Department of Physiology, Neurophysiology Laboratory, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
Parasit Vectors. 2013 Oct 11;6(1):294. doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-294.
The prevalence of toxoplasmosis in the general population of Guadalajara, Mexico, is around 32%. Toxoplasmosis can cause ocular lesions and slowing of reaction reflexes. Latent toxoplasmosis has been related with traffic accidents. We aimed to assess the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and visual impairments related with traffic accidents in drivers from the metropolitan Guadalajara.
We prospectively evaluated the prevalence of IgG and IgM anti-T. gondii antibodies in 159 individuals involved in traffic accidents, and in 164 control drivers never involved in accidents. Cases of toxoplasmosis reactivation or acute infection were detected by PCR in a subset of 71 drivers studied for the presence of T. gondii DNA in blood samples. Ophthalmologic examinations were performed in drivers with IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies in search of ocular toxoplasmosis.
Fifty-four (34%) traffic accident drivers and 59 (36%) controls were positive to IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies (p = 0.70). Among the 113 seropositive participants, mean anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies titers were higher in traffic accident drivers than in controls (237.9 ± 308.5 IU/ml vs. 122.9 ± 112.7 IU/ml, respectively; p = 0.01 by Student's t test, p = 0.037 by Mann-Whitney U test). In multivariate analyses, anti-T. gondii IgG antibody titers were consistently associated with an increased risk of traffic accidents, whereas age showed an inverse association. The presence of IgM-anti-T. gondii antibodies was found in three (1.9%) subjects among traffic accident drives, and in two (1.2%) controls. Three (4.2%) samples were positive for the presence of T. gondii DNA, all among seropositive individuals. No signs of ocular toxoplasmosis were found in the entire cohort. Moreover, no other ocular conditions were found to be associated with the risk of traffic accidents in a multivariate analysis.
Anti-T. gondii antibody titers are associated with the risk of traffic accidents. We could not determine any association of ocular toxoplasmosis with traffic accidents. Our results warrant further analyses in order to clarify the link between toxoplasmosis and traffic accidents.
在墨西哥瓜达拉哈拉的普通人群中，弓形体病的患病率约为 32%。弓形体病可导致眼部病变和反应反射减慢。潜伏性弓形体病与交通事故有关。我们旨在评估大都市瓜达拉哈拉的驾驶员中抗弓形体抗体的流行率以及与交通事故相关的视力障碍。
我们前瞻性评估了 159 名参与交通事故的个体以及 164 名从未发生过事故的对照组驾驶员中 IgG 和 IgM 抗弓形体抗体的流行率。通过 PCR 在亚组 71 名驾驶员中检测到弓形体病再激活或急性感染的病例，以检测血液样本中弓形体 DNA 的存在。对 IgG 抗弓形体抗体阳性的驾驶员进行眼科检查，以寻找眼部弓形体病。
54 名（34%）交通事故驾驶员和 59 名（36%）对照组驾驶员 IgG 抗弓形体抗体阳性（p = 0.70）。在 113 名血清阳性参与者中，交通事故驾驶员的平均抗弓形体 IgG 抗体滴度高于对照组（分别为 237.9 ± 308.5 IU/ml 和 122.9 ± 112.7 IU/ml；p = 0.01 时 Student's t 检验，p = 0.037 时 Mann-Whitney U 检验）。在多变量分析中，抗弓形体 IgG 抗体滴度与交通事故风险增加相关，而年龄则呈负相关。在交通事故驾驶员中发现 3 名（1.9%）和 2 名（1.2%）对照组中存在 IgM-抗弓形体抗体。在所有血清阳性个体中，有 3 个样本（4.2%）检测到弓形体 DNA 阳性。在整个队列中均未发现眼部弓形体病的迹象。此外，在多变量分析中，未发现任何其他眼部疾病与交通事故风险相关。
抗弓形体抗体滴度与交通事故风险相关。我们无法确定眼部弓形体病与交通事故之间的任何关联。我们的结果需要进一步分析，以阐明弓形体病与交通事故之间的联系。
