Severe Acquired Toxoplasmosis Caused by Wild Cycle of Toxoplasma gondii, French Guiana

From 1998 through 2006, 44 cases of severe primary toxoplasmosis were observed in French Guiana in immunocompetent adults. Toxoplasma gondii isolates exhibited an atypical multilocus genotype. Severe disease in humans may result from poor host adaptation to neotropical zoonotic strains of T. gondii circulating in a forest-based cycle.     

Estimates of Toxoplasmosis Incidence Based on Healthcare Claims Data,Germany, 2011–2016

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic infection contracted through Toxoplasma gondii–contaminated food, soil, or water. Seroprevalence in Germany is high, but estimates of disease incidence are scarce. We investigated incidences for various toxoplasmosis manifestations using anonymized healthcare claims data from Germany for 2011–2016. Patients with a toxoplasmosis diagnosis during the annual observational period were considered incident. The estimated incidence was adjusted to the general population age/sex distribution. We estimated an annual average of 8,047 toxoplasmosis patients in Germany. The average incidence of non–pregnancy-associated toxoplasmosis patients was 9.6/100,000 population. The incidence was highest in 2011, at 10.6 (95% CI 9.4–12.6)/100,000 population, and lowest in 2016, at 8.0 (95% CI 7.0–9.4)/100,000 population. The average incidence of toxoplasmosis during pregnancy was 40.3/100,000 pregnancies. We demonstrate a substantial toxoplasmosis disease burden in Germany. Public health and food safety authorities should implement toxoplasmosis-specific prevention programs.     

Acute Toxoplasma gondii Infection among Family Members in the United States

We investigated 32 families of persons with acute toxoplasmosis in which >1 other family member was tested for Toxoplasma gondii infection; 18 (56%) families had >1 additional family member with acute infection. Family members of persons with acute toxoplasmosis should be screened for infection, especially pregnant women and immunocompromised persons.     

Hepatitis E virus antibodies in blood donors, France

Using a validated sensitive assay, we found hepatitis E virus (HEV) IgG in 52.5% of voluntary blood donors in southwestern France. This finding suggests HEV is highly endemic to this region. The high HEV prevalence may reflect local dietary practices, such as eating uncooked pork and game products.     

Highly endemic,waterborne toxoplasmosis in north Rio de Janeiro state,Brazil

In Campos dos Goytacazes, northern Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, reports of uveitis consistent with toxoplasmosis led to a survey of the prevalence and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in 1997-1999. The survey population was selected randomly from schools, randomly chosen communities, and an army battalion. Serum samples from 1,436 persons were tested. With results adjusted for age, 84% of the population in the lower socioeconomic group was seropositive, compared with 62% and 23% of the middle and upper socioeconomic groups, respectively (p<0.001). When multivariate analysis was performed, drinking unfiltered water was found to increase the risk of seropositivity for the lower socioeconomic (odds ratio [OR]: 3.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3 to 6.9) and middle socioeconomic (OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.3) populations. We also found a high T. gondii seroprevalence in this Brazilian community. Drinking unfiltered water increased the risk of T. gondii seropositivity, indicating the potential importance of oocyst transmission in water in this region.     

上海市杨浦区人群弓形虫感染特征和危险因素分析

目的了解不同类型恶性肿瘤患者的弓形虫感染情况,为恶性肿瘤患者弓形虫感染防控提供参考依据。方法对2012-2019年在杭州市余杭区第一人民医院接受治疗的1 395例恶性肿瘤患者（肺癌410例,肝癌370例,口腔癌115例,宫颈癌320例,白血病180例）以及在杭州市余杭区第一人民医院体检中心接受健康体检的300例健康者,采用酶联免疫吸附试验进行血清抗弓形虫IgG和IgM抗体检测,比较不同类型恶性肿瘤患者以及不同特征恶性肿瘤患者弓形虫特异性抗体阳性情况。结果肺癌、肝癌、口腔癌、宫颈癌和白血病患者的血清抗弓形虫IgG抗体阳性率分别为21.46%、25.68%、25.22%、21.56%和19.44%,均显著高于健康对照组的4.33%（χ²分别为41.67、55.85、39.89、40.09和28.55,P值均 < 0.01）,抗弓形虫IgM抗体阳性率的差异均无统计学意义（校正χ²分别为0.00、0.07、0.05、0.04和0.01,P值均>0.05）。5种不同类型恶性肿瘤患者抗弓形虫IgG和IgM抗体阳性率的差异均无统计学意义（χ²=3.98、0.65,P值均>0.05）。男性和女性肺癌、肝癌、口腔癌和白血病患者抗弓形虫IgG抗体阳性率的差异均无统计学意义（P值均>0.05）,不同年龄组、不同居住地和不同民族5种恶性肿瘤患者抗弓形虫IgG抗体阳性率的差异均无统计学意义（P值均>0.05）。结论恶性肿瘤患者的抗弓形虫IgG抗体阳性率显著高于健康对照者,但不同类型恶性肿瘤患者弓形虫特异性抗体阳性率的差异均无统计学意义。不同类型恶性肿瘤患者血清抗弓形虫IgG抗体阳性率不具有性别、年龄、居住地和民族特异性。今后应加强恶性肿瘤患者弓形虫感染筛查,防止弓形虫病造成的危害。     

Possible Seasonality of Clostridium difficile in Retail Meat, Canada

We previously reported Clostridium difficile in 20% of retail meat in Canada, which raised concerns about potential foodborne transmissibility. Here, we studied the genetic diversity of C. difficile in retail meats, using a broad Canadian sampling infrastructure and 3 culture methods. We found 6.1% prevalence and indications of possible seasonality (highest prevalence in winter).