Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

The Korea Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (대한기생충학·열대의학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii assayed using Rapid Diagnostic Tests among Residents in Three Counties Adjacent to The Demilitarized Zone, Korea

  • Jung, Jeehi (Department of Biomedicine Health Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Lee, Jinyoung (Department of Tropical Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine) ;
  • Chang, Yoon Kyung (Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Ahn, Seong Kyu (Department of Tropical Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine) ;
  • Park, Seo Hye (Department of Tropical Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine) ;
  • Hong, Sung-Jong (Department of Medical Environmental Biology, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Jihoo (Genbody Inc.) ;
  • Chong, Chom-Kyu (Genbody Inc.) ;
  • Ahn, Hye-Jin (Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Nam, Ho-Woo (Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Kim, Tong-Soo (Department of Tropical Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Dongjae (Department of Biomedicine Health Science, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea)
  • Received : 2020.10.05
  • Accepted : 2021.01.15
  • Published : 2021.02.28
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence have been rapidly increasing in some parts of Korea. We analyzed prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies, using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT), in the sera of 552 residents in Ganghwagun, 661 ones in Cheorwon-gun, and 305 ones in Goseong-gun, Korea in 2019. IgG/IgM RDT mounted with recombinant fragment of major surface antigen (SAG1), glutathione-S-transferase-linker-SAG1A, were applied to the sera. IgG seroprevalence was 28.1% in Ganghwa-gun, 19.5% in Cheorwon-gun and 35.7% in Goseong-gun. Odds ratios comparing Cheorwon vs Ganghwa was 0.63 (P=0.001) and Goesong versus Ganghwa was 1.47 (P=0.01) adjusting age and sex. Goseong had highest seroprevalence among the 3 counties both in crude rates and logistic regression. Although Cheorwon and Goseong are adjacent to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Korea, seroprevalence rate was much higher in Goseong. Further investigation on other DMZ-closed areas is necessary whether they have high prevalence rates compared to the other areas. T. gondii prevalence in Korea is still persists; proper health policy should be established.

