May 2008
Volume 49, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   May 2008
Risk Factors for Ocular Toxoplasmosis Among Individuals Recently Infected by Toxoplasma gondii in Southern Brazil
H. Dadgostar; C. Silveira; J. L. Jones; G. Lee; C. Muccioli; R. Belfort, Jr.; G. N. Holland
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • H. Dadgostar
    Ocular Inflammatory Disease Center, Jules Stein Eye Institute, and the Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California
  • C. Silveira
    Clinica Silveira, Erechim, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
  • J. L. Jones
    United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
  • G. Lee
    Ocular Inflammatory Disease Center, Jules Stein Eye Institute, and the Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California
  • C. Muccioli
    Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • R. Belfort, Jr.
    Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • G. N. Holland
    Ocular Inflammatory Disease Center, Jules Stein Eye Institute, and the Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  H. Dadgostar, None; C. Silveira, None; J.L. Jones, None; G. Lee, None; C. Muccioli, None; R. Belfort, None; G.N. Holland, None.
  • Footnotes
    Support  Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science May 2008, Vol.49, 5529. doi:
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      H. Dadgostar, C. Silveira, J. L. Jones, G. Lee, C. Muccioli, R. Belfort, Jr., G. N. Holland; Risk Factors for Ocular Toxoplasmosis Among Individuals Recently Infected by Toxoplasma gondii in Southern Brazil. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2008;49(13):5529.

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Abstract

Purpose: : To investigate epidemiologic risk factors associated with ocular involvement among individuals with serologic evidence of recently-acquired Toxoplasma gondii infection.

Methods: : We evaluated 130 individuals with anti-T-gondii IgG and IgM antibodies who were recruited from June 2003 through June 2004 at Clinica Silveira in Erechim, Brazil. All subjects underwent a complete ophthalmic evaluation and completed a survey on demographic factors and lifestyle-related factors within the past 12 months that were considered likely to be associated with post-natal acquisition of T. gondii infection. Associations between risk factors and ocular disease status were analyzed using both univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses.

Results: : Ocular involvement was significantly associated with consumption of rare chicken (p=0.01) and raw lamb (p=0.05). In multiple logistic regression analyses, rare chicken remained significantly associated with ocular involvement (OR=5.1 [95% CI 1.6-22.9]; p=0.03). Additional factors associated with ocular involvement included age >30 years (OR=4.9, 95% CI 1.2-20.4, p=0.03) and male gender (OR=5.3, 95% CI 1.1-25.8, p=0.04).

Conclusions: : These findings suggest that infection with tissue cysts (from meat) is more likely to result in ocular disease than infection with oocysts (from contaminated water or soil). Possible explanations include ingestion of higher parasite numbers from meat or selection for more virulent T. gondii strains in food animals. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that oocyst exposure is associated with an increased risk of ocular involvement and more severe ocular disease. Understanding mechanisms of ocular involvement has important global public health implications for reducing the incidence of vision loss attributable to T. gondii infection.

Keywords: toxoplasmosis • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment • retinochoroiditis 
© 2008, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc., all rights reserved. Permission to republish any abstract or part of an abstract in any form must be obtained in writing from the ARVO Office prior to publication.
Copyright © 2025 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
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