title: Evaluation of Anti-Toxoplasma gondiiAntibodies in Hemodialysis Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in Sari, Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Toxoplasma gondiihas worldwide distribution and is one of the most prevalent infectious agents in humans.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondiiantibodies in hemodialysis patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the hemodialysis unit of Fatemeh Zahra hospital at the Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences in Sari, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-three patients with CKD and 145 healthy volunteers were assessed for anti-Toxoplasma gondii(IgG, IgM, and IgA) antibodies using a conventional ELISA technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The anti-Toxoplasma gondiiIgG antibody was detected in 80.8% of the cases in the patient group, while 31.5% of the cases in the CKD patient group and 31.8% in the control group were found to be positive for the anti-Toxoplasma gondiiIgA antibody. All the patients in the CKD group were negative for the anti-Toxoplasma gondiiIgM antibody, although 2.76% of the healthy volunteers were found to be positive. The present study suggests that there was no significant difference between the hemodialysis patient group and the healthy volunteers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The epidemiological data collected in this study could serve as a reference for future studies and may be useful in developing preventive and educational strategies, and consequently reducing healthcare expenditure.
authors.affiliation: Deputy of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IR Iran‏.
authors.forename: Seyyed Hosein
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Seyyedpour
authors.affiliation: Referral Laboratory, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IR Iran‏.
authors.forename: Parvaneh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Afshar
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical School, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IR Iran‏.
authors.forename: Ayoub
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barzegarnejad
authors.affiliation: Fatemeh Zahra Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IR Iran‏.
authors.forename: Shamsi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalhori
authors.affiliation: Deputy of Treatment, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IR Iran‏.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agah
keywords: ELISA; Hemodialysis; IgA; IgM, IgG; Toxoplasmosis