ARS | Publication request: Seroepidemiology of toxoplasma gondii infection in human adults. From three rural communities in Derango State, Mexico

Submitted to: Journal of Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: December 7, 2007
Publication Date: August 30, 2008
Citation: Alvarado-Esquivel, C., Cruz-Magallanes, H.M., Esquivel-Cruz, R., Estrada-Martinez, N., Rivas-Gonzalez, N., Liesenfeld, Q., Martinez-Garcia, S.A., Ramirez, E., Torres-Castorena, A., Castaneda, A., Dubey, J.P. 2008. Seroepidemiology of toxoplasma gondii infection in human adults. From three rural communities in Derango State, Mexico. Journal of Parasitology. 94: 811-816.

Interpretive Summary: Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled parasite of all warm-blooded hosts worldwide. It causes mental retardation and loss of vision in children, and abortion in livestock. Cats are the main reservoir of T. gondii because they are the only hosts that can excrete the resistant stage (oocyst) of the parasite in the feces. Humans become infected by eating undercooked meat from infected animals and food and water contaminated with oocysts. Scientists at the Beltsville Agricultural Rsearch Center and from Mexico report seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma infection in humans and suggest human infection linked to eqting wild animal meat. The results will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists, and veterinarians.

Technical Abstract: There is scarce information concerning the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in people of rural Mexico. Anti-T. Gondii IgG and IgM antibodies were sought in 462 adult inhabitants from 3 rural communities of Durango State, Mexico, using enzyme-linked immunoassays. In total, 110 (23.8% of 463 persons had IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies. Ten in the 3 communities varied from 14.8% to 55.8%. The highest prevalence of infection was observed in participants older than 70 yr and those with good housing conditions. Toxoplasma gondii infection was significantly associated with consumption of squirrel (adjusted OR = 4.22; 95% CI:1.11-16.05) and turkey meat (adjusted OR = 4.58; 95% CI: 1.14-18.44). This is the first epidemiological study of T. gondii prevalence in rural Mexico.