English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Background  In Brazil, there have been no previous studies of  Toxoplasma gondii  infection in sickle cell anemia patients and carriers of severe forms of beta-thalassemia. This study evaluated  T. gondii  infection in patients with beta-hemoglobinopathies.    Methods  A total of 158 samples, 77 (48.7%) men and 81 (51.3%) women, were evaluated. Three groups were formed: G1 (85 patients with sickle cell disease); G2 (11 patients with homozygous beta-thalassemia; G3 (62 patients with heterozygous beta-thalassemia). ELISA was employed to identify anti- T. gondii  IgM and IgG antibodies, and molecular analysis was performed to determine beta-hemoglobin mutations. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare frequencies of anti- T. gondii  IgM and IgG antibodies in respect to gender and age.    Results  Anti- T. gondii  IgG antibodies were found in 43.5% of individuals in G1, 18.1% in G2 and 50% in G3. All samples from G1 and G2 were seronegative for anti- T. gondii  IgM antibodies, but 3.2% from G3 were seropositive. Considering anti- T. gondii  IgG antibodies, no statistical significant differences were found between these groups nor in seroprevalence between genders within each group. Despite this, comparisons of the mean ages between G1, G2 and G3 were statistically significant (G2 vs. G1: p value = 0.0001; G3 vs. G1: p-value <0.0001; G3 vs. G2: p-value = 0.0001).    Conclusion  A comparison by age of patients with sickle cell anemia showed a trend of lower risk of infection among younger individuals. Therefore, this study demonstrates that  T. gondii  infection occurs in patients with beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia in Brazil as seen by the presence of anti- T. gondii  IgM and IgG antibodies.

Anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in patients with beta-hemoglobinopathies: the first report in the Americas