Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in patients receiving cancer treatment
Journal Title: Cumhuriyet Medical Journal - Year 2018, Vol 40, Issue 1
Abstract
Objective: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a protozoon infecting many living species in the world and causing clinical pictures that can end with death in humans, especially in patients with blunted immune system. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy administrations in cancer patients cause the reactivation of latent T. gondii by impairing both cellular and humoral immune system. The purpose of this study is to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii in patients who have applied to and received cancer treatment in the Health Services Research and Application Hospital of Cumhuriyet University in Sivas Method: The study was conducted on the patients aged between 18-80, who applied to the Radiation Oncology Polyclinic in the Health Services Research and Application Hospital of Cumhuriyet University and the sample consisted of 100 cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and 100 healthy people in the control group. Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies were analyzed with the ELISA method in the blood samples taken from this peoples. Results: In our study, Toxoplasma IgG positivity was determined in 60 (60.0%) of the 100 cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in the Health Services Research and Application Hospital of Cumhuriyet University and 27 (27.0%) of the control group. The difference between the groups was found to be significant. Cancer patients included in the study consisted of especially lung cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer and ovarian cancer patients. IgM positivity (1.0%) was determined in one individual in both the cancer patients and the control group, and the difference between the groups was found to be insignificant. Conclusions: Opportunistic infections like toxoplasmosis are more frequent in cancer patients with the blunted immune system compared to individuals with the normal immune systems. These individuals are more prone to infections and the risk of the reactivation of toxoplasmosis experienced before is higher in these patients. Therefore, it will be appropriate for these patients to be periodically evaluated in terms of Toxoplasma.
Authors and Affiliations
Mehtap Alim, Semra Özçelik, Necati Özpınar
Keywords
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- EP ID EP272018
- DOI 10.7197/223.vi.387046
- Views 153
- Downloads 0
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