de Amorim Garcia Carlos Alexandre, Oréfice Fernando, de Oliveira Lyra Clélia, Gomes Alexandre Bezerra, França Mardone, de Amorim Garcia Filho Carlos Alexandre
Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Rua Ceará Mirim, 316 Tirol, Natal/RN, Brazil.
Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2004 Oct;11(4):301-17. doi: 10.1080/09286580490515170.
To determine the prevalence of systemic and ocular toxoplasmosis among 1024 students in the city of Natal, Northeastern Brazil, and correlate it with demographic, socioeconomic and epidemiological risk factors.
The study population was randomly selected, asked to fill out a questionnaire, provide a blood sample for IgG and IgM (MEIA) serology and a hemogram, and undergo an eye examination.
The seroprevalence for IgG was 46% (95% CI = 42.9-49.2%) and that for IgM was 1.4% (95% CI = 0.8-2.4%). The prevalence of ocular lesions was 1.15% (95% CI = 0.6-2.0%). In the univariate analyses, confirmed by multivariate analysis, the socioeconomic conditions were determinants in the prevalence of systemic and ocular toxoplasmosis (mother's schooling = literacy/OR = 2.9 and p < 0.001).
The prevalence of systemic toxoplasmosis, although high, was lower than that found in studies performed in the South and Southeast of Brazil, and the incidence of ocular lesions was totally different, being lower by a factor varying from 5 to 17. Although important epidemiological variables, such as owning a cat, drinking unfiltered water or having had contact with lakes or rivers, were found to be correlated with toxoplasmosis in the preliminary analysis, they lost their influence when included in the logistic model. However, further studies must be undertaken to identify the reasons for these findings, including the determination of the strains of Toxoplasma gondii encountered in different regions of the country and the sources of the water utilized by these populations.
确定巴西东北部纳塔尔市1024名学生中全身和眼部弓形虫病的患病率，并将其与人口统计学、社会经济和流行病学风险因素相关联。
随机选取研究人群，要求其填写问卷，提供用于IgG和IgM（微粒子酶免疫分析）血清学检测的血样及血常规，并接受眼部检查。
IgG血清阳性率为46%（95%可信区间=42.9-49.2%），IgM血清阳性率为1.4%（95%可信区间=0.8-2.4%）。眼部病变患病率为1.15%（95%可信区间=0.6-2.0%）。在单因素分析中，并经多因素分析证实，社会经济状况是全身和眼部弓形虫病患病率的决定因素（母亲受教育程度=识字/比值比=2.9，p<0.001）。
全身弓形虫病患病率虽高，但低于在巴西南部和东南部进行的研究中所发现的患病率，且眼部病变发病率完全不同，低了5至17倍。尽管在初步分析中发现一些重要的流行病学变量，如养猫、饮用未过滤水或接触过湖泊或河流，与弓形虫病相关，但在纳入逻辑模型后它们失去了影响。然而，必须进行进一步研究以确定这些发现的原因，包括确定在该国不同地区遇到的弓形虫菌株以及这些人群所使用水源的来源。
