Toxoplasmosis an Overlooked Disease: Seroprevalence in Cancer Patients

Abstract

Background: Toxoplasmosis is one of the most important cosmopolitan life-threatening diseases in immunecompromised<br />patients. It is caused by an intracellular protozoon: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). The parasite can cause<br />pneumonia, encephalitis or disseminated disease in immune-deficient patients and dangerous congenital anomalies<br />in infants born to mothers infected during early pregnancies. The present study aims to evaluate the prevalence of<br />toxoplasmosis in Egyptian cancer patients and to correlate the prevalence with type of malignancy and the different<br />cancer treatment modalities. Materials and Methods: Blood samples from 150 cancer patients and 50 control subjects<br />have been examined for presence of anti-toxoplasma antibodies using a lateral flow chromatographic immunoassay.<br />Results: Among cancer patients included in this study, the prevalence of anti- T.gondii antibodies was 20% for IgG<br />and 4% for IgM, while in the control group it was 8% and 2% in the same order. This difference was statistically<br />significant for IgG (P =0.003) but not for IgM (P = 0.44). Patients with solid organ tumors treated with chemotherapy<br />had the highest prevalence rate of toxoplasmosis (28%). It was also found higher in males (26%) than females (10%)<br />and higher among urban (18%) than rural dwellers (16%). Conclusion: Cancer patients showed a significantly higher<br />rate of infection with T. gondii than their cross-matched control. For that reason, we recommend the inclusion of a<br />screening test for toxoplasmosis in their routine workup.