Toxoplasma gondii infections among pregnant women, children and HIV-seropositive persons in Accra, Ghana

doi:10.1186/s41182-016-0018-5

. 2016 Jun 1:44:17.

doi: 10.1186/s41182-016-0018-5. eCollection 2016.

Toxoplasma gondii infections among pregnant women, children and HIV-seropositive persons in Accra, Ghana

Irene Ayi¹, Augustine Odoi-Kpoti Sowah², Emmanuel Awusah Blay³, Takashi Suzuki⁴, Nobuo Ohta⁴, Patrick F Ayeh-Kumi⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Science, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
² Korle-Bu Central Laboratory, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, P. O. Box 77, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana ; School of Biological and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Science, University of Ghana, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.
³ Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Science, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana ; Department of Environmental Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519 Japan.
⁴ Department of Environmental Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519 Japan.
⁵ School of Biological and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Science, University of Ghana, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.

PMID: 27433136
PMCID: PMC4940749
DOI: 10.1186/s41182-016-0018-5

Toxoplasma gondii infections among pregnant women, children and HIV-seropositive persons in Accra, Ghana

Irene Ayi et al. Trop Med Health. 2016.

. 2016 Jun 1:44:17.

doi: 10.1186/s41182-016-0018-5. eCollection 2016.

Authors

Irene Ayi¹, Augustine Odoi-Kpoti Sowah², Emmanuel Awusah Blay³, Takashi Suzuki⁴, Nobuo Ohta⁴, Patrick F Ayeh-Kumi⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Science, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
² Korle-Bu Central Laboratory, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, P. O. Box 77, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana ; School of Biological and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Science, University of Ghana, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.
³ Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Science, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana ; Department of Environmental Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519 Japan.
⁴ Department of Environmental Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8519 Japan.
⁵ School of Biological and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Science, University of Ghana, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.

PMID: 27433136
PMCID: PMC4940749
DOI: 10.1186/s41182-016-0018-5

Abstract

Background: Toxoplasma gondii infection can lead to severe disease outcomes in immune-compromised people. This study sought to determine the seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies among pregnant women, hospitalized children (<5 years old) and HIV-seropositive persons in Accra.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two hospitals in Accra, and a total of 450 voluntary participants were recruited for the study consisting of 125 pregnant women, 200 children and 125 HIV-seropositive persons. Serum was obtained from venous blood safely drawn from each participant and tested for specific anti-Toxoplasma antibodies IgG and IgM by ELISA. A serological criterion for seropositivity was a positive test result for any of the two anti-Toxoplasma antibodies or a combination of both. Questionnaire interviews were conducted to obtain personal information and Toxoplasma infection risk-related data.

Results: Those who tested seropositive for anti-T. gondii antibodies were 51.2 % (64/125) pregnant women, 58.0 % (116/200) children and 57.6 % (72/125) HIV patients. The major risk factors associated with anti-T. gondii seropositivity were identified as age (in children), handling raw meat and gravida status (in pregnant women). The results of this study confirmed that the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection is high among pregnant women, hospitalized children <5 years old and HIV patients.

Conclusions: A further study to investigate pre-pregnancy infections with T. gondii among women of childbearing age, seroconversion rate in pregnant women, rate of mother-to-child transmission and reactivated infections among HIV-seropositive persons is recommended.

Keywords: Anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies; Immune-compromised; Toxoplasma gondii.

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References

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1. Tenter AM, Heckeroth AR, Weiss LM. Toxoplasma gondii: from animals to humans. Int J Parasitol. 2000;30:1217–1258. doi: 10.1016/S0020-7519(00)00124-7. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Luft BJ, Conley F, Remington JS. Outbreak of central-nervous system toxoplasmosis in Western Europe and North America. Lancet. 1983;1:781–784. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(83)91847-0. - DOI - PubMed
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[1] Robert-Gangneux F, Darde ML. Epidemiology of and diagnostic strategies for toxoplasmosis. Clin Microbiol Revs. 2012;25:264–296. doi: 10.1128/CMR.05013-11. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Robert-Gangneux F, Darde ML. Epidemiology of and diagnostic strategies for toxoplasmosis. Clin Microbiol Revs. 2012;25:264–296. doi: 10.1128/CMR.05013-11. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Galvan-Ramirez ML, Guillén-Vargas C, Saavedra-Durán R, Islos-Rodríguez A. Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii antigens with sera from toxoplasmosis patients. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 1998;31:271–277. doi: 10.1590/S0037-86821998000300004. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Galvan-Ramirez ML, Guillén-Vargas C, Saavedra-Durán R, Islos-Rodríguez A. Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii antigens with sera from toxoplasmosis patients. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 1998;31:271–277. doi: 10.1590/S0037-86821998000300004. - DOI - PubMed

[5] Tenter AM, Heckeroth AR, Weiss LM. Toxoplasma gondii: from animals to humans. Int J Parasitol. 2000;30:1217–1258. doi: 10.1016/S0020-7519(00)00124-7. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[6] Tenter AM, Heckeroth AR, Weiss LM. Toxoplasma gondii: from animals to humans. Int J Parasitol. 2000;30:1217–1258. doi: 10.1016/S0020-7519(00)00124-7. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[7] Luft BJ, Conley F, Remington JS. Outbreak of central-nervous system toxoplasmosis in Western Europe and North America. Lancet. 1983;1:781–784. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(83)91847-0. - DOI - PubMed

[8] Luft BJ, Conley F, Remington JS. Outbreak of central-nervous system toxoplasmosis in Western Europe and North America. Lancet. 1983;1:781–784. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(83)91847-0. - DOI - PubMed

[9] Israelski DM, Remington JS. Toxoplasmosis in the non-AIDS immuno-compromised host. Curr Clin Top Infect Dis. 1993;13:322–356. - PubMed

[10] Israelski DM, Remington JS. Toxoplasmosis in the non-AIDS immuno-compromised host. Curr Clin Top Infect Dis. 1993;13:322–356. - PubMed

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Toxoplasma gondii infections among pregnant women, children and HIV-seropositive persons in Accra, Ghana

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Toxoplasma gondii infections among pregnant women, children and HIV-seropositive persons in Accra, Ghana

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