title: Oocyst ingestion as an important transmission route of Toxoplasma gondii in Brazilian urban children.
abstract: 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.
authors: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal do Acre, Rod. BR 364, km 4, 6637-Rio Branco-Acre, Brazil.
authors: V C C
authors: VC
authors: Dattoli
authors: R V
authors: RV
authors: Veiga
authors: S S
authors: SS
authors: Cunha
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Pontes-de-Carvalho
authors: M L
authors: ML
authors: Barreto
authors: N M
authors: NM
authors: Alcantara-Neves
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D002415:Cats; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene / Q000592:standards; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D033661:Oocysts; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000635:transmission; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G