title: Epidemiology of Ocular Toxoplasmosis in Three Community Surveys in the Central Region of Ghana, West Africa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct the first ever population-based survey on ocular toxoplasmosis in the Central Region of Ghana.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted in three randomly selected communities in the Central Region, Ghana. Visual acuity (VA) measurement, dilated fundus examination by indirect ophthalmoscopy and serology testing were performed on all participants. Ocular toxoplasmosis was diagnosed based on characteristic retinal lesions and supported by positive serologic testing using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 390 subjects aged 10-100 years (mean age 47 years) were examined; 118 (30.3%) were male and 272 (69.7%) female. Ten subjects (6 females and 4 males) had toxoplasmic ocular lesions (prevalence 2.6%). Of these, two had bilateral lesions and eight had unilateral lesions. Subjects with toxoplasmic ocular lesions were older than those without lesions (p = 0.028). The development of ocular toxoplasmosis was not associated with rural dwelling, sex, keeping cats, or consumption of meat.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of ocular toxoplasmosis in our Ghanaian study population was lower than findings from Southern Brazil, where there is a similar prevalence of infection in the general population.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Optometry , School of Physical Sciences, University of Cape Coast , Ghana.|b Department of Biomedical and Forensic Sciences , School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast , Ghana.
authors.forename: Emmanuel Kwasi
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Abu
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biomedical and Forensic Sciences , School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast , Ghana.
authors.forename: Johnson Nyarko
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Boampong
authors.affiliation: a Department of Optometry , School of Physical Sciences, University of Cape Coast , Ghana.|c Department of Ophthalmology , Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital , Sekondi , Ghana.
authors.forename: Joseph Kwame
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Amoabeng
authors.affiliation: a Department of Optometry , School of Physical Sciences, University of Cape Coast , Ghana.
authors.forename: Alex A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ilechie
authors.affiliation: a Department of Optometry , School of Physical Sciences, University of Cape Coast , Ghana.|d Discipline of Optometry , School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus , Durban , South Africa.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kyei
authors.affiliation: a Department of Optometry , School of Physical Sciences, University of Cape Coast , Ghana.|e Department of Ophthalmology , the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University , Changsha , Hunan , China.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Owusu-Ansah
authors.affiliation: a Department of Optometry , School of Physical Sciences, University of Cape Coast , Ghana.|d Discipline of Optometry , School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus , Durban , South Africa.
authors.forename: Samuel Bert
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Boadi-Kusi
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biomedical and Forensic Sciences , School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast , Ghana.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amoani
authors.affiliation: f Department of Parasitology , Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana , Accra , Ghana.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ayi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D015995:Prevalence; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014126:Toxoplasmosis, Ocular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M
keywords: Cape Coast; Ghana; epidemiology; ocular toxoplasmosis; retinochoroiditis