Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Characteristics of Seropositive Patients in General Hospitals in Daejeon, Korea.
10.3347/kjp.2009.47.2.125
- Author:
Dae Whan SHIN
1
;
Dong Yeub CHA
;
Quan Juan HUA
;
Guang Ho CHA
;
Young Ha LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Infection Biology, Research Institute for Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 301-131, Korea. yhalee@cnu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
Toxoplasma gondii;
comorbidity;
general hospital;
seroprevalence;
Daejeon
- MeSH:
Adolescent;
Adult;
Aged;
Aged, 80 and over;
Animals;
Antibodies, Protozoan/blood;
Child;
Child, Preschool;
Comorbidity;
Female;
Hospitals, General;
Humans;
Immunoglobulin G/blood;
Infant;
Infant, Newborn;
Korea/epidemiology;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Seroepidemiologic Studies;
Toxoplasma/*immunology;
Toxoplasmosis/*epidemiology;
Young Adult
- From:The Korean Journal of Parasitology
2009;47(2):125-130
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
To figure out the epidemiological status and relevance with other diseases in toxoplasmosis, we checked serum IgG antibody titers of 1,265 patients and medical records of seropositive patients. Seropositive rates were 6.6% by latex agglutination test (LAT) and 6.7% by ELISA. No significant differences were detected between sexes and age groups. The peak seroprevalence was detected in the 40-49-year-old age group. According to clinical department, Toxoplasma-positive rates were high in patients in psychiatry, ophthalmology, health management, emergency medicine, and thoracic surgery. Major coincidental diseases in seropositive cases were malignant neoplasms, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, chronic hepatitis B, chronic renal diseases, schizophrenia, and acute lymphadenitis, in the order of frequency. In particular, some patients with chronic hepatitis B and malignant neoplasms had high antibody titers. These results revealed that the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in a general hospital-based study was similar to that in a community-based study, and T. gondii seropositivity may be associated with neoplasms, diabetes, and other chronic infections.
