Publication
Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in the Portuguese population: comparison of three cross-sectional studies spanning three decades
| dc.contributor.author | Gargaté, Maria João | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ferreira, Idalina | |
| dc.contributor.author | Vilares, Anabela | |
| dc.contributor.author | Martins, Susana | |
| dc.contributor.author | Cardoso, Carlos | |
| dc.contributor.author | Silva, Susana | |
| dc.contributor.author | Nunes, Baltazar | |
| dc.contributor.author | Gomes, João Paulo | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2017-02-15T18:08:28Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2017-02-15T18:08:28Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2016-10-05 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Background: Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan infecting up to one-third of the world's population, constituting a life threat if transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy. In Portugal, there is a lack of knowledge of the current epidemiological situation, as the unique toxoplasmosis National Serological Survey was performed in 1979/1980. Methods: We studied the seroprevalence trends in the Portuguese general population over the past 3 decades, by assessing chronological spread cross-sectional studies, with special focus on women of childbearing age, by age group, region and gender. Results: The T. gondii overall seroprevalence decreased from 47% in 1979/1980 to 22% (95% CI 20% to 24%) in 2013. Generally, we observed that the prevalence of T. gondii IgG increased significantly with age and it decreased over time, both in the general population and in the childbearing women (18% prevalence in 2013). Conclusions: The scenario observed for the latter indicates that more than 80% of childbearing women are susceptible to primary infection yielding a risk of congenital toxoplasmosis and respective sequelae. Since there is no vaccine to prevent human toxoplasmosis, the improvement of primary prevention constitutes a major tool to avoid infection in such susceptible groups. | pt_PT |
| dc.description.sponsorship | The Portuguese National Institute of Health funded this study. | pt_PT |
| dc.description.version | info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion | pt_PT |
| dc.identifier.citation | BMJ Open. 2016 Oct 5;6(10):e011648. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011648. | pt_PT |
| dc.identifier.doi | 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011648 | pt_PT |
| dc.identifier.issn | 2044-6055 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/4190 | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | pt_PT |
| dc.peerreviewed | yes | pt_PT |
| dc.publisher | BMJ Publishing Group | pt_PT |
| dc.relation.publisherversion | http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/10/e011648.long | pt_PT |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ | pt_PT |
| dc.subject | Toxoplasma gondii | pt_PT |
| dc.subject | Seroprevalence | pt_PT |
| dc.subject | Portugal | pt_PT |
| dc.subject | Epidemiology | pt_PT |
| dc.subject | Parasitology | pt_PT |
| dc.subject | Infectious Diseases | pt_PT |
| dc.subject | Infecções Sistémicas e Zoonoses | pt_PT |
| dc.title | Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in the Portuguese population: comparison of three cross-sectional studies spanning three decades | pt_PT |
| dc.type | journal article | |
| dspace.entity.type | Publication | |
| oaire.citation.startPage | e011648 | pt_PT |
| oaire.citation.title | BMJ Open | pt_PT |
| oaire.citation.volume | 6(10) | pt_PT |
| rcaap.rights | openAccess | pt_PT |
| rcaap.type | article | pt_PT |