Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the City of Novo Repartimento, Pará State, Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a global protozoan that can infect birds and mammals, including humans. The seroprevalence of the infection varies according to the region, and is considered high in Brazil. In Pará State, most of the studies on T. gondii have been restricted to urban areas of the City of Belém, where infection rates are higher than 70%. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to estimate the seroprevalence in a rural area of the State and to identify the risk factors associated with this infection. A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in the population of the Municipality of Novo Repartimento, southeastern Pará. A total of 427 randomly selected individuals were included in the study from the clinical analysis laboratory of the Municipality. Serum samples were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence test to detect IgG and IgM against T. gondii. Socio-demographic and epidemiological information was obtained from each individual to evaluate the variables in relation to the seropositivity. The seroprevalence observed for IgG was 81.26% and 0.70% for IgM. Variables statistically associated with T. gondiiinfection included contact with cats outside residence and consumption of bushmeat (hunting). The data demonstrate high prevalence of toxoplasmosis in a rural area of Pará, where characteristics associated with eating and behavioral habits of the local population favor the infection and transmission of T. gondii.