Fatores associados à infecção com toxoplasma gondii em comunidade rural do Vale do Jequitinhonha, Minas Gerais

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the relationship between spatial distribution, socioeconomic anddemographic information with T. gondii infection in 651 individuals from a rural area of theJequitinhonha municipality, Minas Gerais. Questionnaires were used to collectsocioeconomic, demographic and Toxoplasmose risk factors information. The IgG levelswere evaluated through ELISA using sera collected from enrolled individuals. The prevalencefor T. gondii in community was 32,57% (CI95%=28,95-36,17). Infection rates increase withthe age of the individuals, being the illiterates (54.32%) and pensioners (61.36%) the ones thatpresented the greater seropositves percentiles (p<0,001). In relation to animals contact,significant association with the infection was found in contact during infancy, in individualsthat had contact with cats (p=0,006) and chicken in the house and with hens, horses, cattle,pigs and cats outside the houses (p.0,001). Consumption by individuals of raw or undercookmeat of cattle (p<0,05), number of individuals living in the house (p=0,002) and individualsthat work with sand activities (p<0,001) had association in the bivariate analysis. MultivariateAnalysis Model was used to examine data in individual and household levels and to evaluatethe relationship between all independent variables and IgG levels (mg/mL). This analysisshowed that individuals that ingest raw and undercook egg very frequently, that had contactwith chickens near the house and that had contact with cats around the house during infancyhave a higher chance to acquire T. gondii infection. The spatial analysis showed clusters ofhigh and low prevalence of Toxoplasmosis in the community. These results showed thatcontact with animals and childhood, inappropriate consumption of meat and poor hygienewere great importance in the T. gondii infection in this community among all factorsinvestigated.