Human toxoplasmosis in Kuna and Embera children in the Bayano and San Blas, Panama
Description
In the first three months of 1991 a survey of children age two through 12 was conducted in the Bayano and San Blas, Panama to determine the prevalence of infection with Toxoplasma gondii and the importance of hypothesized risk factors. The 13 mainland and island communities selected for study were inhabited by Kuna or Embera (Amerindians). Interview data from the mothers and blood samples from the children were collected by Panamanian medical students. Complete interviews and serology were obtained from 760 children The overall prevalence of infection ranged between zero and 42.5 percent. No age curve was detected, indicative of non-constant transmission. No hypothesized risk factors were significantly associated with the presence of antibodies in all of the 13 communities. Only two hypothesized risk factors which implicate the importance of cats in transmission, floor type and having cats inside the house, were significantly associated with the presence of antibodies The presence of antibodies appeared to be more associated with the town of residence than with any specific behavior, indicating that there may be a differential background risk according to town. A premise of this study was that all children had an equal baseline chance of infecting themselves which would increase by practicing certain behaviors. Possibly, these behaviors are not risk factors or are not apparently so because oocysts are inconsistently present. The risk factor of importance may be the level of oocyst contamination, as infection by tissue cysts in meat was excluded On three islands no antibody was detected in the children. Similarly, no antibody was detected in the cats bled on these islands. It would appear that Toxoplasma gondii is not present on these islands. If it is present in the form of oocysts contaminating the soil, it may be that the level of contamination is very low and perhaps in areas where neither children nor intermediate hosts are exposed Although the data did not support the importance of many of the hypothesized risk factors, the study did support the theory of transmission by oocysts and the importance of cats in transmission