1
|
Qamar W, Alsayeqh AF. A review of foodborne Toxoplasma gondii with a special focus on its prevalence in Pakistan from 2000 to 2022. Front Vet Sci 2023; 9:1080139. [PMID: 36744224 PMCID: PMC9890071 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1080139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Third-world countries have a higher prevalence of food-related disorders than developed nations. Millions of people in underdeveloped countries are seriously at risk from the potential water supply contamination with protozoan diseases. Toxoplasma gondii is one of the important protozoans causing diseases in livestock and humans. Despite the standard tests for diagnosing this parasite and different treatment methods, the spread of these parasites is uncontrollable and rising every year due to other management disorders. In this review, we summarize etiopathogenesis and prevalence in Pakistan. We looked for papers reporting the seroprevalence of T. gondii in people and animals between 2000 and 2022 in different databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science. Data on the seroprevalence of T. gondii in Pakistan's domestic animals (sheep and goats, horses, donkeys, mules, cattle, and buffaloes), domestic pets (cats and dogs), poultry and rodents, and humans were gathered. According to the findings, sheep had an estimated pooled seroprevalence of T. gondii that varied from 11.20 to 26.50 %, and goats from 24.50 to 38.40%. Whereas in buffalo the opposite trend was followed, and the prevalence was observed is 0% in 2022, in horses, donkeys, and mules, only one study was reported according to which a high prevalence was observed in mules (28.60%) followed by donkeys (23.50%) and horses (23.50%), in cats 38.5% prevalence was observed in a recent study and in dogs 28.43% observed, and in humans from 22 to 60%. Human beings are found to be the most affected species showing high prevalence among all. According to our findings, animals and pets not only serve as a reservoir for the parasite but also serve as a direct route for human infection with T. gondii. The diagnostic techniques used in the observed studies were mostly serological testing whereas only a few studies have only been observed with molecular testing. To know the exact pattern of the disease for its control, the trend of molecular and advanced testing should be adopted as it is more reliable. Moreover, to decrease the transmission chances of T. gondii to humans, it is crucial to manage T. gondii infections in non-human species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Warda Qamar
- Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Abdullah F. Alsayeqh
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Buraidah, Saudi Arabia,*Correspondence: Abdullah F. Alsayeqh ✉
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Khan W, Rahman HU, Fadladdin YAJ, Rafiq N, Naz R, De los Rios-Escalante PR, Ahmad S, Alrobaish SA, Al-Sowayan NS. Toxoplasmosis-Awareness and Knowledge of Pregnant Women in Rural Areas of Malakand Region, Pakistan. J Parasitol Res 2023; 2023:4603066. [PMID: 37213244 PMCID: PMC10199801 DOI: 10.1155/2023/4603066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The current study was carried out between October 2017 and October 2018 to explore knowledge, attitudes, practices, and information sources regarding toxoplasmosis among pregnant women in Malakand region, the northwestern part of Pakistan. The current study was carried out between October 2017 and October 2018. Methods A structured questionnaire was used to interview the women after taking verbal informed consent. Graphpad version 5 was used to indicate the differences. Significant was considered as a P-value of less than 0.05. This study revealed poor knowledge regarding toxoplasmosis. Results Overall, 31.2% of the respondents showed good knowledge, and 39.2% showed moderate knowledge. On the other hand, 29.5% of the participants showed poor knowledge about toxoplasmosis. The average knowledge score of pregnant women was 79 ± 12.2, which is considered to be within the scale of good knowledge. Number of children within the pregnant multipara women was significantly associated with knowledge about toxoplasmosis. Pregnant women who measured in number of childbirths within a women showed the highest mean score of 42.3 ± 13.3 with 57 (44.8%) displaying a good knowledge level. Pregnant women with more than one child had significantly higher (<0.0001) knowledge scores compared to women with one child or none child. The majority of pregnant women with one child used the social media, followed by mass media as sources of information about toxoplasmosis. Scientific sources of information were used more commonly by pregnant women with none of the child birth. Conclusion Pregnant women knowledge regarding toxoplasmosis was poor as compared to attitudes and practices. Health workers and newspapers/magazines were the main sources of information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wali Khan
