Seroprevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in humans in East Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2013 to September 2013 to determine the seroprevalence and possible risk factors for human Toxplasma gondii infection in East Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia. Serum samples were analysed using direct agglutination test, and immunosorbent agglutination assay for detecting IgG (n = 354) and IgM (n = 167) T. gondii antibodies. The T. gondii IgG and IgM seroprevalences were 65·8% [95% confidence interval (CI) 60·62-70·75] and 8·98% (95% CI 5·11-14·38), respectively. Gender difference in IgG seroprevalence was not significant (P > 0·05), but 69·5% of adults exhibited an IgG seroresponse to T. gondii. Pregnant women showed 76·4% and 9·3% seropositivity to IgG and IgM antibodies, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified the risk factors significantly associated with T. gondii seropositivity were district [odds ratio (OR) 2·24, 95% CI 1·25-4·01, P = 0·007], pipe water source (OR 6·70, 95% CI 2·70-16·64, P < 0·001), age, with adults (OR 4·32, 95% CI 1·91-9·75, P < 0·001), and keeping cats in the home (OR 2·01, 95% CI 1·11-3·65, P = 0·021). The high seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in the human population in the study area and the corresponding level of IgM seropositivity may be indicative of reactivation or recent infection and further studies on the status of congenital toxoplasmosis in the study area merit consideration.

Portugal and Angola: similarities and differences inToxoplasma gondiiseroprevalence and risk factors in pregnant women

“…Ethiopia 20%, Tanzania 35%) [2]. Although some of the recent data contradict the initial trend observed in countries located on both African coasts, some studies were performed after 2000 in Morocco (50·6%), Benin 54%, Ivory Coast (60·0%), São Tomé and Principe (75·2%) and Ethiopia (76·4% and 88·6%) [3,[16][17][18]. With the exception of the Republic of Congo [2], which is a neighbour of Angola to the north, no data on T. gondii seroprevalence in these particular female populations were available from other countries neighbouring Angola.…”

Public Health Implications of Toxoplasmosis in Animals and Women in Selected Localities of Menoufia Governorate, Egypt

“…Moreover, the seroprevalence of IgM specific antibodies was 8.4% that was in agreement with those of some Egyptian investigators who reported IgM rates of 9.78% and 10% at Sharkia and Menoufia Governorates by Abd El-Ghany and Amin (2012) and Nassef et al (2015), respectively. Moreover in Ethiopia a seroprevalence rate 8.98% was noticed by Tilahun et al (2016).…”

Retrospective Analysis of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Serology Results from Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Medicine Parasitology Laboratory from 2007 to 2017

“…Çalışmamızda kadınlar ve erkekler arasında anti-T. gondii IgG pozitifliği yönünden istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark olmadığı saptanmıştır (sırasıyla, %29,3 ve %31,6). Bu bulgumuzu destekler şekilde birçok çalışmada cinsiyet ile anti-T. gondii IgG pozitifliği arasında anlamlı bir ilişki olmadığı bildirilmiştir (25,26). Ancak bu bulgunun aksini bildiren araştırmalar da bulunmaktadır (12).…”