Bahareh Meftahi; Ebrahim Abdollahian; Ahmad Nematollahi; Gholamreza Razmi
Abstract
Background and aims: Congenital toxoplasmosis is assumed to play a role in developing schizophrenia in human. This study aimed to estimate the relationship between Toxoplasma infection and schizophrenia by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Methods: In ...
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Background and aims: Congenital toxoplasmosis is assumed to play a role in developing schizophrenia in human. This study aimed to estimate the relationship between Toxoplasma infection and schizophrenia by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Methods: In this case-control study, 46 schizophrenic patients forming our case group as well as 40 healthy relatives of schizophrenic patients forming our control group were selected from among 456 inpatients with schizophrenia in Ibn Sina and Hejazi hospitals in Mashhad from June 2016 to February 2017. The blood samples from both groups were collected for serological and molecular tests. Different statistical methods such as Chi-square, independent t test, and logistic regression models were used in the present study.Results: In the present study, the seroprevalence of T. gondii was 54% in case group and 45% in control (OR=1.44, 95% CI: 062- 3.40, P = 0.38). There was no significant association between the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection and age, gender, and season as the risk factors in the case group. Furthermore, a poor agreement was observed between the microscopy and PCR methods. Non-significant differences were found between the mean levels of interferon gamma (IFN-γ), C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell (WBC) in two groups. Conclusion: Contrary to the reports from some studies, no association was found between Toxoplasma infection and the schizophrenia. In order to better understand the effect of Toxoplasma on schizophrenia, it is necessary to develop laboratory methods to differentiate acquired toxoplasmosis from congenital one.
Mitra Sadat Deyhimi; Hossain Yousefidarani; Simindokht Soleimanifard
Abstract
Background and aims: Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite which has the potential toinfect all warm-blooded animals. Sheep and cattle play a main role in the economy and their infectionto T. gondii, besides economic losses, can cause the infection of humans through the consumptionof ...
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Background and aims: Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite which has the potential toinfect all warm-blooded animals. Sheep and cattle play a main role in the economy and their infectionto T. gondii, besides economic losses, can cause the infection of humans through the consumptionof raw meat and other products. In this study, we aimed to survey the prevalence of T. gondii in thelivestock in Isfahan, Iran.Methods: A total of 384 samples including 144 sheep and 130 bovine serum samples from Isfahan and50 sheep and 60 bovine serum samples from Kashan slaughterhouses were tested for the presence ofT. gondii antibody using the indirect immunofluorescence method.Results: In general, the antibody was found in 27.31% of sheep and 22.63% of cattle at a dilution of≥1:200. In detail, 26.15% of bovine and 26.17% of sheep serums from Isfahan and 15% of bovine and22% of sheep serums from Kashan were seropositive.Conclusion: The study revealed that sheep and cattle can be a significant intermediate host for thespread of the disease in this region (Isfahan province) and the health and livestock authorities in theprovince should be given priority in improving animal welfare and nutrition.
Kazem Behine; Somayeh Namroodi; Abdolrasoul SalmanMahiny
Abstract
Background and aims: Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic parasitic disease of warm-blooded animals, is notablyinfluenced by environmental features. Recognizing spatial pattern of Toxoplasma gondii distributionin environment can provide significant contributions to public health and toxoplasmosis control. Thisstudy ...
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Background and aims: Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic parasitic disease of warm-blooded animals, is notablyinfluenced by environmental features. Recognizing spatial pattern of Toxoplasma gondii distributionin environment can provide significant contributions to public health and toxoplasmosis control. Thisstudy was designed to survey the frequency of T. gondii antibody in rural dogs and cats and alsoanalyze possible relation between environmental factors and spatial distribution of T. gondiiantibodyin Golestan province, using GIS.Methods: From 2015 to 2016, 106 rural cats and 154 rural dogs were randomly sampled. Serumsamples were tested for presence of T. gondii antibody through modified agglutination test (MAT). Therelation between T. gondii antibody frequency and environmental factors was surveyed in ArcGIS andIdrisi Selva software with multiple linear regression model.Results: From sampled rural cats and rural dogs, 85 (80.1%) and 99 (64.2%) were positive for T.gondii antibody, respectively. The highest frequency was seen in areas with temperate climate, Gorgan(82.4%) with a humidity of 78%, rainfall of 551 mm and temperature of 12.5°C. The lowest rate wasin Maravetappeh (60.8%) with a humidity of 70%, rainfall of 418 mm and temperature of 15.37°C.About 53% of the difference in the T. gondii antibody frequency in sampled population was explainedby climatic condition of each region.Conclusion: The output presented here can facilitate the identification of high risk areas, based onclimate condition, to apply effective planning control measures.
