High seroprevalence of echinococossis, schistosomiasis and toxoplasmosis among the populations in Babati and Monduli districts, Tanzania.
BACKGROUND
The neglected tropical diseases, echinococcosis, schistosomiasis and toxoplasmosis are all globally widespread zoonotic diseases with potentially harmful consequences. There is very limited data available on the prevalence of these infections, except for schistosmiasis, in underdeveloped countries. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis, Schistosoma mansoni, and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in populations from the Monduli and Babati districts in Tanzania.


METHODS
A total of 345 blood samples were collected from 160 and 185 randomly selected households from Babati and Monduli districts, Tanzania between February and May of 2012 and analyzed them using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The antibodies were determined using the NovaLisa® Toxoplasma gondii IgG, NovaLisa® Schistosoma Mansoni IgG, NovaLisa® Echinococcus IgG and NovaLisa® Toxoplasma gondii IgM kits (Novatec, Germany).


RESULTS
The seropositivity estimated for E. multilocularis, S. mansoni, and T. gondii IgG was 11.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.96-14.6), 51.3% (95% CI: 46.0-56.5), and 57.68% (95% CI: 52.5-62.9), respectively. The seropositivity for T. gondii IgM was 11.3% (95% CI: 7.96-14.6). Living in the Monduli district was found to be the main risk factor for IgG seropositivity for both schistosomiasis (OR =1.94; 95% CI: 1.23-3.08; p =0.005) and toxoplasmosis (OR =2.09; 95% CI: 1.31-3.33; p =0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that restricting disease transmission, implementing control measures, and introducing training projects to increase public awareness are imperative, particularly for the Monduli district.
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. M.behramk@gmail.com.
Mohammad Behram
MB
Khan
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. parthawillbe@gmail.com.
Parthasarathy
P
Sonaimuthu
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. lauyeeling@um.edu.my.
Yee Ling
YL
Lau
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. halmekhlafi@yahoo.com.
Hesham M
HM
Al-Mekhlafi
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. rohela@ummc.edu.my.
Rohela
R
Mahmud
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania. nkavana@yahoo.com.
Nicholas
N
Kavana
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania. ayubkassuku@yahoo.co.uk.
Ayub
A
Kassuku
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania. chrisskasa@gmail.com.
Christopher
C
Kasanga
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012423:Rural Health; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan