Immunology Service of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Graduate Program in Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Immunology Service of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Neurotoxicology. 2020 May;78:177-185. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2020.03.010. Epub 2020 Mar 19.
A chronic infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii was considered asymptomatic in immunologically healthy humans, but results from animal and epidemiological studies led to a reconsideration of this assumption. The objective of this study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection and its possible effects on the behavior of school-aged children in Bahia, Brazil. Serum anti-body determinations were performed by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Blood lead levels (BLL) were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). The evaluation of a child's behavior was assessed using the Child Behavior Check List (CBCL). Multivariate models applying logistic regression were used to test the association of chronic T. gondii infection and BLL with behavioral outcomes in children. Seroprevalence for anti-T. gondii IgG antibody was 43.7 % (95 %-CI: 35.8-51.9). Significant associations between chronic T. gondii infection and total behavioral problems (OR = 2.50; 95 %-CI: 1.06-5.88), internalizing spectrum problems (OR = 4.35; 95 %-CI: 1.11-17.14) and rule breaking (OR = 2.61; 95 %-CI: 1.12-6.05) were observed. A possible interaction between toxoplasmosis prevalence and lead exposure was detected. Children with above the median BLL and positive for IgG anti-T. gondii showed a 5.51-fold increase (95 %-CI: 1.75-17.38) in the chance of displaying disobedient behavior. The results suggest that T. gondii infection may be contributing to the high indices of behavioral changes. Moreover, these findings are the first evidence for a possible interaction between chronic T. gondii infection and elevated blood lead levels on children's neurobehavior.
刚地弓形虫引起的慢性感染在免疫健康的人类中被认为是无症状的，但动物和流行病学研究的结果促使人们重新考虑这一假设。本研究的目的是评估巴西巴伊亚州学龄儿童弓形虫感染的血清流行率及其对行为的可能影响。采用酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）检测血清抗体。采用石墨炉原子吸收光谱法（GFAAS）测量血铅水平（BLL）。采用儿童行为检查表（CBCL）评估儿童的行为。采用多变量模型中的逻辑回归检验慢性弓形虫感染和 BLL 与儿童行为结果之间的关联。抗弓形虫 IgG 抗体的血清阳性率为 43.7%（95%CI：35.8-51.9）。慢性弓形虫感染与总行为问题（OR=2.50；95%CI：1.06-5.88）、内化谱问题（OR=4.35；95%CI：1.11-17.14）和违规行为（OR=2.61；95%CI：1.12-6.05）之间存在显著关联。检测到弓形虫病流行率和铅暴露之间可能存在相互作用。BLL 高于中位数且 IgG 抗弓形虫阳性的儿童表现出不听话行为的几率增加了 5.51 倍（95%CI：1.75-17.38）。结果表明，弓形虫感染可能是导致行为改变高指数的原因之一。此外，这些发现是慢性弓形虫感染与儿童神经行为中血铅水平升高之间可能存在相互作用的首次证据。
