Association of Toxoplasma Gondii Infection With Diabetes Mellitus Using Nested-PCR and Sequencing

Background: Toxoplasmosis is a global public health concern with severe complications, particularly in pregnant women and immunosuppressed patients. Herein, we revealed the first genotypic evidence of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) in diabetic and non-diabetic individuals referred to Imam Sajjad Hospital, Tehran, Iran, using nested-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Materials and Methods: We collected 98, 95, and 94 blood samples from Type-1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM), Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), and control subjects from February to August 2018, and their DNA was extracted. After amplification and visualization of dense granule antigen 6 gene (344 bp) using external and internal primer pairs, the positive samples were sent for sequencing. Results: Among 287 individuals, three T1DM patients (two IgG, one IgM) and one T2DM patient (IgG) were found positive by molecular method, which proved to be type III strain by sequencing. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first genotyping investigation on T. gondii in diabetic individuals. Further research should be done to better realize the association between Toxoplasma genotypes and the outcome of diabetes mellitus.