Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among pre-schoolchildren aged 1-5 years in the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Western Africa.
The prevalence status of Toxoplasma gondii infection in children of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe (DRSTP), Western Africa, is unknown to date. A serologic survey of T. gondii infection among pre-schoolchildren aged <5 years in the DRSTP was assessed by the latex agglutination (LA) test from November 2003 to March 2004. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was not low, reaching 21.49% (26/121). No significant gender difference in seroprevalence was found between boys (19.30%; 11/57) and girls (23.44%; 15/64) (chi2 = 0.31, P = 0.58). The older age group of 4-5 years had significantly higher seroprevalence (36.67%; 11/30) than the younger age group of <2 years (10.34%; 3/29) (chi2 = 5.64, P = 0.02). It was noteworthy that the majority of seropositive boys (90.91%; 10/11) or older children aged > or = 2 years (82.61%; 19/23) had high LA titres of > or = 1:1024, indirectly indicating acute Toxoplasma infection. This study is the first report indicating that T. gondii infection is not low in pre-schoolchildren aged <5 years in the DRSTP. Whether the DRSTP pre-schoolchildren acquire T. gondii infection through constant exposure to the parasite from their daily activities owing to poor environmental hygiene should be further evaluated.
Fan
Chia-Kwung
CK
Department of Parasitology, Taipei Medical University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. tedfan@tmu.edu.tw
Hung
Chien-Ching
CC
Su
Kua-Eyre
KE
Sung
Fung-Chang
FC
Chiou
Hung-Yi
HY
Gil
Vilfrido
V
da Conceicao dos Reis Ferreira
Maria
M
de Carvalho
Jose Manuel
JM
Cruz
Claudina
C
Lin
Yu-Kuan
YK
Tseng
Lian-Fen
LF
Sao
Ke-Yun
KY
Chang
Wen-Cheun
WC
Lan
Hung-Shue
HS
Chou
Shing-Hsien
SH
D000354:Africa, Western / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*