Prevalence of anti-toxoplasma Gondii antibodies in Turkish blood donors.

Objective: Toxoplasmosis is caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. Most of these infections are asymptomatic or benign, but may cause severe or fatal consequences in immunodeficient patients, transplant recipients, and in the fetus. Transmission may occur by eating uncooked meat, contaminated vegetables, blood transfusion, organ transplantation, and across the placenta from the mother to the fetus. IgG antibodies to T. gondii may persist in the serum at high titers for years. In the present study, our aim was to determine prevalence of anti- T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies in Turkish blood donors.

Methods: A total samples from 385 healthy blood donors from Kayseri, Turkey were examined for anti- T. gondii antibodies by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results: The seroprevalence of the anti- T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies was 19.5%, 2.33% respectively by IFAT and 20.25%, 2.33% by ELISA.

Conclusions: It is suggested that all blood donors should be screened for toxoplasmosis before transfusion