Purpose: To conduct the first ever population-based survey on ocular toxoplasmosis in the Central Region of Ghana.
Methods: A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted in three randomly selected communities in the Central Region, Ghana. Visual acuity (VA) measurement, dilated fundus examination by indirect ophthalmoscopy and serology testing were performed on all participants. Ocular toxoplasmosis was diagnosed based on characteristic retinal lesions and supported by positive serologic testing using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits.
Results: A total of 390 subjects aged 10-100 years (mean age 47 years) were examined; 118 (30.3%) were male and 272 (69.7%) female. Ten subjects (6 females and 4 males) had toxoplasmic ocular lesions (prevalence 2.6%). Of these, two had bilateral lesions and eight had unilateral lesions. Subjects with toxoplasmic ocular lesions were older than those without lesions (p = 0.028). The development of ocular toxoplasmosis was not associated with rural dwelling, sex, keeping cats, or consumption of meat.
Conclusion: The prevalence of ocular toxoplasmosis in our Ghanaian study population was lower than findings from Southern Brazil, where there is a similar prevalence of infection in the general population.
Keywords: Cape Coast; Ghana; epidemiology; ocular toxoplasmosis; retinochoroiditis.