Korean J Parasitol.  2010 Mar;48(1):71-73. 10.3347/kjp.2010.48.1.71.

Seroprevalence and Incidence of Toxoplasma gondii among Apparently Healthy and Visually or Hearing Disabled Children in Taiz City, Yemen

• Saleh MM
• AL-Shamiri AH
• Qaed AA

• KMID: 1102790
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2010.48.1.71

Abstract

This cross sectional study was conducted in the city of Taiz, Yemen, during the period from August 2006 to August 2007 in order to investigate the seroprevalence and incidence of toxoplasmosis among apparently healthy children (AHC) and visually and/or hearing disabled children (DC). The seroprevalence was 16.0% among AHC compared to 32.5% among DC. The effect of gender was clear as the seroprevalence rate was significantly higher among females (18.3 and 43.8% for AHC and DC, respectively) than males (13.8 and 25% for AHC and DC, respectively). The seroprevalence was proportionally increased with the age, and the highest rates (20.9 and 53.0%) were reported among the oldest age group (> 10-14 years) for AHC and DC groups, respectively. The incidence rate was also higher (4.2%) in DC group compared to AHC group (2.4%) during 1 year period. These data indicate that the seroprevalence and incidence of toxoplasmosis are significantly higher in DC group than those of AHC group. We need to check further relationship between toxoplasmosis and visual and/or hearing disability.

Keyword

Toxoplasma gondii; seroprevalence; incidence; healthy; disabled; Yemen

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Age Factors
Animals
Child
Child, Preschool
Cross-Sectional Studies
Disabled Children
Female
*Hearing Impaired Persons
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Male
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Sex Factors
Toxoplasma/*isolation & purification
Toxoplasmosis/diagnosis/*epidemiology
Urban Population
*Visually Impaired Persons
Yemen/epidemiology