- Department of Zoology, University of Malakand, Lower Dir, Pakistan
| | - Hafeez ur Rahman
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan
| | | | - Naseem Rafiq
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Robi Naz
- Department of Zoology, University of Malakand, Lower Dir, Pakistan
| | - Patricio R. De los Rios-Escalante
- Universidad Catolica de Temuco, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Departmento de Ciancias Biologicas Quimicas Casella 15-D, Temuco, Chile
- Núcleo de Estudios Ambientales UC Temuco, Casilla, Temuco, Chile
| | - Shabir Ahmad
- Department of Zoology, Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Shoukat T, Awan UA, Mahmood T, Afzal MS, Wasif S, Ahmed H, Cao J. Epidemiology of Toxoplasmosis among the Pakistani Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11060675. [PMID: 35745528 PMCID: PMC9227424 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11060675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular obligate parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic infection that affects warm-blooded animals and humans worldwide. To comprehensively characterize the disease condition in Pakistan for future reference, we ascertained the prevalence of Toxoplasma infection and predisposing factors in the Pakistani population over a 20-year period. We systematically reviewed research articles published in English (2000−2020) from PubMed and Google Scholar. The search results 26 publications involving 10,924 people and 2611 seropositive cases. The toxoplasmosis seropositivity rate was higher in women (25.44%) as compared to men (21.48%) and were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Furthermore, seropositivity was high among people with direct contact with cats, who consumed uncooked meat and raw vegetables, had poor education, and lived in rural areas. The 35−65-year age group had the highest prevalence rate of T. gondii infection. Toxoplasma infection was significantly more prevalent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (25.87%) than in Punjab (20.42%) (p < 0.001). This is the first comprehensive analysis of T. gondii infection epidemiology in Pakistan. It reveals a high frequency of infection among women. We strongly encourage further research to aid patient care and the development of more efficient diagnostic tests and preventative techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tehniat Shoukat
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad 45550, Pakistan;
| | - Usman Ayub Awan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22620, Pakistan;
| | - Tahir Mahmood
- Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, College of Computing and Mathematics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia;
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Smart Mobility & Logistics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Sohail Afzal
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Science, University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore 54770, Pakistan;
| | - Samia Wasif
- Department of Humanities, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad 45550, Pakistan;
| | - Haroon Ahmed
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad 45550, Pakistan;
- Correspondence: (H.A.); (J.C.)
| | - Jianping Cao
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), Shanghai 200025, China
- Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, Shanghai 200025, China
- WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai 200025, China
- The School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Correspondence: (H.A.); (J.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Maqsood T, Shahzad K, Naz S, Simsek S, Afzal MS, Ali S, Ahmed H, Cao J. A Cross-Sectional Study on the Association Between Risk Factors of Toxoplasmosis and One Health Knowledge in Pakistan. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:751130. [PMID: 34869724 PMCID: PMC8637412 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.751130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan that infects warm-blooded animals and humans. Approximately one third of the global population is infected by T. gondii. We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the risk factors and One Health knowledge of toxoplasmosis in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. From July through December 2020, we collected data using questionnaires. The results showed that 60% of participants had heard or read about the disease, 23.3% of participants had no knowledge about the disease, and 16.8% participants were not sure about the disease. More than half of the participants (53.3%) reported that toxoplasmosis was caused by toxins, 5.3% reported that toxoplasmosis was an animal disease, 13.8% reported that toxoplasmosis was a human disease, 65.8% reported that it was both an animal and human disease, and 15.3% reported that it was neither an animal nor a human disease. Approximately 80.5% of participants reported that individuals acquired toxoplasmosis by changing cat litter. Our study findings revealed a low level of knowledge and awareness about toxoplasmosis among males. Therefore, there should be awareness programs to educate individuals about the risks of this deadly disease and to provide information on the major routes of transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tooba Maqsood