Infectious Disease
Javid Sadraie; Ehsan Shariat Bahadory; Sekhavat Ghaffari Novin
Volume 3, Issue 1 , February 2016, , Pages 3-11
Abstract
Background and aims: Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease which may cause some laboratory symptoms in infected individuals. One of the main ways of transmition this organism is placenta to fetus pathway. If this transmission occurs in the 3th month of pregnancy, the abortion, central nerve system and ...
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Background and aims: Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease which may cause some laboratory symptoms in infected individuals. One of the main ways of transmition this organism is placenta to fetus pathway. If this transmission occurs in the 3th month of pregnancy, the abortion, central nerve system and ocular disorder will happen. Because of this issue, the precise technique for detection of Toxoplasma Antibody such as IgG and IgM is important, that contains ELISA to detect Toxoplasma Antibody such as IgG and IgM and AFP.Methods: This was a cross sectional study. In this study, the main sample was serum that was randomly collected from 255 pregnant women infected with toxoplasma Gondi in Avesina center. Then, It was detected the serum concentration of AFP in toxoplasmosis pregnant women with high level of IgG and IgM toxoplasma antibody by ELISA assay.Results: The results of this survey showed that the infection in these pregnant women by toxoplasma gondii was occurred and 13% of them (13% of 255 infected mothers) had high levels of AFP in their serum. The statistical analyses was done by SPSS consisted of t-test, case number, comparative study, and Q-Q plot evaluations.Conclusions: In some pregnant women with high level of IgG and IgM toxoplasma antibody was observed in high levels of AFP in their serum and this index correlates with NTD in their fetus.
Infectious Disease
Somayyeh Namroodi; Ehsan Shariat Bahadory
Volume 2, Issue 4 , November 2015, , Pages 190-196
Abstract
Background and aims: Cats carry a lot of zoonotic parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) which causes toxoplasmosis in warm-blooded animals. Toxoplasmosis includes wide range of symptoms in its intermediate and definitive hosts but the worst symptoms have been seen in pregnant women and also ...
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Background and aims: Cats carry a lot of zoonotic parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) which causes toxoplasmosis in warm-blooded animals. Toxoplasmosis includes wide range of symptoms in its intermediate and definitive hosts but the worst symptoms have been seen in pregnant women and also on immunocompromised hosts. Considering the importance of the fact that cats are as the only definitive host that spread T. gondii oocytes in environment, it is necessary to obtain comprehensive information about the role of cats in life cycle of T. gondii.Methods: This comparative study was done during the January 2012 to February 2014, a total of 210 feral cats were captured by hand made traps. Age, sex, season and locality were documented. Blood samples from carotid vein were collected. Sera were separated by centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 10 min and stored at 20oC until laboratory examination. Serum sample of 210 feral cats from 20 villages of Golestan province were obtained and analyzed for presence of Ig G antibody against T. gondii by ELIZA Kit.Results: The frequency of T. gondii infection in serum samples was 85% (180/210). Percentage of T. gondii infection was similar in male and female and different seasons but significant difference was recorded between sampled villages. Also the seropositivity rate of T. gondii had positive relationship with age (P˂0.005).Conclusion: High seropositive results of the current study highlight the risk of endemic toxoplasmosis in the sampled rural ecosystem. Performing suitable screening test in rural population, keeping feral cats far from the villages, controlling of feral cats population by sterilization and making villagers aware of toxoplasmosis danger are recommended.