Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan that infects warm-blooded animals and humans. Approximately one third of the global population is infected by T. gondii. We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the risk factors and One Health knowledge of toxoplasmosis in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. From July through December 2020, we collected data using questionnaires. The results showed that 60% of participants had heard or read about the disease, 23.3% of participants had no knowledge about the disease, and 16.8% participants were not sure about the disease. More than half of the participants (53.3%) reported that toxoplasmosis was caused by toxins, 5.3% reported that toxoplasmosis was an animal disease, 13.8% reported that toxoplasmosis was a human disease, 65.8% reported that it was both an animal and human disease, and 15.3% reported that it was neither an animal nor a human disease. Approximately 80.5% of participants reported that individuals acquired toxoplasmosis by changing cat litter. Our study findings revealed a low level of knowledge and awareness about toxoplasmosis among males. Therefore, there should be awareness programs to educate individuals about the risks of this deadly disease and to provide information on the major routes of transmission.
Highlights
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii (1)
A limited (19.3%) number of participants had been tested for toxoplasmosis, 67.5% of the participants were aware that toxoplasmosis was caused by an infection, and 26.3% reported that they had no knowledge on the causes of toxoplasmosis
A significant number (80.5%) of participants thought that individuals could acquire toxoplasmosis by changing the cat litter, and 76.8% of participants responded that individuals could acquire toxoplasmosis by consuming raw/undercooked meat
Summary
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii (1). Type I, II, and III strains of T. gondii have been identified in Europe, parts of Asia, and US where type II strain is mostly involved in human toxoplasmosis (3). Toxoplasmosis is mostly asymptomatic (12); 10% of those infected may develop lymphadenitis, ocular toxoplasmosis (chorioretinitis), and mild flu-like and/or mononucleosis-like symptoms (13). Pregnant women are treated with spiramycin (12) Toxoplasmosis, which affects both animals and humans, causes major economic losses (28). In the livestock sector of Pakistan, different diseases cause annual economic loss of 79 billion Pakistani rupees (PKR) (29). Despite having such significant impact, very few studies have explored the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in Pakistan. We conducted a study to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of toxoplasmosis among university students of twin cities, Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan
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