High seroprevalence of specific Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies among HIV/AIDS patients with immunological failure attending a tertiary hospital in northwestern Tanzania

 Toxoplasmosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with advanced HIV disease. However, there is limited data on the magnitude of toxoplasmosis among HIV patients with immunological treatment failure. Therefore, this study was designed to determine the seroprevalence of specific Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies among HIV/AIDS patients attending Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza, Tanzania. Immunological treatment failure was defined using the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and specific T.gondii IgG antibodies were determined using indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent (ELISA). A total of 178 non-repetitive sera from HIV/AIDS patients were analyzed. The mean age of study participants was 38.5±11.3 years. Majority of study participants were males 120 (67.42%). Out of 178 patients, 38 (21.34%) were diagnosed to have immunological failure. T.gondii specific IgG antibodies were found in 26 (68.4%) of the patients with immunological failure compared to 46 (32.86%) of those without immunological failure (OR: 4.42, CI: 2.05-9.55; p<0.001). The seroprevalence of T.gondii infection is high among patients with immunological treatment failure and place them at a high risk of T. gondii encephalitis necessitating sustained trimethoprim-sulfamethaxazole prophylaxis to prevent reactivation.  

Predominance of Brucella abortus antibodies among women with spontaneous abortion in the city of Mwanza: unrecognized link or coincidence?

Abstract Objective This study investigated the association of Brucella seropositivity and spontaneous abortions in human population in the city of Mwanza, Tanzania. Results A comparative cross sectional study which used 148 sera from women with spontaneous abortion and 250 sera from full-term delivered women was conducted in July 2017. Detection of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis antibodies was done using slide agglutination test. Data were analyzed using STATA version 13 software. The median age of the study participants was 25 (interquartile range 21–30) years. The overall seropositivity of Brucella antibodies was significantly higher among sera from women with spontaneous abortion than full term delivered women; (86/148, 58.1%: 95% CI 50–66 vs. 65/250, 26%: 95% CI 18–33, P < 0.001). Seropositivity of B. abortus was significantly higher among sera from women with spontaneous abortion than full-term delivered women (31.8% vs. 10.8%, P < 0.001). Women with abortion had 3.59 odds of being brucella seropositive compared to full term women (OR: 3.59, 95% CI; 2.25–5.74, P < 0.001). Seropositivity of Brucella antibodies is significantly higher among women with spontaneous abortion than full-term delivered women necessitating a need to investigate the relationship between Brucellosis and adverse pregnancy outcomes

Seropositivity of <i>Brucella</i> spp. and <i>Leptospira</i> spp. antibodies among abattoir workers and meat vendors in the city of Mwanza, Tanzania: A call for one health approach control strategies

