Prevalence of Toxoplasma Gondii Antibodies in the Serum of Urban Residents and Ranchers in Tabriz, Iran

Objective: Toxoplasmosis is a common zoonotic infection between man and animal in the congenital form. This pathogenic agent is transmitted to the fetus through the maternal placenta. This infection is acquired through the ingestion of oocysts, which are transmitted by cats or through contaminated meat. Congenital infections can lead to fetal death, pathological changes of the central nervous system (CNS), or eye diseases. The acquired form of the disease often has no symptoms, or is characterizes by general lethargy, swollen lymphatic nodes, and chorioretinitis. Fatal and acute infections are observed in the medically compromised patients or patients with malignancy or tissue plants and AIDS. The purpose of this study is the investigation of the prevalence of antibody of anti-toxoplasma gondii in the serum of urban residents and farmers. Materials and Methods: A number of 100 blood samples of urban residents and farmers were collected and tested by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results: Total prevalence of anti-toxoplaxma IgG was 24% in urban residents and 44% in farmers. The prevalence of IgM and IgG positives were higher in farmers than in urban residents. In urban residents, the percentage of IgM and IgG positive was 10%. Conclusion: Due to the high rate of positive cases among the patients, there should be some regular screening programs to recognize chronic infections which may become acute infections. Serial titration measurement should be performed on these patients and they should undergo antiparasitic treatments.