Abstract
Infection source can determine cost-effective public health interventions. To quantify risk of acquiring Toxoplasma gondii from environmental sources versus from meat, we examined serum from pregnant women in Chile. Because 43% had oocyst-specific antibodies, we conclude that contaminated meat remains the primary source of infection but that environmental sources also pose substantial risk.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
-
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
MeSH terms
-
Adolescent
-
Adult
-
Animals
-
Antibodies, Protozoan / blood*
-
Antibody Specificity*
-
Chile / epidemiology
-
Female
-
Food Contamination
-
Humans
-
Meat / microbiology
-
Oocysts / immunology*
-
Pregnancy
-
Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / epidemiology
-
Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / parasitology
-
Risk Factors
-
Toxoplasma / growth & development
-
Toxoplasma / immunology*
-
Toxoplasmosis / epidemiology
-
Toxoplasmosis / parasitology
-
Young Adult