Toxoplasmosis in HIV/AIDS patients in Malaysia

• Main Authors: Nissapatorn, Veeranoot, Lee, C.K.C., Cho, S.M., Rohela, M., Anuar, A.K., Quek, K.F., Latt, H.M.
• Format: Article
• Published: SEAMEO Regional Tropical Medicine and Public Health Network 2003
• Subjects: R Medicine
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/8449/; https://www.tm.mahidol.ac.th/seameo/2003-34-suppl-2/14-080.pdf

Three hundred and one sera of HIV/AIDS patients were tested for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibody by ELISA technique. The seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis was 41.2 (95CI: 35.5-46.9) in HIV/AIDS patients. The seroprevalence was significantly higher in the Malay (57.9) than the Chinese (38.7), followed by the Indian patients (29.6) (p<0.05). No possible risk factor, such as contact with cats, consumption of uncooked meat, and history of blood transfusions was found to have any significant association with the presence of anti-Toxoplasma antibody in the study sample (p > 0.05). Multivariate analysis was employed to find any association between Toxoplasma seroprevalence and a single subject having single or multiple risk factors. It was found that the association was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Among the HIV/AIDS study samples, 124 (41.2) samples were found to have positive anti-Toxoplasma antibody, the association between the presence of anti-Toxoplasma antibody and CD4 cell count was determined but no statistically significant association was found (p>0.05). During the study period, only one case of active CNS toxoplasmosis was registered and the diagnostic criteria included: clinical presentations, CT scan finding, serological evidence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibody, and respose to anti-Toxoplasma therapy.