − 20 °C till examined. The specific antibodies (IgG/IgM) in both groups were measured using commercial available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits (Torch-IgG, IgM-Trinity Biotech Company), according to the manufacturer’s guideline.…”

Detection of Anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG and IgM Antibodies and Associated Risk Factors during Pregnancy in Southwest Iran

“…Summers are dry and intensely hot, with temperature up to 53°C. Abadan is particularly one of the few warmest crowded places in the world with several storms of sand and dust annually [11].…”

“…The presence of anti-Toxoplasma IgM and IgG antibodies was evaluated via the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), with an ELISA kit (Torch-IgG, IgM-Trinity Biotech Company) according to the manufacturer's instructions. The samples with international units (IU)/ml of <0.9, 0.9-1.1, and >1.1 were considered negative, borderline, and positive, respectively [11].…”

Rhomboid antigens are promising targets in the vaccine development against Toxoplasma gondii

“…It is estimated that more than one-third of the human population are latently infected with the parasite in different groups throughout the globe (Foroutan-Rad et al, 2016[ 19 ]; Wang et al, 2017[ 49 ]). In general, toxoplasmosis is oftentimes asymptomatic among immunocompetent subjects, whereas in organ transplant recipients, HIV-positive persons, individuals with malignancy, and newborns can cause severe complications and life-threatening outcomes (Fallahi et al, 2018[ 14 ]; Gharavi et al, 2011[ 22 ]; Soltani et al, 2018[ 44 ]; Wang et al, 2017[ 49 ]).…”