Open AccessSeroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in people with alcohol consumption in Durango, Mexico
Author(s) -
Sergio Estrada-Martínez,
Alma Rosa Pérez-Álamos,
Melina Ibarra-Segovia,
Isabel Beristáin-García,
Agar Ramos-Nevárez,
Leandro Sáenz-Soto,
Elizabeth Rábago-Sánchez,
Carlos Alberto Guido-Arreola,
Cosme AlvaradoEsquivel
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0245701
Subject(s) - toxoplasma gondii , seroprevalence , toxoplasmosis , antibody , immunology , population , medicine , serology , biology , virology , environmental health
The seroepidemiology of infection with Toxoplasma gondii ( T . gondii ) in alcohol consumers is largely undeveloped. In light of this, we sought to determine the seroprevalence of T . gondii infection in alcohol consumers in Durango, Mexico, and the association of T . gondii seroprevalence with characteristics of the population studied. Anti- T . gondii IgG and IgM antibodies were searched in sera of participants using commercially available enzyme immunoassays. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were then used to determine the association between T . gondii infection and the characteristics of the population studied. Of the 1544 people studied (mean age: 39.4±14.0 years), 173 (11.2%) tested positive for anti- T . gondii IgG antibodies. We were able to test 167 of the 173 anti- T . gondii IgG positive sera for anti- T . gondii IgM antibodies. Fifty-five (32.9%) of these 167 serum samples were positive for anti- T . gondii IgM antibodies. Bivariate analysis showed that visual impairment, history of surgery, and hepatitis were negatively associated with T . gondii IgG seropositivity ( P <0.05). In women, seropositivity to T . gondii was positively associated with a history of pregnancy ( P <0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that T . gondii seropositivity was associated with the variables consumption of armadillo meat (OR = 2.33; 95% CI: 1.04–5.22; P = 0.03), and the use of latrines for elimination of excretes (OR = 2.27; 95% CI: 1.07–4.80; P = 0.03); and high (>150 IU/ml) anti- T . gondii IgG antibodies were associated with consumption of both armadillo meat (OR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.01–5.02; P = 0.04) and crowding at home (OR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.02–2.61; P = 0.03). We found a distinct T . gondii seroprevalence in people with alcohol consumption from those previously found in population groups in the region. This is the first study that illustrates the association between high anti- T . gondii antibodies and crowding in Mexico, and the second study on the association between T . gondii infection and consumption of armadillo meat and the use of latrines in this country. We conclude that epidemiology of T . gondii infection in people with alcohol consumption deserves further investigation.