Toxoplasma gondii and Toxocara spp. Co-infection

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2008 Jan;78(1):35-39.

Toxoplasma gondii and Toxocara spp. Co-infection

Jones JL, Kruszon-Moran D, Won K, Wilson M, Schantz PM.

Division of Parasitic Diseases, National Center for Zoonotic, Vectorborne, and Enteric Diseases, Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland.

Toxoplasma gondii and Toxocara spp. infections can cause systemic and ocular disease. To estimate the prevalence of infection with these organisms, we tested serum samples from persons >/= 12 years of age obtained in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994). Among those tested for both T. gondii and Toxocara spp. (n = 16,646), the age-adjusted T. gondii antibody prevalence was 23.6% (95% confidence limit [CL] = 22.1-25.1%) and the Toxocara spp. antibody prevalence was 14.0% (95% CL = 12.7-15.4%). Multivariate analysis controlling demographic and risk factors showed that persons infected with Toxocara spp. were more likely to be infected with T. gondii (odds ratio [OR] = 1.93, 95% CL = 1.61-2.31), and similarly, persons infected with T. gondii were more likely to be infected with Toxocara spp. (OR = 1.91, 95% CL = 1.59-2.28). Infection with T. gondii and Toxocara spp. are common and can be prevented by many similar interventions.

PMID: 18187782 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]