Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in a representative Australian human population: The Busselton health study

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health

Publisher

Elsevier

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences

RAS ID

32693

Funders

This work was supported by the Joint Project of the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (NHMRC APP1112767-NSFC 81561128020). Funds from the grant were used to purchase the ELISA kits used in this study.

Grant Number

NHMRC Number : APP1112767

Comments

Molan, A., Nosaka, K., Hunter, M., & Wang, W. (2020). Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in a representative Australian human population: The Busselton health study. Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health, 8(3), 808-814. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cegh.2020.02.005

Abstract

Introduction

Despite being identified as one of the top neglected parasitic infections, Toxoplasma gondii has received little recognition in Australia with no previously published prevalence data from the general human population. The objectives of the current study were to: determine the prevalence of evidence of exposure to T. gondii infection in an Australian community dwelling population, and: identify associated risk factors.

Methods

Sera from 75 males and 75 age-matched females living in Busselton, Western Australia were tested for the presence of anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Survey derived data were also analysed to evaluate risk factors.

Results

IgG and IgM antibodies were detected in 99 (66.0%) and 15 (10.0%) of subjects, respectively. IgG seroprevalence increased from 44.4% (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 18.9–73.3%) in the 18–34 year-old age group to 81.0% (95% CI: 60.0–92.3%) in the 75–84 age group. The observed IgG seroprevalence increased at a rate of 0.8% with each year of age. No risk factors were identified.

Conclusions

The first study of its kind in Australia found T. gondii infection to be highly prevalent. Toxoplasma gondii infection has been neglected in Australian notifiable disease programs therefore Australian public health authorities should focus on improving education to raise awareness and commence longitudinal epidemiological data collection to supplement public health models targeting T. gondii transmission control.

DOI

10.1016/j.cegh.2020.02.005

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