SEROPREVALENCE OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII ANTIBODIES AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG CHILDREN IN LORESTAN PROVINCES, IRAN

Children due to their high hand-mouth activity, lack of hygiene standards in the consumption of food, water, fruits and vegetables and their immature immune systems are the most susceptible peoples to parasitic infections among all age groups. This cross-sectional study aims to determine the prevalence of IgM and IgG anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and the associated risk factors among the Children (5-15 yr Old) Referred to health centres of Lorestan province, Iran from August 2016 to March 2017 on 316 children. To determine the anti-T. gondii antibodies, all the serum samples were tested using the commercially available ELISA kit (Dia.Pro, Milano, Italy). Analyses were carried out according to the manufacturer's instructions. Out of the 316 children, 31 (9.8%) tested seropositive for anti-T. gondii antibodies; 24 (7.6%) children tested seropositive for IgG antibody, 1 (0.3%) tested seropositive for both IgM and IgG, and 6 (1.9%) were positive for IgM antibody alone. The results showed that some risk factors were significantly correlated to T. gondii seropositivity included age (P=0.005), living in rural areas (P=0.01) and consumption of undercooked or cured meat products (P<0.001). The findings of our study demonstrated a considerable seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in children in Lorestan province, Iran. Thus, proper strategies must be carried out to prevent and control T. gondii infection in children in this region. (C) 2017 Published by Future Academy www.FutureAcademy.org.UK