Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Patients of Intensive Care Unit in China: A Hospital Based Study.

Yong-Biao Zhang,Xiao-Gang Bi,Xing-Quan Zhu,Zhi-Tao Li,Yan-Hong Wang,Ying Xian,Wei Cong,Kou-Xing Zhang

doi:10.1155/2015/908217

Abstract

The objective of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in 394 patients of intensive care unit (ICU) in a hospital between April 2010 and March 2012 and analyze the association between T. gondii infection and ICU patients according to the species of disease. Toxoplasma serology was evaluated by ELISA method using a commercially available kit. Data of patients were obtained from the patients, informants, and medical examination records. Seventy-four (18.78%) of 394 patients were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies demonstrating latent infection. Of these, the highest T. gondii seroprevalence was found in the age group of 31–45 years (27.45%), and the lowest was found in the age group of <30 years (12.5%). In addition, females (21.6%) had a higher seroprevalence than males (18.36%). With respect to the species of disease, the patients with kidney diseases (57.14%), lung diseases (27.84%), and brain diseases (24%) had high T. gondii seroprevalence. The present study represents the first survey of T. gondii seroprevalence in ICU patients in China, revealing an 18.78% seropositivity. Considering the particularities of ICU patients, molecular identification, genetic characterization, and diagnosis of T. gondii should be considered in future study.

Highlights

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic infection of humans and animals, is caused by the ubiquitous obligatory intracellular coccidian protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, which is an opportunistic parasitic infection in immune-compromised hosts worldwide, and approximately one-third of the global population has been computed to be carrying the parasite [1]
Seventy-four (18.78%, 95% CI: 14.93%–22.64%) of 394 intensive care unit (ICU) patients were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies demonstrating latent infection with T. gondii
The highest seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was found in the age group of 31–45 years (27.45%) and the lowest was found in the age group of

Summary

Introduction

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic infection of humans and animals, is caused by the ubiquitous obligatory intracellular coccidian protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, which is an opportunistic parasitic infection in immune-compromised hosts worldwide, and approximately one-third of the global population has been computed to be carrying the parasite [1]. Human infection with T. gondii has been reported in China, with a mean infection rate of 7.9% nationwide, as revealed by ELISA between 2001 and 2004 [2]. T. gondii infections in humans are usually acquired through ingesting tissue cysts of the parasite in raw or undercooked meat, by ingesting parasite oocysts in feline faeces that contaminate drinking water, soil, vegetables, and other food sources, and transplacentally from infected mothers to their infants [1, 7]. Patients in the ICU are usually considered to be immunocompromised; they may be extremely susceptible to the reactivation of T. gondii infection. Detection and surveillance of antiToxoplasma antibodies are of great interest, especially in ICU

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