title: A surge in the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis among the residents of islands in Gangwha-gun, Incheon, Korea.
abstract: Seroepidemiological changes of Toxoplasma gondii infection among the residents of the islands of Gangwha-gun, Incheon for 2 years were surveyed and evaluated by ELISA using a crude extract antigen. In 2010, sera of 919 adult residents in Gyodong-myeon and 313 adults in Samsan-myeon were collected and checked for IgG antibody titers, which showed 14.5% (133 sera) and 19.8% (62 sera) positive rates, respectively. In 2011, sera of 955 adults in Gyodong-myeon and 341 adults in Samsan-myeon were examined, which showed an increase of positive rates to 23.8% (227 sera) and 31.7% (108 sera), respectively. Totally, the seroprevalence of the first year was 15.8% and it increased rapidly to 25.8% in the second year. The positive rates of both sexes increased simultaneously with the significant ratio of males to females by 1.7-2.2 fold (P<0.05). In both myeons, 661 sera were collected every year and showed changes in optical density (OD) in 177 sera; newly found as positives in 73 persons (11.0%), negative conversion in 10 persons (1.5%), and maintained or increased in 94 persons (14.2%). This rapid increase in the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in Gangwha islands may be due to in part peculiar changes in the toxoplasmic environment of the islands and presumably the consumption of the pork bred domestically within the islands or imported from high endemic nations. It is necessary to find out symptomatic toxoplasmic patients and confirm the risk factors for further infection in the islands of Gangwha-gun.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Catholic Institute of Parasitic Diseases, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Zhaoshou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Pyo Yun
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Seong Kyu
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Hye-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Tong-Soo
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chom-Kyu
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Sung-Jong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Seok Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Ho-Woo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Nam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D062312:Islands / Q000453:epidemiology; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G