Waterborne toxoplasmosis investigated and analysed under hydrogeological assessment: new data and perspectives for further research

Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

Flávia Pereira Vieira¹  Maria Da Glória Alves¹  Livia Mattos Martins¹  Alba Lucínia Peixoto Rangel¹  Jitender Prakash Dubey¹  Dolores Hill¹  Lilian Maria Garcia Bahia-oliveira/¹ 

关键词: Toxoplasma gondii;    groundwater contamination;    oocysts;    hydrogeology;    TgERP;    geomedicine;   

DOI  :  10.1590/0074-02760150262

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

We present a set of data on human and chicken Toxoplasma gondiiseroprevalence that was investigated and analysed in light of groundwater vulnerability information in an area endemic for waterborne toxoplasmosis in Brazil. Hydrogeological assessment was undertaken to select sites for water collection from wells for T. gondii oocyst testing and for collecting blood from free-range chickens and humans for anti-T. gondiiserologic testing. Serologic testing of human specimens was done using conventional commercial tests and a sporozoite-specific embryogenesis-related protein (TgERP), which is able to differentiate whether infection resulted from tissue cysts or oocysts. Water specimens were negative for the presence of viable T. gondii oocysts. However, seroprevalence in free-range chickens was significantly associated with vulnerability of groundwater to surface contamination (p < 0.0001; odds ratio: 4.73, 95% confidence interval: 2.18-10.2). Surprisingly, a high prevalence of antibodies against TgERP was detected in human specimens, suggesting the possibility of a continuous contamination of drinking water with T. gondiioocysts in this endemic setting. These findings and the new proposed approach to investigate and analyse endemic toxoplasmosis in light of groundwater vulnerability information associated with prevalence in humans estimated by oocyst antigens recognition have implications for the potential role of hydrogeological assessment in researching waterborne toxoplasmosis at a global scale.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
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