title: Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in Mali.
abstract: The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is globally distributed, with considerable local variation in prevalence based on behavioral and environmental factors. To assess prevalence and estimate risk in Mali, we conducted a survey of 760 serum samples previously collected for malaria studies. A modified agglutination test detected antibodies in ∼27% of the adult population, with no significant differences between men and women, or between urban and rural study sites. In the village of Kolle, seroprevalence rose from 0% in infants (<1 yr, but after weaning of maternal immunoglobulin G) to 0.8% (1-5 yr), 2.7% (6-10), 11.3% (11-15), and 26.8% (>15); differences between the <10-, 11-15-, and >15-yr age groups were highly significant (P ≤ 0.01). We also observed an increase in anti- T. gondii antibody titers with age. Modeling the observed age distribution suggests a seroconversion rate of ∼1%/yr, indicating that congenital toxoplasmosis may be an under-appreciated public health concern in Mali.
authors.affiliation: Malaria Research and Training Center, Department of Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Mali.
authors.forename: Dinkorma T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Ouologuem
authors.forename: Abdoulaye A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Djimdé
authors.forename: Nouhoum
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Diallo
authors.forename: Ogobara K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Doumbo
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Roos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008302:Mali / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan