title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Patients of Intensive Care Unit in China: A Hospital Based Study.
abstract: The objective of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in 394 patients of intensive care unit (ICU) in a hospital between April 2010 and March 2012 and analyze the association between T. gondii infection and ICU patients according to the species of disease. Toxoplasma serology was evaluated by ELISA method using a commercially available kit. Data of patients were obtained from the patients, informants, and medical examination records. Seventy-four (18.78%) of 394 patients were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies demonstrating latent infection. Of these, the highest T. gondii seroprevalence was found in the age group of 31-45 years (27.45%), and the lowest was found in the age group of <30 years (12.5%). In addition, females (21.6%) had a higher seroprevalence than males (18.36%). With respect to the species of disease, the patients with kidney diseases (57.14%), lung diseases (27.84%), and brain diseases (24%) had high T. gondii seroprevalence. The present study represents the first survey of T. gondii seroprevalence in ICU patients in China, revealing an 18.78% seropositivity. Considering the particularities of ICU patients, molecular identification, genetic characterization, and diagnosis of T. gondii should be considered in future study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Biao
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China ; College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Tao
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Gang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xian
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China ; College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China ; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Quan
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China.
authors.forename: Kou-Xing
authors.initials: KX
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002681:China; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G