Oocyst Ingestion As An Important Transmission Route of Toxoplasma gondii In Brazilian Urban Children

• Published in: The Journal of parasitology 2011-12, Vol.97 (6), p.1080-1084
• Main Authors: Dattoli, V. C. C, Veiga, R. V, Cunha, S. S, Pontes-de-Carvalho, L, Barreto, M. L, Alcantara-Neves, N. M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Protozoan - blood; Asthma; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; Cat Diseases - parasitology; Cat Diseases - transmission; Cats; Child; Child, Preschool; Childhood; Children; Children & youth; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models; Homes; Humans; Hygiene - standards; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Infections; Ingestion; Invertebrates; LIFE CYCLES-SURVEY; Logistic Models; Modeling; Multivariate Analysis; Oocysts; Predisposing factors; Protozoa; Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Sanitation; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Serology; Siblings; Socioeconomic Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Toxoplasma - immunology; Toxoplasma gondii; Toxoplasmosis; Toxoplasmosis - epidemiology; Toxoplasmosis - transmission; Toxoplasmosis, Animal - transmission; Urban Population; Variables
• ISSN: 0022-3395; 1937-2345
• DOI: 10.1645/GE-2836.1

Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan protozoan infection. Data regarding risk factors for the post-natal acquisition of Toxoplasma gondii infection in childhood are limited. We conducted a serological survey for T. gondii IgG antibodies and associated risk factors in 1,217 children 4–11-yr-old from Salvador, Brazil, using a commercial ELISA kit; antibodies were found in 17.5% of the children. Age (OR  =  2.18; 95% CI: 1.50–3.17) and maternal schooling level (OR  =  0.62; 95% CI: 0.42–0.92) were negatively associated with infection. A greater number of siblings (OR  =  1.53; 95% CI: 1.12–2.09), cat at home (OR  =  1.54; 95% CI: 1.06–2.24), house with non-treated piped water (OR  =  2.54; 95% CI: 1.22–5.31), and the absence of a flush toilet at home (OR  =  1.45; 95% CI: 1.04–2.01) were positively associated with T. gondii infection. Our data suggest that low socioeconomic levels and poor hygiene habits are important factors in favoring T. gondii infection.