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SEROEPIDEMIOLOGY OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII INFECTION IN STUDENTS OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AND OTHER COURSES OF PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN RIO DE JANEIRO STATE, BRAZIL
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Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Toxoplasmose. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Toxoplasmose. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil / Universidade Federal Fluminense. Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia. Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Toxoplasmose. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil.
Universidade Federal Rural do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Departamento de Imunologia e Microbiologia Veterinária. Seropédica, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal Fluminense. Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia. Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Toxoplasmose. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Toxoplasmose. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil / Universidade Federal Fluminense. Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia. Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Toxoplasmose. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil.
Universidade Federal Rural do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Departamento de Imunologia e Microbiologia Veterinária. Seropédica, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal Fluminense. Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia. Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Toxoplasmose. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to estimate the serum prevalence of Toxoplasma infection in two groups of
university students: Veterinary Medicine (VM) and Other Courses (OC). Students from two public
universities in the state of Rio de Janeiro were investigated to identify risk habits and behaviors
for Toxoplasma gondii infection, and to guide primary prevention. All 839 students answered a
questionnaire about habits and behaviors (347 OC and 492 VM). A serum prevalence of 21.8% was
observed by indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) and ELISA. No statistically significant difference
was observed between students of the universities. Serum prevalence (IFA and ELISA IgG) was
16.1% in VM and 29.9% in OC. Six students were IgM seropositive, of which five were only
positive in ELISA and one was positive with both diagnostic techniques (ELISA and IFA). Among
those students, four were in the control group from UFF and one in each group from UFRRJ. The
prevalence of students seropositive for toxoplasmosis was low in both universities and the results
obtained suggest that veterinary students are probably not exposed to a higher risk than the general
population for acquiring toxoplasmosis. Age, contact with cats, consumption of undercooked or
raw meat, contact with campus soil and ignorance of prophylactic measures for toxoplasmosis were
positively associated with prevalence of infection by T. gondii.
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