Evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii Seropositivity and the Results of IgG Avidity Test of Patients with Suspected Toxoplasmosis

Abstract

Introduction: Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa. T. gondii has two parts in lifecycle. While the sexual part of the lifecycle occurs in domestic and wild cats, asexual part occurs in any mammal. Eating undercooked meat containing tissue cysts or drinking water contaminated with oocytes from feline feces cause toxoplasmosis infection. Clinically, infections can go unnoticed or could cause signs and symptoms vary depending on the immune status of the patient and the clinical setting like ocular disease or congenital toxoplasmosis. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalance of Toxoplasma gondii IgG and IgM in patients with suspected toxoplasmosis. Materials and Methods: In this study, seropositivity of antibodies against T.gondii in patients with suspected toxoplasmosis was retrospectively evaluated in Medical Microbiology Laboratory of Selcuk University Medical Faculty between January 2013 and December 2016. Anti- T. gondii immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies and IgG avidity tests were studied in 7051 serum samples by using the VIDAS (BioMérieux, France) kits and the Enzyme Linked Fluorescence Assay technique. Results: In all 7051 patients, seropositivity rates of anti- T. gondii IgM and IgG antibodies were 2.44 and 29.53 %, respectively. High avidity rate was 78.36 % in 171 patients. Seropositivity rates of toxoplasma IgM antibodies in female and male patients were 2.80 and 1.14%, while IgG seropositivity rates were 34.17 and 22.91 %, respectively. Conclusions: T he importance of searching the seropositivity of toxoplasmosis, which is still considered as an important health problem in especially reproductive women, must be emphasized. In addition, measures should be taken to raise awareness of hygiene in our region in terms of water, foods and sanitation.