Prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii among blood donors in Abha, Asir Region, south-western Saudi Arabia. 1994

O M Al-Amari
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.

One thousand samples of sera from healthy blood donors in the Asir Central Hospital, a tertiary facility in the Southwestern part of Saudi Arabia, were screened for Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies by the Indirect Haemagglutination Antibody (IHA) test. A prevalence of 52.1% was found. Seropositivity increased with age. The Geometric Mean Titre (GMT) of IHA antibodies was 596.7. While the prevalence increased with age, the GMT declined in the higher age groups. Three hundred sixty six of these sera were also tested for specific IgM titres by micro ELISA technique and 4.1% were found positive, indicating possible acute or recent infection. These serological studies indicate a higher prevalence of toxoplasmosis among healthy blood donors in the Asir region compared to earlier seroprevalence studies in other areas of Saudi Arabia. The high frequency in antibody titres might be due to differences in climatic conditions, culinary habits and exposure to the sources of infection. In view of these findings, it is felt that when considering blood transfusion for a special group of patients (i.e. immunocompromised or immunosuppressed), it would be wise to exclude those with evidence of previous exposure to T. gondii.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D001782 Blood Donors Individuals supplying blood or blood components for transfer to histocompatible recipients. Blood Donor,Donor, Blood,Donors, Blood
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000367 Age Factors Age as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or the effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from AGING, a physiological process, and TIME FACTORS which refers only to the passage of time. Age Reporting,Age Factor,Factor, Age,Factors, Age
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000913 Antibodies, Protozoan Immunoglobulins produced in a response to PROTOZOAN ANTIGENS. Protozoan Antibodies
D012529 Saudi Arabia A country located in the Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen. The capital is Riyadh. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
D014122 Toxoplasma A genus of protozoa parasitic to birds and mammals. T. gondii is one of the most common infectious pathogenic animal parasites of man. Toxoplasma gondii,Toxoplasma gondius,Toxoplasmas,gondius, Toxoplasma
D014123 Toxoplasmosis The acquired form of infection by Toxoplasma gondii in animals and man. Toxoplasma gondii Infection,Infection, Toxoplasma gondii

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