title: Toxoplasma gondii oocyst-specific antibodies and source of infection.
abstract: Infection source can determine cost-effective public health interventions. To quantify risk of acquiring Toxoplasma gondii from environmental sources versus from meat, we examined serum from pregnant women in Chile. Because 43% had oocyst-specific antibodies, we conclude that contaminated meat remains the primary source of infection but that environmental sources also pose substantial risk.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454, USA. munozzan@umn.edu
authors.forename: Claudia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Munoz-Zanzi
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fry
authors.forename: Blaz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lesina
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hill
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology; D033661:Oocysts / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan