title: Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma Gondii Infection in People Applying for Medical Certificates.
abstract: Medical certificates are documents that state the health status of a person. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in applicants of medical certificates and to investigate seroprevalence association with characteristics of these individuals. We examined 404 applicants in a public health center in Durango City, Mexico for the presence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies using enzyme-linked immunoassays. Of the 404 subjects (mean age of 35.94 ± 13.01) studied, 29 (7.2%) were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies and 9 (31.0%) of them were also positive for anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies. IgG and IgM seropositivities were associated with vision impairment (P = 0.04) and a history of surgery (P = 0.03), respectively. Prevalence of high (>150 IU/ml) IgG antibody levels was associated with hearing impairment (P = 0.03), and histories of lymphadenopathy (P = 0.04) and miscarriages (P = 0.03). Multivariate analysis showed that T. gondii seropositivity was associated with being born out of Durango State (odds ratio [OR] = 4.65; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25-17. 29; P = 0.02) and soil contact (OR = 4.27; 95% CI: 1.71-10.67; P = 0.002) and negatively associated with consumption of sheep meat (OR = 0.12; 95% CI: 0.02-0.65; P = 0.01). These results could be used for the design of optimal preventive measures against toxoplasmosis and its sequelae.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N , 34000 Durango, Dgo, Mexico.
authors.forename: Cosme
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alvarado-Esquivel
authors.affiliation: Institute for Scientific Research "Dr. Roberto Rivera Damm", Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N , 34000 Durango, Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Luis Francisco
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Anguiano
authors.affiliation: Institute for Scientific Research "Dr. Roberto Rivera Damm", Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N , 34000 Durango, Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hernández-Tinoco
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería y Obstetricia, Juárez University of Durango State , Cuauhtémoc 223 norte, 34000 Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Rosa Angélica
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Pulido-Montoya
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería y Obstetricia, Juárez University of Durango State , Cuauhtémoc 223 norte, 34000 Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Guadalupe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Acosta-Rojas
authors.affiliation: Institute for Scientific Research "Dr. Roberto Rivera Damm", Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N , 34000 Durango, Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Estrada-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Institute for Scientific Research "Dr. Roberto Rivera Damm", Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N , 34000 Durango, Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alma Rosa
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Pérez-Álamos
authors.affiliation: Health Center No. 2 "Dr. Carlos Santamaría", Servicios de Salud de Durango , Durango, Mexico, Talpa S/N, 34170 Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vaquera-Enriquez
authors.affiliation: Health Center No. 2 "Dr. Carlos Santamaría", Servicios de Salud de Durango , Durango, Mexico, Talpa S/N, 34170 Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díaz-Herrera
authors.affiliation: Health Center No. 2 "Dr. Carlos Santamaría", Servicios de Salud de Durango , Durango, Mexico, Talpa S/N, 34170 Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Segura-Moreno
authors.affiliation: Health Center No. 2 "Dr. Carlos Santamaría", Servicios de Salud de Durango , Durango, Mexico, Talpa S/N, 34170 Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: María de Lourdes
authors.initials: Mde L
authors.lastname: Guerrero-Carbajal
authors.affiliation: Institute for Microbiology and Hygiene, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité Medical School , Hindenburgdamm 27, D-12203 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Liesenfeld
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Enfermería y Obstetricia, Juárez University of Durango State , Cuauhtémoc 223 norte, 34000 Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: Isabel Beristain
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Health Center No. 2 "Dr. Carlos Santamaría", Servicios de Salud de Durango , Durango, Mexico, Talpa S/N, 34170 Durango, Mexico.
authors.forename: María Guadalupe
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Rentería-López
keywords: Toxoplasma gondii; cross-sectional study; medical certificates; risk factors; seroprevalence