<div><p>Introduction</p><p>Brucellosis and leptospirosis are among neglected tropical zoonotic diseases particularly in the resource limited countries. Despite being endemic in these countries, there is paucity of information on its magnitude. This study investigated seropositivity of <i>Brucella</i> spp. and <i>Leptospira</i> spp., and associated factors among abattoir workers and meat vendors in the city of Mwanza, Tanzania.</p><p>Methodology</p><p>A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in Mwanza city from May to July 2017. Socio-demographic and other relevant information were collected. Detection of <i>Brucella</i> spp. and <i>Leptospira</i> spp. antibodies were done using slide agglutination test and microscopic agglutination test, respectively. Data were analyzed using STATA version 13 Software.</p><p>Findings</p><p>A total of 250 participants (146 abattoir workers and 104 meat vendors) were enrolled with median age of 31 (IQR: 25–38) years. The overall, seropositivity of <i>Brucella</i> spp. antibodies was 48.4% (95% Cl: 42–54). Seropositivity of <i>B</i>. <i>abortus</i> was significantly higher than that of <i>B</i>. <i>melitensis</i> (46.0%, 95%Cl: 39–52 vs. 23.6%, 95% Cl: 18–28, P<0.001) while seropositivity of both species was 21.2% (95%Cl: 16–26). The seropositivity of <i>Leptospira</i> spp. was 10.0% (95% CI: 6–13) with predominance of <i>Leptospira kirschneri</i> serovar Sokoine which was detected in 7.2% of the participants. Being abattoir worker (OR: 2.19, 95% CI 1.06–4.54, p = 0.035) and long work duration (OR: 1.06, 95%CI: 1.01–1.11, p = 0.014) predicted presence of both <i>B</i>.<i>abortus</i> and <i>B</i>. <i>melitensis</i> antibodies. Only being married (p = 0.041) was significantly associated with seropositivity of <i>Leptospira</i> spp. Primary education was the only factor independently predicted presence of <i>Brucella</i> spp. antibodies among abattoir workers on sub-analysis of occupational exposure. None of factors were found to be associated with presence of <i>Brucella</i> spp. antibodies among meat vendors on sub-analysis.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Seropositivity of <i>B</i>.<i>abortus</i> antibodies among abattoir workers and meat vendors is high and seem to be a function of being abattoir worker, having worked for long duration in the abattoir and having primary education. In addition, a significant proportion of abattoir workers and meat vendors in the city was seropositive for <i>Leptospira kirschneri</i> serovar Sokoine. There is a need to consider ‘one health approach’ in devising appropriate strategies to control these diseases in the developing countries.</p></div

Existence of Similar Leptospira Serovars among Dog Keepers and Their Respective Dogs in Mwanza, Tanzania, the Need for a One Health Approach to Control Measures

This study investigated seroepidemiology of Leptospira serovars among the dog keepers and their dogs in the city of Mwanza, Tanzania. A total of 205 dog keepers and 414 dogs were tested for Leptospira antibodies using a microscopic agglutination test (MAT). The median age of the dog keepers was 26 (inter quartile range (IQR): 17–40) years and median duration of keeping dogs was 36 (IQR: 24–120) months. The seropositivity of Leptospira antibodies was (33/205 (16.1%, 95% CI: 11.0–21.1) among dog keepers and (66/414 (15.9%, 95% CI: 12.4–19.4) among dogs, p = 0.4745. Among the serovars tested (Sokoine, Grippotyphosa, Kenya, Pomona and Hebdomadis), the most prevalent serovar was Sokoine in both dog keepers and their dogs (93.9% (31/33) vs. and 65.1% (43/66), p = 0.009). Thirty-one out of thirty-three seropositive dog keepers (93.9%) had dogs positive for Leptospira antibodies with 28 (84.9%) having similar serovars with their respective seropositive dogs. Having tertiary education (AOR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.07–0.84, p = 0.026) independently protected individuals from being Leptospira seropositive. More than three quarters of dog keepers had similar serovars as their dogs, necessitating one health approach to control measures in endemic areas

Factors associated with <i>B</i>.<i>melitensis</i> seropositivity among study participants between May and July 2017.

<p>Factors associated with <i>B</i>.<i>melitensis</i> seropositivity among study participants between May and July 2017.</p

Boxplot showing the median work duration (years) between <i>Brucella</i> spp. seropositive and seronegative participants.

<p>Boxplot showing the median work duration (years) between <i>Brucella</i> spp. seropositive and seronegative participants.</p

Factors associated with <i>B</i>.<i>abortus</i> seropositivity among study participants between May and July 2017.

<p>Factors associated with <i>B</i>.<i>abortus</i> seropositivity among study participants between May and July 2017.</p

Seropositivity of <i>Leptospira</i> serovars among abattoir workers and meat vendors in Mwanza city.

<p>Seropositivity of <i>Leptospira</i> serovars among abattoir workers and meat vendors in Mwanza city.</p

Sociodemographic characteristics of the study participants conducted from May to July 2017.

<p>Sociodemographic characteristics of the study participants conducted from May to July 2017.</p