Seroepidemiology of infection with Toxoplasma gondii in healthy blood donors of Durango, Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection in blood donors could represent a risk for transmission in blood recipients. There is scarce information about the epidemiology of T. gondii infection in blood donors in Mexico. Therefore, we sought to determine the prevalence of T. gondii infection and associated socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics in a population of healthy blood donors of Durango City, Mexico. METHODS: Four hundred and thirty two blood donors in two public blood banks of Durango City, Mexico were examined for T. gondii infection between August to September 2006. Blood donors were tested for anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies by using enzyme-linked immunoassays (Diagnostic Automation Inc., Calabasas, CA, USA). Socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics from each participant were also obtained. RESULTS: Thirty two (7.4%) of 432 blood donors had IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies. Eight (1.9%) of them had also IgM anti-T. gondii antibodies. Multivariate analysis using logic regression showed that T. gondii infection was associated with the presence of cats at home (adjusted OR = 3.81; 95% CI: 1.45-10.01). The age group of 45-60 years showed a significantly higher frequency of T. gondii infection than the group of 25-34 years (p = 0.02). Blood donors without education had a significantly higher frequency of infection (15.8%) than those with 13-19 years of education (4.5%) (p = 0.04). Other characteristics of blood donors including male gender, consumption of undercooked meat or blood transfusion did not show an association with infection. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of T. gondii infection in healthy blood donors of Durango City, Mexico is lower than those reported in blood donors of south and central Mexico, and is one of the lowest reported in blood donors worldwide. T. gondii infection in our blood donors was most likely acquired by contact with cats. Prevalence of infection increased with age and decreased with educational level.

[Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in patients suffering from acute and chronic liver disease in three public hospitals in Durango, Mexico]. / Prevalencia de infección por el virus de la hepatitis B en pacientes con enfermedad hepática aguda y crónica de tres hospitales públicos de Durango, México.

OBJECTIVE: We carried out an observational, descriptive, and retrospective epidemiological study in order to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) in patients with acute and chronic liver disease in three public hospitals of Durango, Mexico. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty five adult patients were included in the study. Fifty eight (89%) were inpatients and 7 were outpatients. Twenty three patients suffered from acute hepatitis, 10 chronic hepatitis, 29 liver cirrhosis, 2 hepatocellular carcinoma, and I fulminant hepatitis. A questionnaire was administered to all participants that included sociodemographic and epidemiological data. In addition, serum samples were analyzed for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by an immunoassay (A UZYME Monoclonal), manufactured by ABBOTT Diagnostics (North Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: Out of the 65 patients, 2 (3%) were positive for HBsAg. Of the two positive cases, one had chronic hepatitis and other liver cirrhosis. Both positive cases had histories of blood transfusion, surgery, and alcohol abuse. In addition, one of them had a history of acupuncture. Previous traveling (within Mexico, abroad or both) was more frequently observed in HBsAg positive patients than in HBsAg negative patients (p <0.05). CONCLUSION: We concluded that the prevalence of HBV infection in patients with liver disease in the city of Durango is low. This prevalence is comparable or lower than the one reported in other Mexican cities, and lower than other countries.

Hepatitis B virus infection among inpatients of a psychiatric hospital of Mexico.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in psychiatric patients from developing countries is poorly studied. Therefore, we sought to determine the frequency of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV surface antibody (HBsAb) serological markers of HBV infection in a population of patients of a psychiatric hospital in Durango City, Durango, Mexico, and to determine whether there are any epidemiological characteristics of the subjects associated with the infection. METHODS: Out of 150 patients of the psychiatric hospital of Durango City, 99 were examined for HBsAg and HBsAb by AUSZYME MONOCLONAL (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL, USA) assay and AUSAB (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL, USA) assay, respectively. Epidemiological data from each participant was also obtained. For comparison purposes, 2505 blood donors were examined for HBsAg seropositivity. RESULTS: Out of the 99 patients studied, twelve showed serological evidence of HBV infection (12.1%); 7 of them (7.1%) were positive for HBsAg, and 5 (5.1%) were positive for HBsAb. Out of the 2505 blood donors, 2 (0.0008%) were HBsAg positive. Seropositivity to HBV markers was associated with an age of 45 years and older (OR = 4.27; 95%CI = 1.02-18.78). Other characteristics as gender, number of hospitalizations, duration of the last hospitalization, and clinical diagnosis were not associated with seropositivity to HBV infection markers. Patients showed a significantly higher HBsAg seropositivity than blood donors (p < 0.0000001). CONCLUSION: HBV was found to be an important infectious agent in the Mexican psychiatric inpatient population studied. Health care strategies for prevention and control of HBV infection in psychiatric hospitals should pay special attention to patients aged forty-five years and older.

