Investigation of the Toxoplasmosis Prevalence in Hemodialysis and Kidney Transplant Patients Publisher

Summary: Can blood tests detect toxoplasmosis in kidney patients? An Iranian study found frequent IgG antibodies but no PCR-positive samples, showing test differences. #KidneyHealth #Toxoplasmosis

Farzin A ; Khademvatan S ; Fakhim H ; Makhdoumi K ; Hoseinnejad A
Source: Microbes and Infectious Diseases Published:2026

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis using the serological method (ELISA), diagnosing the positive Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) cases with the molecular method and comparing the ELISA and PCR methods in hemodialysis and kidney transplant patients in North-West of Iran. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was performed on 180 patients, including 60 transplant patients, 60 hemodialysis patients, and 60 healthy people. Serum IgG and IgM anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were measured using the ELISA method. Molecular diagnosis was performed by PCR on seropositive samples. Results: among 180 participants, 92 were men (51.12%), and 88 were women (48.88%). The results showed that the prevalence of toxoplasmosis has no significant relationship with sex, residence, occupation, soil contact, and education level (P>0.05). In the transplant, dialysis, and control subgroups, 92 people (51.12%) were IgG-positive. While IgM was positive in only one case of a transplant patient in Uremia, 179 other patients, including hemodialysis patients and other transplant patients, as well as the control group, were negative in Tabriz and Urmia. All the samples that were positive in terms of IgG and IgM titers were negative in the PCR test. Conclusion: The results showed that the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in hemodialysis and transplant patients is high in Tabriz and Urmia. Considering the special conditions of hemodialysis patients and the possibility of reactivation of this parasite from the chronic to the acute phase, it is recommended to take care of health issues along with regular screening for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies. © 2020 The author (s).