The association between Toxoplasma gondii seropositive status and diabetes mellitus in obese and non-obese subjects in Baghdad

Abstract

Anti-Toxoplasma gondii seropositive status among obese and diabetic patients has recently attracted substantial attention. The objective of this study was to assess the seropositive rate of T. gondii and its relation to high body mass index (BMI), diabetes, and metabolic syndrome among participants (n=100) who attended Al-Kadhimiya Teaching Hospital, Baghdad-Iraq. An observational analytical study was conducted from October 2019 to March 2020. Participants were divided into three groups based on their BMI; obese (n=38), overweight (n=32) and normal (n=30). In addition, they were divided into diabetic (n=45) and non-diabetic (n=55) based on clinical examination, laboratory examination, and medical interview. Another classification was considered: Obese-diabetic (n=24), obese- non-diabetic (n=14), overweight-diabetic (n=13), overweight non-diabetic (n=19), normal-diabetic (n=8) and normal-nondiabetic (n=28). Finally, participants were divided into metabolic syndrome-positive (n=64) and metabolic syndrome negative (n=36). Serum samples were taken from all participants and examined for the detection of anti-T.gondii IgG and IgM antibodies. The anti T.gondii IgG positive rate was higher in the “overweight” compared to the “obese” and “normal BMI” groups. No significant differences (P=0.22) in seropositive rate were indicated among groups. The results also showed that there was no significant difference (P=0.84) in anti-T. gondii IgG positive rate between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. While the anti T.gondii IgG was significantly (P=0.03) higher in patients with metabolic syndrome as opposed to those with no metabolic syndrome. The results also showed that normal-diabetic and overweigh-diabetic patients had the highest anti-T.gondii IgG positive rate, although no significant differences were noticed among groups. Some other parameters were also examined for the participants, including abdominal obesity, cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein (HDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), glucose and glycated haemoglobin. Significant differences were noticed only for abdominal obesity and HDL (P˂0.05) between anti T.gondii IgG positive cases and anti T.gondii IgG negative cases. Other factors did not show significant differences between these two groups. Finally, this study showed that T. gondii seropositive status played a significant role in changing only HDL level while other parameters of lipid profile were not influenced by T.gondii seropositivity among obese, diabetic patients and metabolic syndrome patients.

Lipid Profile Parameters and Adipokines among Adolescents Infected with Toxoplasmosis

“…High BMI and anti-Toxoplasma seropositive status were found to be related. This finding is consistent with that of [21] who discovered a correlation between obesity and a high concentration of anti-T. gondii antibodies, while other investigations [22,23,24] found no evidence of a connection between toxoplasmosis and obesity. The findings of the current study contradict those studies.…”

Comorbidities involving parasitic diseases: A look at the benefits and complications

“…In addition, the main risk factor for T. gondii IgG seroprevalence in patients with T2DM and without DM was contact with cats. 63 Another recent study conducted by Al-Khafajii et al 64 assessed toxoplasmosis positivity in relation to BMI in patients with diabetes and metabolic syndrome, including obesity, overweight, normal weight, diabetes, non-diabetes, obesity-diabetes, obesity-non-diabetes, overweight-diabetes, overweight-non-diabetes, and normal weight-non-diabetes, and found that the rate of T. gondii seropositivity showed no significant difference among the study groups. Indeed, it is necessary to expand and develop experimental and human studies on T. gondii infection under the conditions of DM and obesity to identify other variables that can induce favorable or harmful events.…”

Study the Association of Fat Mass and Obesity-associated (FTO) Gene Polymorphisms (SNP rs9939609) with Biochemical Markers in Obese Iraqi Patients

“…According to some researchers in Iraq the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Basra and Baghdad was 55.1% and 43.7% respectively. The physiological mechanisms of obesity include nutritional status, environmental conditions and genetic makeup [1,2]. Various types of genes such as fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) genes, leptin gene and adiponectin gene, are strongly associated with overweight and obesity [3].…”