36
views
0
recommends
+1 Recommend
1 collections
    0
    shares

      Authors - did you know Parasite has been awarded the DOAJ Seal for “best practice in open access publishing”?

      • 3.020 2021 Impact Factor
      • Rapid publication and moderate publication fee
      • Creative Commons license
      • Long articles welcome – no page limits

      Instructions for authors, online submissions and free e-mail alerts all available at parasite-journal.org

      • Record: found
      • Abstract: found
      • Article: found
      Is Open Access

      Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among women of childbearing age in an endemic region of Romania, 2016–2018 Translated title: Séroprévalence de l’infection à Toxoplasma gondii chez les femmes en âge de procréer dans une région endémique de la Roumanie, 2016-2018

      brief-report

      Read this article at

      ScienceOpenPublisher
          There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

          Abstract

          Toxoplasmosis is an important worldwide zoonosis caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. This parasitic infection is often asymptomatic in immunocompetent people. However, if the infection occurs in pregnant women, it can have serious consequences for the foetus. In this study, we evaluated the seroprevalence of T. gondii in women of childbearing age in Arad County, Western Romania. Serum samples from 2626 women were analysed using a Siemens ADVIA Centaur XP Immunoassay System. Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies were demonstrated in 1081 women (41%) and prevalence tended to increase with age, from 32% in women aged 15–19 years to 62% in women aged 40–45 years. There was a higher prevalence in rural areas (46%) than in urban areas (36%). This study provides new data on T. gondii seroprevalence in women of childbearing age from Western Romania.

          Translated abstract

          La toxoplasmose est une zoonose mondiale importante causée par le parasite protozoaire Toxoplasma gondii. Cette infection parasitaire est souvent asymptomatique chez les sujets immunocompétents. Cependant, si l’infection survient chez la femme enceinte, elle peut avoir de graves conséquences pour le fœtus. Dans cette étude, nous avons évalué la séroprévalence de T. gondii chez les femmes en âge de procréer dans le comté d’Arad, dans l’ouest de la Roumanie. Des échantillons de sérum de 2626 femmes ont été analysés avec le Siemens ADVIA Centaur XP. Des anticorps IgG contre T. gondii ont été mis en évidence chez 1081 femmes (41 %) et la prévalence avait tendance à augmenter avec l’âge, passant de 32 % chez les femmes âgées de 15 à 19 ans à 62 % chez les femmes âgées de 40 à 45 ans. La prévalence était plus élevée dans les zones rurales (46 %) que dans les zones urbaines (36 %). Cette étude fournit de nouvelles données sur la séroprévalence de T. gondii chez les femmes en âge de procréer de l’ouest de la Roumanie.

          Related collections

          Most cited references28

          • Record: found
          • Abstract: found
          • Article: not found

          Toxoplasmosis snapshots: global status of Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence and implications for pregnancy and congenital toxoplasmosis.

          Toxoplasma gondii's importance for humans refers mainly to primary infection during pregnancy, resulting in abortion/stillbirth or congenital toxoplasmosis. The authors sought to evaluate the current global status of T. gondii seroprevalence and its correlations with risk factors, environmental and socioeconomic parameters. Literature published during the last decade on toxoplasmosis seroprevalence, in women who were pregnant or of childbearing age, was retrieved. A total of 99 studies were eligible; a further 36 studies offered seroprevalence data from regions/countries for which no data on pregnancy/childbearing age were available. Foci of high prevalence exist in Latin America, parts of Eastern/Central Europe, the Middle East, parts of south-east Asia and Africa. Regional seroprevalence variations relate to individual subpopulations' religious and socioeconomic practices. A trend towards lower seroprevalence is observed in many European countries and the United States of America (USA). There is no obvious climate-related gradient, excluding North and Latin America. Immigration has affected local prevalence in certain countries. We further sought to recognise specific risk factors related to seropositivity; however, such risk factors are not reported systematically. Population awareness may affect recognition of said risks. Global toxoplasmosis seroprevalence is continuingly evolving, subject to regional socioeconomic parameters and population habits. Awareness of these seroprevalence trends, particularly in the case of women of childbearing age, may allow proper public health policies to be enforced, targeting in particular seronegative women of childbearing age in high seroprevalence areas.
            Bookmark
            • Record: found
            • Abstract: found
            • Article: found
            Is Open Access

            Toxoplasmosis – A Global Threat. Correlation of Latent Toxoplasmosis with Specific Disease Burden in a Set of 88 Countries

