title: Toxoplasma gondii infection in cancer patients: prevalence, risk factors, genotypes and association with clinical diagnosis.
abstract: Prevalence of human infection with Toxoplasma gondii has been increasing in China due to the increasing number of cats. However, little is known of the epidemiology of T. gondii infection in different cancer patient groups. Thus, a case-control study of 900 cancer patients and 900 controls was conducted to detect anti-T. gondii antibodies by ELISA in China. Genomic DNA was extracted from the diseased tissues of 510 patients and the T. gondii B1 gene was amplified using a semi-nested PCR. DNA samples giving positive B1 amplification were then genetically characterized using multi-locus PCR-RFLP. The prevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG in cancer patients (35.56%) was significantly higher than that in controls (17.44%). The highest T. gondii seroprevalence was detected in lung cancer patients (60.94%), followed by cervical cancer patients (50%), brain cancer patients (42.31%) and endometrial cancer patients (41.67%). Exposure with soil and consumption of raw/undercooked meat were significantly associated with T. gondii infection in cancer patients. Three T. gondii genotypes (ToxoDB#9, ToxoDB#10 and Type I variant) were identified. In conclusion, T. gondii infection is a severe problem in cancer patients and it is imperative that improved integrated measures should be conducted to prevent and control T. gondii infection in cancer patients.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, Gansu, China; College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Cong
authors: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, Gansu, China.
authors: Guo-Hua
authors: GH
authors: Liu
authors: Jilin Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Changchun 130000, Jilin, China.
authors: Qing-Feng
authors: QF
authors: Meng
authors: Weihaiwei People's Hospital, Weihai 264200, Shandong, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Dong
authors: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, Gansu, China; College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China.
authors: Si-Yuan
authors: SY
authors: Qin
authors: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, Gansu, China.
authors: Fu-Kai
authors: FK
authors: Zhang
authors: Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong, China.
authors: Xiang-Yan
authors: XY
authors: Zhang
authors: Wendeng Municipal Hospital, Weihai 264200, Shandong, China.
authors: Xiang-Yang
authors: XY
authors: Wang
authors: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China.
authors: Ai-Dong
authors: AD
authors: Qian
authors: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, Gansu, China; College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China. Electronic address: xingquanzhu1@hotmail.com.
authors: Xing-Quan
authors: XQ
authors: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Cancer patients; Genotype; Prevalence; Risk factors; Toxoplasma gondii