Sero-epidemiological survey on Toxoplasma gondii infections among 1 395 patients with various types of cancers

ObjectiveTo compare the status of Toxoplasma gondii(T.gondii) infections among patients with various types of malignant tumors, so as to provide insights into the prevention and control of T.gondii infections among cancer patients in Hangzhou.

MethodsA total of 410 lung cancer patients, 370 liver cancer patients, 115 oral cancer patients, 320 cervical cancer patients and 180 leukemia patients undergoing treatment in Yuhang District First Hospital of Hanghzou City from 2012 to 2019 were enrolled as the test subjects, and 300 healthy volunteers that were randomly selected from the Physical Examination Center of Yuhang District First Hospital served as controls.The serum IgG and IgM antibodies against T.gondii were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in all study subjects, and the seroprevalence of anti-T.gondii antibodies was compared among patients with various types of cancers, and among cancer patients with various demographic characteristics.

ResultsThe seroprevalence of anti-T.gondii IgG antibody was 21.46%, 25.68%, 25.22%, 21.56% and 19.44% in patients with lung cancer, liver cancer, oral cancer, cervical cancer and leukemia, which was all significantly greater than in healthy controls (4.33%) (χ²=41.67, 55.85, 39.89, 40.09 and 28.55, all P values < 0.01); however, no significant differences were found between cancer patients and healthy controls (adjusted χ²=0.00, 0.07, 0.05, 0.04 and 0.01, all P values >0.05).There was no cancer type-specific seroprevalence of anti-T.gondii IgG and IgM antibodies (χ²=3.98 and 0.65, both P values >0.05).There were no significant differences in the seroprevalence of anti-T.gondii IgG antibody between male and female patients with lung, liver, oral cancer and leukemia (all P values >0.05).In addition, there were no age-, residency-and ethnicity-specific seroprevalence of anti-T.gondii IgG antibody among patients with the 5 types of malignant tumors (all P values >0.05).

ConclusionThe cancer patients present with significantly higher seroprevalence of anti-T.gondii IgG antibody than healthy controls, however, there are no cancer type-specific seroprevalence of anti-T.gondii antibody.In addition, there is no gender-, age-, residency-or ethnicity-specific seroprevalence of anti-T.gondii antibody in cancer patients.Screening of T.gondii infections is strongly recommended to prevent the damages caused by toxoplasmosis.