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Seroprevalence of Toxoplasmosis and associated risk factors in pregnant women at the Protestant Hospital, Mbouo-Bandjoun, Cameroon

1 Guemgne Todjom, F., 1 Makou Tsapi, E., 1 Gamago, G. A., 2 Vignoles, P., 3 Wabo Pone J., and 4* Djuikwo Teukeng, F. F.

1 Evangelical University of Cameroon, BP 127, Bandjoun, Cameroon
2 INSERM U 1094, Tropical Neuroepidemiology, Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Neurology, 2, rue du Docteur Raymond Marcland, 87025 Limoges, France
3 Research Unit of Biology and Applied Ecology, Faculty of Science, BP 067, Dschang, Cameroon
4 Faculty of Health Sciences, Université des Montagnes, BP 208, Bangangté, Cameroon
*Correspondence to: Dr. F. F. Djuikwo Teukeng (ffnouboue@yahoo.fr)

Abstract:
Background: Toxoplasmosis is a common worldwide infection caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. In Cameroon, several recent studies have reported high seroprevalence of this parasitosis in various hospitals (Douala, Limbe, Njinikom and Yaoundé). The aim of this study was to determine whether this high prevalence of toxoplasmosis might occur in other regions of the country.
Methodology: Serological tests by the indirect Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for IgG and IgM were carried out on 200 pregnant women (36 HIV-positive and 164 HIV-negative) at the Protestant Hospital of Mbouo-Bandjoun in western Cameroon to determine the presence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and to identify the risk factors associated with seropositivity of the subjects.
Results: The overall seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies was 45.5%. The prevalence rate was 80.5% in the HIV-positive group (47.2% IgG, 22.2% IgM and 11.1% IgG + IgM) and 37.8% in the HIV-negative group (25.6%, 9.7% and 2.4% respectively). Using a multivariate logistic regression analysis, the secondary level of educational, presence of HIV infection, and frequency of close contacts with cats were significantly associated with the prevalence of IgG and/or IgM antibodies.
Conclusion: Compared with previous reports of human toxoplasmosis in Cameroon, the prevalence in our study showed a decrease in the disease occurrence. Further studies are needed to determine whether this decrease is localised to our study or a general phenomenon currently affecting the country.

Keywords: Cameroon, IgG, IgM, pregnant women, seroprevalence, Toxoplasma gondii

Received January 9, 2019; Revised May 6, 2019; Accepted May 7, 2019

Copyright 2019 AJCEM Open Access. This article is licensed and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attrition 4.0 International License (//creativecommmons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided credit is given to the original author(s) and the source.

 

Séroprévalence de la toxoplasmose et facteurs de risque associés chez des femmes enceintes à l’Hôpital Protestant de Mbouo-Bandjoun, Cameroun

1 Guemgne Todjom, F., 1 Makou Tsapi, E., 1 Gamago, G. A., 2 Vignoles, P., 3 Wabo Pone J., and 4* Djuikwo Teukeng, F. F.

1 Université évangélique du Cameroun, BP 127, Bandjoun, Cameroun
2 INSERM U 1094, Neuroépidémiologie tropicale, Institut de neuroépidémiologie et de neurologie tropicale, 2, rue du Docteur Raymond Marcland, 87025 Limoges, France
3 Unité de recherche en biologie et écologie appliquée, Faculté des sciences, BP 067, Dschang, Cameroun
4 Faculté des sciences de la santé, Université des Montagnes, BP 208, Bangangté, Cameroun *Correspondance à: Dr. F. F. Djuikwo Teukeng (ffnouboue@yahoo.fr)

Résumé:
Contexte: La toxoplasmose est une infection répandue dans le monde entier et causée par le protozoaire Toxoplasma gondii. Au Cameroun, plusieurs études récentes ont signalé une forte séroprévalence de la parasitose dans divers hôpitaux (Douala, Limbé, Njinikom et Yaoundé). Le but de cette étude était de déterminer si cette forte prévalence de la toxoplasmose pouvait se produire dans d’autres régions du pays.
Méthodologie: Des tests sérologiques pour quantifier les IgG et IgM par dosage indirect immuno-enzymatique indirect selon la méthode ELISA ont été effectués sur 200 femmes enceintes (36 VIH-positives et 164 VIH-négatives) à l’hôpital protestant de Mbouo-Bandjoun, dans l’ouest du Cameroun, afin de déterminer la présence d’infectiona à T. gondii et d’identifier les facteurs de risque associés à la séropositivité des sujets.
Résultats: La séroprévalence globale des anticorps anti-Toxoplasma était de 45,5 %. Le taux de prévalence était de 80,5 % dans le groupe VIH-positif (47,2 % IgG, 22,2 % IgM et 11,1 % IgG + IgM) et de 37,8 % dans le groupe VIH négatif (25,6 %, 9,7 % et 2,4 %, respectivement). L’emploi d’une analyse de régression logistique multivariée a montré que le niveau secondaire d’éducation, la présence d’une infection par le VIH et la fréquence des contacts étroits avec les chats étaient significativement associés à la prévalence des anticorps IgG et/ou IgM.
Conclusion: Par rapport aux rapports précédents sur la toxoplasmose humaine au Cameroun, la prévalence dans notre étude a montré une diminution de la fréquence de la maladie. Des études complémentaires sont nécessaires pour déterminer si cette baisse est localisée dans notre étude ou est un phénomène général qui affecte actuellement le pays.

