title: Comparative study on toxoplasma serology among HIV positive and HIV negative illicit drug users in Ahvaz, Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Toxoplasmosis is a common parasitic infection in human around the world and can cause life-threatening encephalitis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected host. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of toxoplasma infection in illicit drug users (IDUs) with and without HIV infection in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out on 84 IDUs (42 HIV positive as case group and 42 HIV negative subjects as control group) from 2008 to 2009. Serum samples were tested for T. gondii IgG antibodies by Enzym linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). Based on the company brochure kit, the test was defined positive if the antibody titer was 3 IU/ml or more. The data from these two groups were collected and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of HIV positive cases was 34.4±8.6 and for HIV negative cases was 35.9±9.3 year. The mean age and distribution of sex in both groups were equal. The frequency of toxoplasma-IgG in HIV positive and HIV negative was 73.8% and 81%, respectively (p=0.19).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that prevalence of toxoplasmosis infection in the illicit drug users with HIV positive or negative is equal.
authors.affiliation: Jundishapur Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Joundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mohammad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alavi
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jamshidian
authors.forename: Shokrolah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salmanzadeh
keywords: HIV; Illicit drug user.; Toxoplasma antibody