Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii affecting about one third of the world’s population. It can be asymptomatic to fatal toxoplasmic encephalitis depending on the immune status of infected individuals. Among HIV/AIDS patients, it usually manifest as life-threatening condition. We, therefore, studied the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection among HIV/AIDS patients in Nepal and this report constitutes the first report from Nepal. A total of 45 HIV/AIDS patients were included in this study. The serum samples collected and stored at -20°C were tested for Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies at National Public Health Laboratory, Teku, Kathmandu using Snibe Maglumi 1000 Fully Automated Immunoassay Analyzer and the results were expressed in AU/ml. The blood put into the EDTA tube was used for CD4 count using BD FACS Calibur Flow Cytometer. In this study, 33.3% (15/45) HIV infected patients were seropositive for anti-T. gondii IgG. However, none of them were positive to anti- T. gondii IgM. Most of the patients (36 out of 45 patients) had <200/mm3 CD4 cell count. However, out of them 36.1% (13/36) were seropositive to anti-T. gondii IgG whereas 22.2% (2/9) patients with ≥200 CD4 cell counts had Toxoplasma antibodies (p >0.05).
Highlights
Toxoplasmosis is a global zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii affecting about one third of the world’s population.[1,2]
We report the Toxoplasma seroprevalence in HIV/ AIDS patients in Nepal
This study was done in 45 HIV/AIDS patients attending Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) Centre, Teku, Kathmandu (n=41) and Sparsha Nepal, Sanepa, Lalitpur (n=4) during the period of May 2017 to January 2018
Summary
Toxoplasmosis is a global zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii (an ubiquitous coccidian parasite that completes life-cycle in two hosts: cat and other feline group of animals as definitive host and animals including birds as intermediate hosts) affecting about one third of the world’s population.[1,2] Infection in human takes place by various means, namely, ingestion of oocysts (released in cat feces) through contaminated food materials, ingestions of tachyzoites and bradyzoites present in raw and undercooked meat and meat products, transmissions from blood transfusion and organ transplantation and through transplacental route (mother to fetus). Severe opportunistic fatal manifestations occur in HIV/AIDS patients.[3] Congenitally transmitted toxoplasmosis results into various irreparable deformities including stillbirth and abortion. It has been estimated that about one third of the world’s population is infected with T. gondii with the reported seropositivity rates in different country ranging from less than 10% to over 90%.4. In this short communication, we report the Toxoplasma seroprevalence in HIV/ AIDS patients in Nepal. 33.3% (15/45) HIV infected patients were seropositive for anti-T. gondii IgG. Out of them 36.1% (13/36) were seropositive to anti-T. gondii IgG whereas 22.2% (2/9) patients with ≥200 CD4 cell counts had Toxoplasma antibodies (p >0.05) (Table-2)
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