Mots clés : Cameroun, femmes enceintes, IgG, IgM, séroprévalence, Toxoplasma gondii

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Seroprevalence of Toxoplasmosis and associated risk factors in pregnant women at the Protestant Hospital, Mbouo-Bandjoun, Cameroon

 

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Sero-prevalence study of parasitic infections among HIV positive and Negative patients in Lagos, Nigeria

AO Sanyaolu, WA Oyibo, NC Iriemenam, OS Badaru

 

Abstract

Background: Diseases caused by opportunistic pathogens are the major clinical signs of HIV infected and AIDS patients with parasitic infection being part of the common causes of morbidity and mortality.

Objectives: This was a cross-sectional study to determine the sero prevalence of serum antibodies to three parasitic infections namely Entamoeba histolytica, Schistosoma sp. and Toxoplasma gondii, which are opportunistic infections among HIV/AIDS patients.

Methods: One thousand and eighty patients that attended three healthcare institutions in Lagos were recruited for the study through convenience sampling method. Venous blood was collected from the recruited patients and screened for HIV infection as well as the presence of serum antibodies to three parasitic infections. All positive sera samples were confirmed for HIV infection.

Result: The results revealed that 65/1080 (6%) of the recruited patients were HIV sero-positive. In addition, 5/65 (7.7%) of the HIV positive patients had E. histolytica co-infection, 1/65 (1.5%) had Schistosoma sp. co-infection while 2/65 (3.1%) had T. gondii co infection. The results also indicated that the proportion of patients with E. histolytica was significantly higher among HIV sero-positive patients than the sero-negative patients (P = 0.031).

Conclusion: The study showed the opportunistic potential of the three parasitic infections among HIV/AIDS patients in the study area.

Keywords: HIV, AIDS, Seropositive, Seronegative, Toxoplasma gondii, Entamoeba histolytica, Schistosoma haematobium

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Sero-prevalence study of parasitic infections among HIV positive and Negative patients in Lagos, Nigeria

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Toxoplasma Gondii Infection in HIV/AIDS: Prevalence and Risk Factors

O Okwuzu, NN Odunukwe, OC Ezechi, TA Gbajabiamila, AZ Musa, PM Ezeobi, BA Oke, T Somefun, RN Okoye, CC Onyeitu, MA Adetunji, AO Otubanjo

 

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. It is common in severely immunecompromised
persons.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection and the risk factors associated with the infection and to investigate the association between T. gondii infection and CD4 cell count.
METHODS: Sera collected from 242 HIV positive HAART- naive patients were tested for T. gondii specific immunoglobulin G antibodies. Information was obtained using a structured questionnaire. Baseline CD4 cell counts were obtained from patients case files. Data was managed using SPSS version 20 software and Microsoft Excel worksheet.
RESULTS: One hundred and sixty eight (69.4%) subjects were females while 74(30.6%) were males. One hundred (41.3%) of study participants were Toxoplasma IgG antibody positive. Thirty two(32) HIV positive pregnant women were among this group studied with 12( 37.5%) being Toxo IgG antibody positive. Toxoplasma seropositivity was higher in females (42.8%) than in males (39.2%), P= 0.60. CD4 cell count level of < 200 was negatively associated with Toxoplasma seropositivity than CD4 count . 200 by logistic regression (OR= 0.6; 95% CI 0.3- 1.0). Living in proximity with cat was positively associated with T. gondii infection (P= 0.01).
CONCLUSION: T. gondii infection is common in pregnant women indicating greater probability of congenital transmission of T. gondii. This could form a basis for recommending intensifying health education and prophylactic treatment for all HIV positive pregnant women. Measures should be taken to prevent stray cats from entering homes.

Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii , IgG, Seroprevalence, HIV positive, CD4 cells.

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Toxoplasma Gondii Infection in HIV AIDS Prevalence and Risk Factors