            Background Toxoplasmosis is becoming a global health hazard as it infects 30–50% of the world human population. Clinically, the life-long presence of the parasite in tissues of a majority of infected individuals is usually considered asymptomatic. However, a number of studies show that this ‘asymptomatic infection’ may also lead to development of other human pathologies. Aims of the Study The purpose of the study was to collect available geoepidemiological data on seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis and search for its relationship with mortality and disability rates in different countries. Methods and Findings Prevalence data published between 1995–2008 for women in child-bearing age were collected for 88 countries (29 European). The association between prevalence of toxoplasmosis and specific disease burden estimated with age-standardized Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY) or with mortality, was calculated using General Linear Method with Gross Domestic Product per capita (GDP), geolatitude and humidity as covariates, and also using nonparametric partial Kendall correlation test with GDP as a covariate. The prevalence of toxoplasmosis correlated with specific disease burden in particular countries explaining 23% of variability in disease burden in Europe. The analyses revealed that for example, DALY of 23 of 128 analyzed diseases and disease categories on the WHO list showed correlations (18 positive, 5 negative) with prevalence of toxoplasmosis and another 12 diseases showed positive trends (p<0.1). For several obtained significant correlations between the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis and specific diseases/clinical entities, possible pathophysiological, biochemical and molecular explanations are presented. Conclusions The seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis correlated with various disease burden. Statistical associations does not necessarily mean causality. The precautionary principle suggests however that possible role of toxoplasmosis as a triggering factor responsible for development of several clinical entities deserves much more attention and financial support both in everyday medical practice and future clinical research.
              Bookmark
              • Record: found
              • Abstract: found
              • Article: found
              Is Open Access

              Environmental transmission of Toxoplasma gondii : Oocysts in water, soil and food

              Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite that can cause morbidity and mortality in humans, domestic animals, and terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. The environmentally robust oocyst stage of T. gondii is fundamentally critical to the parasite's success, both in terms of its worldwide distribution as well as the extensive range of infected intermediate hosts. Despite the limited definitive host species (domestic and wild felids), infections have been reported on every continent, and in terrestrial as well as aquatic environments. The remarkable resistance of the oocyst wall enables dissemination of T. gondii through watersheds and ecosystems, and long-term persistence in diverse foods such as shellfish and fresh produce. Here, we review the key attributes of oocyst biophysical properties that confer their ability to disseminate and survive in the environment, as well as the epidemiological dynamics of oocyst sources including domestic and wild felids. This manuscript further provides a comprehensive review of the pathways by which T. gondii oocysts can infect animals and people through the environment, including in contaminated foods, water or soil. We conclude by identifying critical control points for reducing risk of exposure to oocysts as well as opportunities for future synergies and new directions for research aimed at reducing the burden of oocyst-borne toxoplasmosis in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife.
                Bookmark

                Author and article information

                Journal
                parasite
                https://www.parasite-journal.org
                Parasite
                Parasite
                EDP Sciences
                1776-1042
                16 November 2020
                2020
                16 November 2020
                16 November 2020
                : 27
                : ( publisher-idID: parasite/2020/01 )
                : 59
                Affiliations
                [1 ] Discipline of Parasitology, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, , Piata Eftimie Murgu, No. 1, 300041 Timisoara, Romania,
                [2 ] Bioclinica, , Dreptatii Street, No. 23, Bl. 707, 310300 Arad, Romania,
                [3 ] Vasile Goldis Western University, , Liviu Rebreanu Street, No. 86, 310048 Arad, Romania,
                [4 ] Clinical Laboratory, Municipal Clinical Emergency Hospital, , Strada Gheorghe Dima Nr. 5, 300254 Timisoara, Romania,
                [5 ] Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, , Strada Gheorghe Adam Numarul 13A, 300310 Timisoara, Romania,
                [6 ] Center for Diagnosis and Study of Parasitic Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, , Piata Eftimie Murgu, No. 1, 300041 Timisoara, Romania,
                Author notes
                Author information
                https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5734-0071
                https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6235-9076
                https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1094-3729
                Article
                parasite200112
                10.1051/parasite/2020057
                fa453bc4-194f-496d-849f-96720694cda5
                © A.G. Mihu et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2020

                This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

                History
                : 28 July 2020
                : 24 October 2020
                Page count
                Figures: 0, Tables: 1, Equations: 0, References: 27, Pages: 4
                Categories
                Short Note
                Custom metadata
                Parasite 27, 59 (2020)
                2020
                2020
                2020
                yes

                Parasitology,Life sciences
                Women of childbearing age,Seroprevalence,Laboratory diagnosis,Toxoplasmosis

                Comments

                Comment on this article