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J Parasit Dis Diagn Ther 2017
Volume 2 Issue 3
Tropical Medicine 2017
Notes:
Page 48
September 7-8, 2017 | Edinburgh, Scotland
4
th
International Conference on
Tropical Medicine, Infectious Diseases & Public Health
PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS
OF
TOXOPLASMA GONDII
IN HIV/AIDS
PATIENTS; ACURRENT SITUATION IN
ALBANIA
Abazaj Erjona
a
, Dervishi Marjeta
a
, Petri Oltiana
a
, Hysaj Brunilda
a
, Ali Ela
a
,
Bino Silva
a
, Qyra Shpetim
a
, Meta Esmeralda
b
and Tanka Marjeta
b
a
Institute of Public Health, Albania
b
Hospital Center “Mother Theresa”, Albania
T
oxoplasma gondi
i is a single-celled parasite that causes the
disease known as toxoplasmosis. In immunosuppressed
(AIDS) patients, this infection can develop into fatal
toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE). The study aim was to
evaluate the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis and also to
identify risk factors associated with Toxo-seropositive
in immunosuppressed patients. A prospective human
serosurvey for toxoplasmosis was conducted at the HIV
clinic in the University Hospital Center “Mother Theresa”
from March 2010 to January 2017. Patients enrolled in the
antiretroviral (ARV) treatment programme were invited to
participate. Patient`s sera were analysed for anti-
T. gondii
IgG
and IgM antibodies by NovaLisa
Toxoplasma gondi
i ELISA
(from NovaTec, Germany). Results were analyzed with the
aid of the software SPSS 20.0. Confidence interval (CI) 95%
and adjusted odd ratio (OR) were calculated. The prevalence
of infection with T. Gondii varies from 3.93% for recently
aquired infection (anti-Toxo IgM) to 43.3% for past infection
(anti-Toxo IgG). The average age was 39.38±24.4 years with
min 18 tomaximum72 years old.Multivariate analysis showed
that gender difference (OR = 3.579, 95% CI [1.58 to 8.04]
p value =0.0021) and presence of cats in their house (OR =
6.11, 95% CI [2.70 to 13.80] p value < 0.0001) were the only
factors associated with
Toxoplasma gondi
i infection. The
seropsitivity of these infection HIV-infected patients were
very higher and could be at high risk of developing clinical
evidence of severe toxoplasmosis. So, the screening of this
community it is necessary to introduce primary behavioral
practices to prevent Toxoplasma infection among HIV-
infected patients.
Biography
Erjona Abazaj is currently working as a Biologist/Parasitologist in the Laboratory
of Parasitology, Institute of Public Health (IPH), Tirana, Albania where he has
continued his research. She has been Graduated from 2002 as Biologist,
with Diploma in Microbiology from the University of Tirana, Faculty of Natural
Science, Tirana, Albania. Later in 2005 she has completed her Master`s Degree
from the same faculty with subjects with gastrointestianl diseases and in 2009
she has completed her PhD with research focus centered on the recognition
of Toxoplasma gondii in the Albania population by using immunological and
molecular methods. Presently she is working at the at the University of Medicine
in Tirana, Albania as the lecturer.
abazajerjona@gmail.comAbazaj Erjona et al., J Parasit Dis Diagn Ther 2017