Toxoplasma gondii infection among outpatients attending Dodoma regional referral hospital in central Tanzania: prevalence and associated risk factors in central Tanzania
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Date
2020
Authors
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic zoonotic disease caused by coccidian intracellular protozoan
parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite is ubiquitous and infects almost all warm
blooded animals including humans. Primary infection in human is usually asymtomatic
or manifest with febrile illness characterized by headache, sore throat, muscle pain and
swollen lymph nodes. Clinical implication of the disease is more on pregnant women and
immunocompromised individuals. The overall objective of this study was to determine
the prevalence and associated factors to toxoplasmosis among patients attending Dodoma
Regional Referral Hospital (DRRH) in Central Tanzania. In this cross-sectional study, a
total of 395 outpatients attending DRRH between December 2019 and February 2020
were enrolled. Blood was collected from consenting patients. A structured questionnaire
with simple, open and closed ended questions was administered to study subjects to
collect information on knowledge of infectious agent, transmission mode and information
regarding risk of exposures. Of 395 subjects enrolled in this study, 2% were infected with
T. gondii after screening using polymerase chain reaction. There was no statistical
relationship between disease diagnosis and risk of exposures. Only 1.3% of the
participants had good knowledge towards toxoplasmosis. Majority (88.4%) of the
enrolled participants showed good practises towards toxoplasmosis. The results indicate
that T. gondii is prevalent among individuals in Dodoma Region and a very low
proportion of them had knowledge of the disease. The results suggest the need of health
education toward toxoplasmosis among residents of Dodoma. It is important that the
health care system diagnostic capacity is enhanced to provide routine diagnosis of T.
gondii and promote an interdisciplinary collaboration in its risk management.
Description
Masters Thesis
Keywords
Toxoplasma, Dodoma, Hospital, Tanzania