Low seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii IgG and IgM antibodies in pregnant women of northern Durango, Mexico

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is caused by intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) a zoonotic disease that infects almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans. In addition, T. gondii infection can result in serious and life-threatening consequences for the developing fetus or newborn, including spontaneous abortion, congenital blindness, hydrocephalus, mental retardation, and even death. The aim of this research was to estimate the frequency of seropositivity to IgM and IgG antibodies against T. gondii in pregnant women attended in the health services of the “Lagunera” region of Durango State in the period of January 2018 - October 2018. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 434 pregnant women who used the health services of Durango State. Serum was analyzed for T. gondii infection by detecting IgG and IgM anti-T. gondii antibodies using commercial kits through the immunological technique of ELISA. In addition, a standardized questionnaire was applied to evaluate risk factors and sociodemographic characteristics of the participants. From 434 participants, 4 were detected with IgG antibodies (0.92%) and none of these had a positive result to IgM antibodies (0%). Dry meat consumption (OR = 13.5; 95% CI 0.94 – 192.58; p= 0.055) and other types of meat consumption (OR = 15.61; 95% CI 1.08 – 224.05; p= 0.043) were associated factors to infection. The results showed a lower seroprevalence of antibodies against T. gondii than any other study reported before. In addition, our results indicate the majority of the population studied is at risk of having a primary T. gondii infection.

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“…Interestingly, Alvarado-Esquivel et al [408] themselves admitted in their paper on the association between T. gondii infection and heart disease that the patients born out of Durango state had a significantly higher seroprevalence of T. gondii infection than participants born in Durango State (p = 0.008). Several other similar findings have also been reported by this group, including lack of statistically significant links between T. gondii infection and pregnancy [409,410], epilepsy [411], suicide [412], bipolar disorder [413], healthy blood donors [414], and in workers occupationally exposed to unwashed raw fruits and vegetables and their respective controls [415]. In this context, it must be noted that the authors quite precisely described very favorable local climate conditions in their research zone called the "Lagunera" region of Durango State in the northwest area of Mexico [410].…”

“…Several other similar findings have also been reported by this group, including lack of statistically significant links between T. gondii infection and pregnancy [409,410], epilepsy [411], suicide [412], bipolar disorder [413], healthy blood donors [414], and in workers occupationally exposed to unwashed raw fruits and vegetables and their respective controls [415]. In this context, it must be noted that the authors quite precisely described very favorable local climate conditions in their research zone called the "Lagunera" region of Durango State in the northwest area of Mexico [410]. Moreover, in the earlier case-control work (400 patients with heart diseases and 400 age-and gender-matched controls) they admitted that the T. gondii infection was significantly associated with the heart disease, and that exposure to the parasite was positively related with being born out of Durango State (OR = 2.93, 95% CI: 1.40-6.13, p = 0.04) [408].…”