Toxoplasma gondii infection and liver disease: a case-control study in a northern Mexican population.

BACKGROUND: Infection with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii may cause liver disease. However, the impact of the infection in patients suffering from liver disease is unknown. Therefore, through a case-control study design, 75 adult liver disease patients attending a public hospital in Durango City, Mexico, and 150 controls from the general population of the same region matched by gender, age, and residence were examined with enzyme-linked immunoassays for the presence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and anti-Toxoplasma IgM antibodies. Socio-demographic, clinical and behavioral characteristics from the study subjects were obtained. RESULTS: Seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies and IgG titers did not differ significantly in patients (10/75; 13.3%) and controls (16/150; 10.7%). Two (2.7%) patients and 5 (3.3%) controls had anti-Toxoplasma IgM antibodies (P = 0.57). Seropositivity to Toxoplasma did not show any association with the diagnosis of liver disease. In contrast, seropositivity to Toxoplasma in patients was associated with consumption of venison and quail meat. Toxoplasma seropositivity was more frequent in patients with reflex impairment (27.8%) than in patients without this impairment (8.8%) (P = 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that Toxoplasma seropositivity in patients was associated with consumption of sheep meat (OR = 8.69; 95% CI: 1.02-73.71; P = 0.04) and rabbit meat (OR = 4.61; 95% CI: 1.06-19.98; P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Seropositivity to Toxoplasma was comparable among liver disease patients and controls. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to elucidate the association of Toxoplasma with liver disease. Consumption of venison, and rabbit, sheep, and quail meats may warrant further investigation.

Prevalencia de infección por el virus de la hepatitis B en pacientes con enfermedad hepática aguda y crónica de tres hospitales públicos de Durango, México / Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in patients suffering from acute and chronic liver disease in three public hospitals in Durango, Mexico

Objetivo. Mediante un estudio epidemiológico observacional, descriptivo y retrospectivo determinamos la prevalencia de infección por el virus de la hepatitis B (VHB) en pacientes con enfermedad hepática aguda y crónica en tres hospitales públicos de Durango, México. Material y métodos. Sesenta y cinco pacientes adultos fueron incluidos en el estudio; 58 pacientes (89%) estaban hospitalizados y 7 (11%) fueron captados en la consulta externa. Veintitrés de ellos sufrían hepatitis aguda, 10 hepatitis crónica, 29 cirrosis hepática, 2 carcinoma hepatocelular y 1 hepatitis fulminante. Se aplicó a todos los pacientes un cuestionario para obtener datos sociodemográficos y epidemiológicos importantes. Sus sueros fueron analizados para detectar el antígeno de superficie del virus de la hepatitis B (HBsAg) mediante un ensayo inmunoenzimático (AUZYME Monoclonal) fabricado por ABBOTT Diagnostics (North Chicago, IL, EUA). Resultados. Dos (3%) de los 65 pacientes estudiados resultaron positivos para el HBsAg, uno de ellos tenía hepatitis crónica y el otro cirrosis. Ambos casos positivos tenían antecedentes de transfusiones sanguíneas, cirugías y alcoholismo. Además, uno de ellos tenía antecedente de acupuntura. El antecedente de viajes nacionales, al extranjero o ambos fue más frecuentemente observado en pacientes positivos al HBsAg que en los pacientes negativos a este marcador (p<0.05). Conclusiones. La prevalencia de infección por el VHB en pacientes con enfermedad hepática de la ciudad de Durango es baja. Esta prevalencia es comparable o más baja que las reportadas en otras ciudades de México, y más baja que las reportadas en otros países.

OBJECTIVE: We carried out an observational, descriptive, and retrospective epidemiological study in order to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) in patients with acute and chronic liver disease in three public hospitals of Durango, Mexico. MATHERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty five adult patients were included in the study. Fifty eight (89%) were inpatients and 7 were outpatients. Twenty three patients suffered from acute hepatitis, 10 chronic hepatitis, 29 liver cirrhosis, 2 hepatocellular carcinoma, and I fulminant hepatitis. A questionnaire was administered to all participants that included sociodemographic and epidemiological data. In addition, serum samples were analyzed for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by an immunoassay (A UZYME Monoclonal), manufactured by ABBOTT Diagnostics (North Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: Out of the 65 patients, 2 (3%) were positive for HBsAg. Of the two positive cases, one had chronic hepatitis and other liver cirrhosis. Both positive cases had histories of blood transfusion, surgery, and alcohol abuse. In addition, one of them had a history of acupuncture. Previous traveling (within Mexico, abroad or both) was more frequently observed in HBsAg positive patients than in HBsAg negative patients (p <0.05). CONCLUSION: We concluded that the prevalence of HBV infection in patients with liver disease in the city of Durango is low. This prevalence is comparable or lower than the one reported in other Mexican cities, and lower than other countries.