Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is one of the most common and widespread protozoan parasite which caused toxoplasma infection in animals and humans. Toxoplasma infection in healthy people is usually asymptomatic and it can lead to serious pathological effects in congenital cases and immunodeficient patients. The aim of the study is to investigate the prevalence of T. gondii infection in native Tibetans in Tibet as scarce information is available on such a high plateau. A total of 600 blood samples were collected from Tibetans people who visited the hospital in Nyingchi city with the history of flu, swollen lymph glands, muscle pain, and neurological or eyes complications (showing single or more signs). The serum of collected samples were tested for IgG antibody by ELISA. The result showed that the prevalence in men and women were 11.3% and 11.0%, respectively, the prevalence in different ages were 9.8% in < 7 years, 6.2% in ≥7–17 years, 10.1% in ≥18–40 years, 14.8% in ≥41–65 years and 11.6% in ≥66 years. The current study indicates the first report of this zoonotic parasite infection in Tibetan people.
Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by Key Science Fund of Science and Technology Agency of Tibet Autonomous Region and projects in the National Science & Technology Pillar Program during the 12thFive-year Plan Period (2012BAD3B03).
References
Daryani A., Sarvi S., Aarabi M., Mizani A., Ahmadpour E., Shokri A., et al. 2014. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in the Iranian general population: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Acta Tropica, 137, 185–194. 10.1016/j.actatropica.2014.05.015Search in Google Scholar PubMed
Fallahi S.H., Kazemi B., Seyyed Tabaei S.J., Bandehpour M., Lasjerdi Z., Taghipour N., et al. 2014. Comparison of the RE and B1 gene for detection of Toxoplasma gondii infection in children with cancer. Parasitology International, 63, 37–41. 10.1016/j.parint.2013.08.005Search in Google Scholar PubMed
Fayer R., Dubey J.P., Lindsay D.S. 2004. Zoonotic protozoa: from land to sea. Trends in Parasitology, 20, 531–536. 10.1016/j.pt.2004.08.008Search in Google Scholar PubMed
Feitosa T.F., Vilela V.L.R., Bezerra de Melo L.R., Leite de Almeida Neto J., Vagner de Oliveira Souto D., Firmino de Morais D., Athayde A.C.R., Azevedo S.S., tima de Jesus Pena H.F. 2014. Veterinary Parasitology, 202, 305–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.03.01510.1016/j.vetpar.2014.03.015Search in Google Scholar PubMed
Gajewski P.D., Falkenstein M., Hengstler J.G., Golka K. 2014. Asymptomatic infection with Toxoplasma gondii impairs memory in people 65 years and older. Toxicology Letters, 229, S242. 10.1016/j.toxlet.2014.06.806Search in Google Scholar
Jiang H.H., Zhang W.B., Zhao L., Zhou D.H., Song H.Q., Xu C.M., et al. 2014. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pigs in Jiangxi Province, Southeastern China. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, 11, 362–365. 10.1089/fpd.2013.1686Search in Google Scholar PubMed
Li H.L., Dong L., Li Q., Zhang L., Chen J., Zou F.C., Zhu X.Q. 2015. Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Bai and Han ethnic groups in southwestern China. Epidemiology & Infection, 143, 881–886. 10.1017/S0950268814001551Search in Google Scholar PubMed
Li K., Gao J.F., Shahzad M., Han Z.Q., Nabi F., Liu M.Y., et al. 2014. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in yaks (Bos grunniens) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau of China. Veterinary Parasitology, 205, 354–356. 10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.07.014Search in Google Scholar PubMed
Li R., Li K., Wang X., Luo H., Qiu G., Zhang H., et al. 2017. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Tibetan pigs in Nyingchi, Tibet, China. Pakistan Journal Of Zoology, 49, 383–385. http://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjz/2017.49.1.sc910.17582/journal.pjz/2017.49.1.sc9Search in Google Scholar
Song Q.J., Sun X.M., Ji Y.S., Yan X.L., Zou J., Zhao S.Y., et al. 2016. In vitro observation of the stage conversion of transgenic Toxoplasma gondii RH strain expressing dual fluorescent proteins. Acta Parasitologica, 61, 456–460. 10.1515/ap-2016-0061Search in Google Scholar PubMed
Tenter A.M. 2009. Toxoplasma gondii in animals used for human consumption. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 104, 364–369. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0074-0276200900020003310.1590/S0074-02762009000200033Search in Google Scholar PubMed
Wang M., Wang Y., Ye Q., Meng P., Yin H. Zhang D. 2012. Serological survey of Toxoplasma gondii in Tibetan mastiffs (Canis lupus familiaris) and yaks (Bos grunniens) in Qinghai, China. Parasites & Vectors, 5, 3. 10.1186/1756-3305-5-35Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central
Wedrychowicz H. 2015. Antiparasitic DNA vaccines in 21st century. Acta Parasitologica, 60, 179–189. 10.1515/ap-2015-0026Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central
Wu S.M., Ciren D., Huang S.Y., Xu M., Ga G., Yan C., et al. 2012. First Report of Toxoplasma gondii prevalence in Tibetan Pigs in Tibet, China. Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 12, 654–656. 10.1089/vbz.2012.0968Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central
Xiao Y., Yin J., Jiang N., Xiang M., Hao L., Lu H., et al. 2010. Seroepidemiology of human Toxoplasma gondii infection in China. BMC Infectious Diseases, 10, 4. 10.1186/1471-2334-10-4Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central
Xu L.Q., Chen Y.D., Sun F.H., Cai L., Fang Y.Y., Wang L.P., et al. 2005. A national survey on current status of the important parasitic diseases and control strategies. Chinese Journal Of Parasitology And Parasitic Diseases, 23, 332–340. (In Chinese)Search in Google Scholar
Yu S.H., Xu L.Q., Jiang Z.X., Xu S.H., Han J.J., Zhu Y.G., et al. 1994. Report on the first national wide survey of the distribution of human parasites in China I: Regional distribution of parasite species. Chinese Journal of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, 12, 241–247. (In Chinese)Search in Google Scholar
Zhang X.X., Lou Z.Z., Huang S.Y., Zhou D.D., Jia W.Z., Su C.L., Zhu X.Q. 2013. Genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from Qinghai vole, Plateau pika and Tibetan groundtit on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. Parasites & Vectors, 6, 291. 10.1186/1756-3305-6-291Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central
Zhou P., Chen Z.G., Li H.L., Zheng H.H., He S.Y., Lin R.Q., Zhu X.Q. 2011. Toxoplasma gondii infection in humans in China. Parasites & Vectors, 4, 165. 10.1186/1756-3305-4-165Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central
Zhang Y., Cong W., Li Z., Bi X., Xian Y., Wang Y., et al. 2015. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in patients of intensive care unit in china: a hospital based study. BioMed Research International 2015, 908217 http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/90821710.1155/2015/908217Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central
© 2017 W. Stefański Institute of Parasitology, PAS
