Alvarado-Esquivel Cosme, Pacheco-Vega Sandy Janet, Hernández-Tinoco Jesús, Sánchez-Anguiano Luis Francisco, Berumen-Segovia Luis Omar, Rodríguez-Acevedo Francisco Javier Imard, Beristain-García Isabel, Rábago-Sánchez Elizabeth, Liesenfeld Oliver, Campillo-Ruiz Federico, Güereca-García Oscar Alberto
Biomedical Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, 34000 Durango, Dgo, Mexico.
Parasit Vectors. 2014 Jul 1;7:301. doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-301.
Very little is known about the seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in ethnic groups in Mexico. Huicholes are an indigenous ethnic group living in a remote mountainous region in Mexico. We sought to determine the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies in Huicholes; and to determine the association of Toxoplasma seropositivity with socio-demographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics of Huicholes.
We performed a cross sectional survey in Huicholes from September 2013 to January 2014. A convenience sampling method was used. We investigated the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies in 214 Huicholes using enzyme-linked immunoassays. A standardized questionnaire was used to obtain the characteristics of the Huicholes. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the association of Toxoplasma exposure and Huicholes' characteristics.
Of the 214 Huicholes studied (mean age: 37.98 ± 15.80 years), 71 (33.2%) were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies and 47 (66.2%) of them were also positive for anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies. Seroprevalence of T. gondii infection did not vary with age, sex, or occupation. However, seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies was significantly higher in female than in male Huicholes. Multivariate analysis of socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics showed that T. gondii exposure was associated with consumption of turkey meat (OR = 2.28; 95% CI: 1.16-4.46; P = 0.01). In addition, seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was significantly higher in Huicholes suffering from dizziness and memory impairment than those without such clinical characteristics.
Our results demonstrate serological evidence of T. gondii exposure among Huicholes which may be impacting their health. Results of this first study of T. gondii infection in Huicholes may be useful for the design of optimal preventive measures against infection with T. gondii.
对于墨西哥不同种族人群中弓形虫感染的血清流行病学情况，人们了解甚少。惠乔尔人是生活在墨西哥偏远山区的一个原住民种族。我们试图确定惠乔尔人中抗弓形虫IgG和IgM抗体的流行率；并确定弓形虫血清阳性与惠乔尔人的社会人口统计学、行为学及临床特征之间的关联。
2013年9月至2014年1月，我们对惠乔尔人进行了一项横断面调查。采用便利抽样方法。我们使用酶联免疫吸附测定法调查了214名惠乔尔人中抗弓形虫IgG和IgM抗体的流行率。使用标准化问卷获取惠乔尔人的特征。采用双变量和多变量分析评估弓形虫暴露与惠乔尔人特征之间的关联。
在研究的214名惠乔尔人（平均年龄：37.98±15.80岁）中，71人（33.2%）抗弓形虫IgG抗体呈阳性，其中47人（66.2%）抗弓形虫IgM抗体也呈阳性。弓形虫感染的血清流行率在年龄、性别或职业方面无差异。然而，惠乔尔女性中抗弓形虫IgM抗体的血清流行率显著高于男性。对社会人口统计学和行为特征的多变量分析表明，弓形虫暴露与火鸡肉消费有关（比值比=2.28；95%置信区间：1.16 - 4.46；P=0.01）。此外，患有头晕和记忆障碍的惠乔尔人中弓形虫感染的血清流行率显著高于无此类临床特征的人。
我们的结果证明了惠乔尔人中有弓形虫暴露的血清学证据，这可能正在影响他们的健康。这项关于惠乔尔人弓形虫感染的首次研究结果可能有助于设计针对弓形虫感染的最佳预防措施。
