The correlation between Toxoplasma gondii infection and Parkinson's disease: a case-control study.
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that infects all nucleate cells of vertebrates. Human infected by vertical transmission and also using raw or undercooked meat or food and water that contaminated with mature oocysts. Parkinson's disease as neurodegenerative disease affects people above 60 years. Due to high prevalence of toxoplasmosis in Iran and evidence about effects of T. gondii on neurodegenerative diseases, this study has been conducted to investigate possible correlation between Toxoplasma and Parkinson's disease in Iran. Seventy five Parkinson's patients and equal healthy volunteers were enrolled. After obtaining informed consent and sociodemographic features, 5 ml blood sample were collected and then anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM levels were examined by ELISA method. Data was analyzed with Chi-squre and Fisher's test by usig stata 11 software. Binary logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis in assessing the correlation between toxoplasmosis and Parkinson. Eighty five percent of Parkinson's group and 90.3 % of control group were positive for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibody. In this investigation no statically differences were observed between groups and age, gender, residency and using raw or undercooked meat. There is no significant association between IgG positive titer and Parkinson's disease. However, statistically significant association was found between Parkinson and keeping cat (P = 0.03) as well as the using of undercooked egg (P = 0.004). Although there is high level of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibody in Parkinson's patients which reflects chronic Toxoplasma infection; we couldn't detect any statistical association between T. gondii infection and Parkinson's disease.
Neurosciences Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran ; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Mahmoud
M
Mahami Oskouei
Neurosciences Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran ; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Faezeh
F
Hamidi
Neurosciences Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Mahnaz
M
Talebi
Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Mehdi
M
Farhoudi
Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Ali Akbar
AA
Taheraghdam
Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Tohid
T
Kazemi
Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Homayoun
H
Sadeghi-Bazargani
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Esmaeil
E
Fallah
ELISA; Iran; Parkinson’s disease; Toxoplasma gondii