Serologic and molecular detection of toxoplasmosis among blood donors and haemato-oncology patients in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

• Main Author: Jati, Aisha Khodijah Kholib
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: R Medicine
• Online Access: http://eprints.usm.my/48041/1/46.%20AISHA%20KHODIJAH%20BINTI%20KHOLIB%20JATI%20-FINAL%20THESIS%20P-SGM002117%28R%29%20PWD_24%20pages.pdf; http://eprints.usm.my/48041/
• Institution: Universiti Sains Malaysia

Toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii and it has been highlighted as a public health concern, as one-third of the world population has been infected. Its transmission from blood donors to receiving immunocompromised patients has become a concern. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of toxoplasmosis among blood donors and haemato-oncology patients in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. A total of 56 blood donors and 56 haemato-oncology patients were screened by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anti- T. gondii immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies. Samples that were positive for T. gondii IgG and IgM were further tested for IgG avidity using ELISA. All extracted deoxyribonucleic acids (DNAs) from whole blood samples were analyzed for the presence of the Toxoplasma B1 gene and the ITS-1 region by PCR. The socio-demographic data and behavioral characteristics of donors and patients were analyzed using statistical analysis. Out of 56 blood donors, 23 (41.07%) donors were IgG+/IgM-, and 2 (3.57%) donors were IgG+/IgM+ with one of the donors having a high avidity index indicating as past infection for more than 20 weeks and the other with a low avidity index indicating as recent infection within 20 weeks. Meanwhile, 28 (50%) of hemato-oncology patients were seropositive for T. gondii antibodies, where 27 (48.21%) patients were IgG+/IgM- and one patient (1.79%) was IgG+/IgM+ with high avidity index. None of the samples (donors and patients) tested positive for the presence of the Toxoplasma B1 gene and ITS-1 region. Pearson Chi Square analysis and Fisher Exact Test showed that only employment status was significantly associated with Toxoplasma seropositivity rate for blood donors’ population. However, for haemato-oncology patients none of sociodemographic factors and behavioral characteristics showed a significant association with Toxoplasma seropositivity rate. As for the conclusion, blood donors have been exposed to T. gondii infection, but currently, the parasites have been destroyed by the immune system or could reside in other tissues. Thus, blood is considered safe for transfusion. Meanwhile, hemato-oncology patients might have been exposed to T. gondii infection, and the parasites may reside in other tissues if patients' immune systems did not destroy it. Therefore, they have a higher risk of reactivation of infection.