scholarly journals Seroprevalence and some demographic factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection among female population in Duhok province, Iraq

Author(s):  
Janan Mohammed Salih ◽  
Wijdan Mohammed Salih Mero ◽  
Souzan Hussein Eassa

Background: The causative agent of toxoplasmosis is Toxoplasma gondii which is an intracellular protozoan. It has an important role in abortion and congenital diseases in pregnant women, which lead to infant's defectiveness birth when pregnant, are exposed during pregnancy. Toxoplasmosis is one of the most prevalent and most successful parasitic infectious disease worldwide, due to its efficient transmission through the ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked and infected meat, or the ingestion of oocysts in contaminated vegetables and water. The present study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence rate of anti-Toxoplasma gondii Abs and their relation to some demographic factors among females, in Duhok province/ Kurdistan Region/ Iraq.Methods: During the period from October 2016 to November 2017, a total of 792 random blood samples were collected from the female population of different ages (16-55) years and various socioeconomic classes, who attended  Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Azadi teaching hospital and Central Public Health Laboratory/ Duhok.Results: Out of 792 samples examined, 288 (36.3%) were seropositive from which 282 (35.61%) were found seropositive for IgG, while only six samples (0.76%) were seropositive for IgM. Regarding to occupation, the highest rate for chronic toxoplasmosis was reported in housewives followed by employed and students at rates of 40.19%, 22.3%, and 14.0%, respectively. These outcomes were statistically significant (p<0.05). The age group 36-45 years showed the highest seropositive rate for both IgG and IgM Abs which were 41.02% and 1.28%, respectively, which was statistically non-significant. The higher rate of seropositivity was observed among married females 39.93%, and pregnant 41.9% versus non-pregnant 33.3%. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.05) among married while non-significant in pregnant. Concerning to blood groups, the highest rate of seropositivity was reported among females with blood group AB+ which was 60% followed by group O- which was 46.7 %. This difference was statistically non-significant (p>0.05). Conclusions: This study showed the importance of demographic factors to the epidemiology of T. gondii in females, which support the role of public health in the control of infectious diseases.

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 0431
Author(s):  
Souzan Eassa et al.

The present study aims to investigate the seroprevalence rate of Toxoplasma gondii infection and its relation to some demographic factors among males in Duhok province/Iraq. A total of 424 random blood samples were collected from the male population of different ages (18-60) years and different social-economic classes. Out of 424 samples examined, 108 (25.47%) were seropositive to the anti- T. gondii antibodies; 88 (20.75%) were found seropositive for IgG, while 20 (4.72%) samples were seropositive for IgM. Regarding occupation, the highest percentage for chronic toxoplasmosis was reported in workers followed by policemen and pensioners at rates of 23.96%, 23.6%, and 23.07%, respectively. The age group 18-30 years showed the highest seropositive rate which was 26.6%; the seropositivity rate decreased with the increase of age. Regarding the blood groups, the highest percentage of IgG was reported in both O+ and B- groups, which were 23.2% and 23.1%, respectively. The higher rate of seropositivity was observed among married males (21.32%) as compared to unmarried males (19.05%) and fertile (22.3%) versus sterile males (12.5%). Concerning IgM antibodies, the highest seropositivity (9.4%) was reported in infertile males. The results of this study showed the importance of demographic factors to the epidemiology of T. gondii in males, which support the role of public health in the control of infectious diseases.


Author(s):  
Daniella Ferreira Cordeiro Gomes ◽  
Felipe da Silva Krawczak ◽  
Cairo Henrique Sousa de Oliveira ◽  
Álvaro Ferreira Júnior ◽  
Éverton Kort Kamp Fernandes ◽  
...  