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Khuram Shahzad
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Shumaila Naz
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Sami Simsek
- Department of Parasitology, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Muhammad Sohail Afzal
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Shahzad Ali
- Department of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Haroon Ahmed
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Jianping Cao
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health Commission of People's Republic of China, Shanghai, China.,World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China.,The School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Loizidou EM, Kucherenko A, Tatarskyy P, Chernushyn S, Livshyts G, Gulkovskyi R, Vorobiova I, Antipkin Y, Gorodna O, Kaakinen MA, Prokopenko I, Livshits L. Risk of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss in the Ukrainian Population Using a Combined Effect of Genetic Variants: A Case-Control Study. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:64. [PMID: 33466305 PMCID: PMC7824779 DOI: 10.3390/genes12010064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
We assessed the predictive ability of a combined genetic variant panel for the risk of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) through a case-control study. Our study sample was from Ukraine and included 114 cases with idiopathic RPL and 106 controls without any pregnancy losses/complications and with at least one healthy child. We genotyped variants within 12 genetic loci reflecting the main biological pathways involved in pregnancy maintenance: blood coagulation (F2, F5, F7, GP1A), hormonal regulation (ESR1, ADRB2), endometrium and placental function (ENOS, ACE), folate metabolism (MTHFR) and inflammatory response (IL6, IL8, IL10). We showed that a genetic risk score (GRS) calculated from the 12 variants was associated with an increased risk of RPL (odds ratio 1.56, 95% CI: 1.21, 2.04, p = 8.7 × 10-4). The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis resulted in an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.64 (95% CI: 0.57, 0.72), indicating an improved ability of the GRS to classify women with and without RPL. Ιmplementation of the GRS approach can help define women at higher risk of complex multifactorial conditions such as RPL. Future well-powered genome-wide association studies will help in dissecting biological pathways previously unknown for RPL and further improve the identification of women with RPL susceptibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleni M. Loizidou
- Section of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK; (E.M.L.); (M.A.K.)
| | - Anastasia Kucherenko
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics NAS, 03143 Kiev, Ukraine; (A.K.); (P.T.); (S.C.); (G.L.); (R.G.); (O.G.)
| | - Pavlo Tatarskyy
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics NAS, 03143 Kiev, Ukraine; (A.K.); (P.T.); (S.C.); (G.L.); (R.G.); (O.G.)
| | - Sergey Chernushyn
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics NAS, 03143 Kiev, Ukraine; (A.K.); (P.T.); (S.C.); (G.L.); (R.G.); (O.G.)
| | - Ganna Livshyts
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics NAS, 03143 Kiev, Ukraine; (A.K.); (P.T.); (S.C.); (G.L.); (R.G.); (O.G.)
| | - Roman Gulkovskyi
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics NAS, 03143 Kiev, Ukraine; (A.K.); (P.T.); (S.C.); (G.L.); (R.G.); (O.G.)
| | - Iryna Vorobiova
- Institute of Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, 04050 Kiev, Ukraine; (I.V.); (Y.A.)
| | - Yurii Antipkin
- Institute of Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, 04050 Kiev, Ukraine; (I.V.); (Y.A.)
| | - Oleksandra Gorodna
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics NAS, 03143 Kiev, Ukraine; (A.K.); (P.T.); (S.C.); (G.L.); (R.G.); (O.G.)
| | - Marika A. Kaakinen
- Section of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK; (E.M.L.); (M.A.K.)
- Section of Statistical Multi-Omics, Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine, School of Biosciences & Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Inga Prokopenko
- Section of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK; (E.M.L.); (M.A.K.)
- Section of Statistical Multi-Omics, Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine, School of Biosciences & Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Centre Russian Academy of Sciences, 119192 Ufa, Russia
| | - Ludmila Livshits
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics NAS, 03143 Kiev, Ukraine; (A.K.); (P.T.); (S.C.); (G.L.); (R.G.); (O.G.)
| |
Collapse
|