title: Waterborne toxoplasmosis investigated and analysed under hydrogeological assessment: new data and perspectives for further research.
abstract: We present a set of data on human and chicken Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence that was investigated and analysed in light of groundwater vulnerability information in an area endemic for waterborne toxoplasmosis in Brazil. Hydrogeological assessment was undertaken to select sites for water collection from wells for T. gondii oocyst testing and for collecting blood from free-range chickens and humans for anti-T. gondii serologic testing. Serologic testing of human specimens was done using conventional commercial tests and a sporozoite-specific embryogenesis-related protein (TgERP), which is able to differentiate whether infection resulted from tissue cysts or oocysts. Water specimens were negative for the presence of viable T. gondii oocysts. However, seroprevalence in free-range chickens was significantly associated with vulnerability of groundwater to surface contamination (p < 0.0001; odds ratio: 4.73, 95% confidence interval: 2.18-10.2). Surprisingly, a high prevalence of antibodies against TgERP was detected in human specimens, suggesting the possibility of a continuous contamination of drinking water with T. gondii oocysts in this endemic setting. These findings and the new proposed approach to investigate and analyse endemic toxoplasmosis in light of groundwater vulnerability information associated with prevalence in humans estimated by oocyst antigens recognition have implications for the potential role of hydrogeological assessment in researching waterborne toxoplasmosis at a global scale.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia do Reconhecer, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Flávia Pereira
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Engenharia Civil, Centro de Ciência e Tecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria da Glória
authors.initials: Mda G
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia do Reconhecer, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Livia Mattos
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia do Reconhecer, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Alba Lucínia Peixoto
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rangel
authors.affiliation: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Jitender Prakash
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
authors.affiliation: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Macaé, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Lilian Maria Garcia
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bahia-Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002645:Chickens / Q000469:parasitology*; D002648:Child; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D033661:Oocysts; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000069578:Waterborne Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins