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Seroprevalence and sources of Toxoplasma infection among indigenous and immigrant pregnant women in Taiwan

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Abstract

Investigation on seroprevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infections among indigenous and immigrant pregnant women in Mid-Taiwan showed that anti Taxoplasma-specific IgG antibody counts were significantly higher in indigenes (40.6%) than in immigrants (18.2%), with an odds ratio of OR = 3.34 (95% CI: 1.93–4.80). The titre of Taxoplasma-specific IgG was also significantly higher in indigenes than in immigrants (P < 0.001). Differences of living styles for Toxoplasma infection between the two groups were drinking untreated water (OR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.36–4.02), consumption of raw/undercooked meats (OR = 10.11 95% CI: 4.92–20.78), especially raw/undercooked pork (P = 0.000), or raw/undercooked viscera (OR = 9.16, 95% CI: 2.97–27.94), contact with cats (OR = 5.69, 95% CI: 2.83–11.47), or soil (OR = 2.55 95% CI: 1.72–3.80). Differences of risk factors for Toxoplasma infection in terms of positive IgG in the two groups were consumption of raw/undercooked meats (P = 0.005) especially raw/undercooked pork (P = 0.004), and contact with cats (P = 0.013) or soil (P = 0.028). It is concluded that seroprevalence of Toxoplasma infection is higher in indigenous pregnant women and related to their living styles. To prevent congenital toxoplasmosis, health education seems required.

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Acknowledgment

This project was supported by a grant from Centre for Disease Control, Taiwan, ROC (DOH92-DC-1054).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, 70 Lien-Hai Road, 804 Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Shiping He

  2. Department of Parasitology, China Medical University School of Medicine, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Ya-Ling Lin & Hsiu-Maan Kuo

  3. Department of Epidemiology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Yen-Shun Liao

  4. Health Bureau, Nantou County Government, Nantou, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Long-Ren Liao

  5. Department of Social Medicine, China Medical University School of Medicine, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Fei-Na Chen

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  1. Ya-Ling Lin
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  2. Yen-Shun Liao
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  3. Long-Ren Liao
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Correspondence to Shiping He.

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Lin, YL., Liao, YS., Liao, LR. et al. Seroprevalence and sources of Toxoplasma infection among indigenous and immigrant pregnant women in Taiwan. Parasitol Res 103, 67–74 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-008-0928-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-008-0928-1

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