Keywords

References

  1. Black MW, Boothroyd JC. Lytic cycle of Toxoplasma gondii. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2000; 64: 607-623. https://doi.org/10.1128/mmbr.64.3.607-623.2000
  2. Furtado JM, Smith JR, Belfort R Jr, Gattey D, Winthrop KL. Toxoplasmosis: a global threat. J Glob Infect Dis 2011; 3: 281-284. https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-777X.83536
  3. Tenter AM, Heckeroth AR, Weiss LM. Toxoplasma gondii: from animals to humans. Int J Parasitol 2000; 30: 1217-1258. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0020-7519(00)00124-7
  4. Montoya JG, Remington JS. Management of Toxoplasma gondii infection during pregnancy. Clin Infect Dis 2008; 47: 554-566. https://doi.org/10.1086/590149
  5. Song KJ, Shin JC, Shin HJ, Nam HW. Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in Korean pregnant women. Korean J Parasitol 2005; 43: 69-71. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2005.43.2.69
  6. Weiss LM, Dubey JP. Toxoplasmosis: A history of clinical observations. Int J Parasitol 2009; 39: 895-901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpara.2009.02.004
  7. Choi WY, Nam HW, Kwak NH, Huh W, Kim YR, Kang MW, Cho SY, Dubey JP. Foodborne outbreaks of human toxoplasmosis. J Infect Dis 1997; 175: 1280-1282. https://doi.org/10.1086/593702
  8. Kim MH, Choi YK, Park YK, Nam HW. A toxoplasmic uveitis case of a 60-year-old male in Korea. Korean J Parasitol 2000; 38: 29-31. 10.3347/kjp.2000.38.1.29
  9. Park YH, Han JH, Nam HW. Clinical features of ocular toxoplasmosis in Korean patients. Korean J Parasitol 2011; 49: 167-171. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2011.49.2.167
  10. Choi WY, Nam HW, Youn JH, Kim WS, Kim WK. Toxoplasma antibody titers by indirect latex agglutination test in patients of Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital and Cheju Medical Center. Korean J Parasitol 1989; 27: 171-175. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.1989.27.3.171
  11. Choi WY, Nam HW, Youn JH, Kim DJ, Kong Y, Kang SY, Cho SY. Detection of antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid to Toxoplasma gondii by indirect latex agglutination test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Korean J Parasitol 1992; 30: 83-90. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.1992.30.2.83
  12. Hong SJ, Chong CK, Lee K, Kim TS, Hong YP, Ahn HJ, Kim HY, Ko AR, Kim YJ, Nam HW. Maintained seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis among the residents of Jeju island, Korea. Korean J Parasitol 2011; 49: 309-311. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2011.49.3.309
  13. Yang HJ, Jin KN, Park YK, Hong SC, Bae JM, Lee SH, Choi HS, Hwang HS, Chung YB, Lee NS, Nam HW. Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in the residents of Cheju island, Korea. Korean J Parasitol 2000; 38: 91-93. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2000.38.2.91
  14. Ahn HJ, Cho PY, Ahn SK, Kim TS, Chong CK, Hong SJ, Cha SH, Nam HW. Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in the residents of Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea. Korean J Parasitol 2012; 50: 225-227. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2012.50.3.225
  15. Yang Z, Cho PY, Ahn SK, Ahn HJ, Kim TS, Chong CK, Hong SJ, Cha SH, Nam HW. A surge in the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis among the residents of islands in Gangwha-gun, Incheon, Korea. Korean J Parasitol 2012; 50: 191-197. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2012.50.3.191
  16. Kim YH, Lee JH, Ahn SK, Kim TS, Hong SJ, Chong CK, Ahn HJ, Nam HW. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasmosis with ELISA and Rapid Diagnostic Test among Residents in Gyodong-do, Inchon city, Korea: A Four-Year Follow-up. Korean J Parasitol 2017; 55.3: 247-254. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2017.55.3.247
  17. Kim YH, Lee JH, Kim YE, Ahn SK, Kim TS, Hong SJ, Chong CK, Ahn HJ, Nam HW. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasmosis Detected by RDT in Residents near the DMZ (demilitarized zone) of Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea. Korean J Parasitol 2017; 55.4: 385-389. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2017.55.4.385
  18. Kim YH, Lee JH, Ahn SK, Kim TS, Hong SJ, Chong CK, Ahn HJ, Nam HW. High seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis detected by RDT among the residents of Seokmo-do (Island) in Ganghwa-Gun, Incheon City, Korea. Korean J Parasitol 2017; 55.1: 9-13. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2017.55.1.9
  19. Sohn WM, Nam HW. Western blot analysis of stray cat sera against Toxoplasma gondii and the diagnostic availability of monoclonal antibodies in sandwich-ELISA. Korean J Parasitol 1999; 37: 249-256. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.1999.37.4.249
  20. Song KJ, Yang Z, Chong CK, Kim JS, Lee KC, Kim TS, Nam HW. A rapid diagnostic test for toxoplasmosis using recombinant antigenic N-terminal half of SAG1 linked with intrinsically unstructured domain of gra2 protein. Korean J Parasitol 2013; 51: 503-510. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2013.51.5.503
  21. Soh CT, Lee SJ, Ahn YK. Latent infection by Toxoplasma gondii in Korea. Yonsei Med J 1960; 1: 52-54. https://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.1960.1.1.52
  22. Dubey JP, Hill DE, Rozeboom DW, Rajendran C, Choudhary S, Ferreira LR, Kwok OC, Su C. High prevalence and genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii isolated from organic pigs in northern USA. Vet Parasitol 2012; 188: 14-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.03.008
  23. Meerburg BG, De Craeye S, Dierick K, Kijlstra A. Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in brain tissue of feral rodents and insectivores caught on farms in the Netherlands. Vet Parasitol 2012; 184: 317-320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.09.001