[Survey on infections among three types of populations in Wuxi City].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the seroprevalence of infections among patients with rheumatoid arthritis, malignant tumors and schizophrenia in Wuxi City, so as to provide data support for the control of toxoplasmosis in these patients.

METHODS

A total of 205 cases with definitive diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, 257 cases with definitive diagnosis of malignant tumors and 235 cases with definitive diagnosis of schizophrenia were recruited, while 250 healthy volunteers served as controls. The demographic features were captured from the study subjects and serum samples were collected. The serum IgG and IgM antibodies against were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in all study subjects, and the positive rates of anti-T. IgG and IgM antibodies were compared between the patients and controls.

RESULTS

The seroprevalence of the anti- IgG antibody was 20.98%, 24.12% and 24.68% in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, malignant tumors and schizophrenia, which were all significantly greater than in healthy controls ( = 31.54, 42.12 and 42.98, all values < 0.01), and the seroprevalence of the anti - IgM antibody was 1.46%, 2.72% and 1.70% among patients with rheumatoid arthritis, malignant tumors and schizophrenia, which were all significantly higher than in healthy controls ( = 0.06, 1.52 and 0.21, all values > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The patients with rheumatoid arthritis, malignant tumors and schizophrenia present with higher seroprevalence of the anti-T. IgG antibody than healthy controls in Wuxi regions. Screening of infections among the patients with rheumatoid arthritis, malignant tumors and schizophrenia should be intensified to prevent the damages caused by infections.