Abstract Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan protozoan that is frequently found in both humans and animals worldwide. The aim of this review was to list important aspects of Toxoplasma gondii infection in cattle in Brazil. The frequency of occurrence of T. gondii antibodies in Brazilian cattle ranges from 1 to 89.1%, depending on the region evaluated, based on data from 1978 to 2018. However, some characteristics of T. gondii infection in cattle remain uncertain, such as the role of meat intake in transmitting the parasite to humans. Most information regarding T. gondii infection among Brazilian cattle is limited to evaluations of the frequency of occurrence of antibodies. About 70% of the diagnoses of infection in these ruminants in Brazil are made via the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT). Nevertheless, little is known about the population structure of this protozoan in cattle. It is necessary to expand the studies on toxoplasmosis in cattle, in order to better understand T. gondii infection in these animals and its implications for Brazilian public health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kareem Hatam-Nahavandi ◽  
Rafael Calero-Bernal ◽  
Mohammad Taghi Rahimi ◽  
Abdol Sattar Pagheh ◽  
Mehdi Zarean ◽  
...  

AbstractFelidae as definitive hosts for Toxoplasma gondii play a major role in transmission to all warm-blooded animals trough oocysts dissemination. Therefore the current comprehensive study was performed to determine the global status of T. gondii infection in domestic and wild felids aiming to provide comprehensive data of interest for further intervention approaching the One Health perspective. Different databases were searched by utilizing particular key words for publications related to T. gondii infecting domestic and wild feline host species, worldwide, from 1970 to 2020. The review of 337 reports showed that the seroprevalence of T. gondii in domestic cats and wild felids was estimated in 37.5% (95% CI 34.7–40.3) (I2 = 98.3%, P < 0.001) and 64% (95% CI 60–67.9) (I2 = 88%, P < 0.0001), respectively. The global pooled prevalence of oocysts in the fecal examined specimens from domestic cats was estimated in 2.6% (95% CI 1.9–3.3) (I2 = 96.1%, P < 0.0001), and that in fecal samples from wild felids was estimated in 2.4% (95% CI 1.1–4.2) (I2 = 86.4%, P < 0.0001). In addition, from 13,252 examined soil samples in 14 reviewed studies, the pooled occurrence of T. gondii oocysts was determined in 16.2% (95% CI 7.66–27.03%). The observed high rates of anti-T. gondii antibodies seroprevalence levels and oocyst excretion frequency in the felids, along with soil (environmental) contamination with oocysts may constitute a potential threat to animal and public health, and data will result of interest in further prophylaxis programs.


Author(s):  
Vasileios G. Papatsiros ◽  
Labrini V. Athanasiou ◽  
Polychronis Kostoulas ◽  
Alexios Giannakopoulos ◽  
Eleni Tzika ◽  
...  

2005 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 617-621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle N. Kelly ◽  
Jay K. Kolls ◽  
Kyle Happel ◽  
Joseph D. Schwartzman ◽  
Paul Schwarzenberger ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We investigated the role of interleukin-17 (IL-17)/IL-17 receptor (IL-17R)-mediated signaling in the protective immunity against Toxoplasma gondii. IL-17R−/− mice developed a normal adaptive immunity against the parasite. However, increased mortality in the knockout animals can be attributed to a defect in the migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes to infected sites during early infection.


Author(s):  
Hüsniye Yucel ◽  
Burak Acikel ◽  
F Nur Öz ◽  
Saliha Senel

AbstractAlthough presumed to be relatively harmless in immunocompetent patients, toxoplasmosis has been linked to several psychiatric problems such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and suicidal/aggressive behaviors. We describe an 11-year-old young adolescent girl with psychoses who was ultimately diagnosed with toxoplasmosis. It is an unusual presentation of Toxoplasma gondii infection that adds new knowledge to the current level of literature about the substantial role of Toxoplasma gondii in the etiology of neuropsychiatric diseases. We propose that screening for toxoplasmosis is needed besides other etiologies in differential diagnosis of psychiatric symptoms particularly in endemic areas.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1093-1099
Author(s):  
Taibur Rahman ◽  
Jerin E Gulshan ◽  
Atiqur Rahman

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 parasite in different parts of human body, T. gondii can develop multiple human diseases with severe clinical symptoms. In this study, we have summarized the association of T. gondii in multiple human diseases for instance Encephalitis, Parkinson’s disease, Schizophrenia, Heart disease, Ocular Toxoplasmosis, Congenital abnormalities, Cancer and Diabetes. This highlights the potential role of T. gondii in developing fatal diseases, particularly in immunocompromised individuals despite having asymptomatic nature of the parasite. Bioresearch Commu. 8(1): 1093-1099, 2022 (January)


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