Toxoplasmosis Frequency Rate in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients in Northeastern Iran

Mehdi  Zarean; Pietro  Mastroeni; Elham  Moghaddas; Bibi Razieh  Hosseini Farash; Amene  Raouf-Rahmati; Jamshid  Jamali; Hossein  Azadeh; Vahideh  Kam

doi:10.18502/ijpa.v17i3.10622

Mehdi Zarean Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Pietro Mastroeni Department of Veterinary Medicine, Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Elham Moghaddas Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Bibi Razieh Hosseini Farash Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Amene Raouf-Rahmati Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Jamshid Jamali Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Hossein Azadeh Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatology Division, Orthopaedic Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Vahideh Kam Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijpa.v17i3.10622

Keywords: Toxoplasmosis; Toxoplasma gondii; Rheumatoid arthritis; Seroprevalence; Patients

Abstract

Background: Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, a cosmopolitan intracellular parasite. It can be a risk factor for autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study was designed to investigate the possible association between serological history of T. gondii infection and defined clinical manifestation of RA in Northeast of Iran.

Methods: Overall, serum samples were collected from 50 RA patients and 40 healthy controls, from Qaem Hospital in Mashhad City, northeastern Iran in 2018. Seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was determined by ELISA.

Results: The prevalence of anti -T. gondii IgG in RA patients 48% (24.50) was significantly higher than the control group 10% (4.40) (P <0.001). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) and (rheumatoid factor) RF levels between the RA and control groups (P <0.01). Control group were matched with patients for age, gender and living area.

Conclusion: Given that a high correlation has been demonstrated between positivity rate of anti-T. gondii IgG and RA in Northeastern Iran, further studies will be necessary to clarify the pathogenesis of T. gondii among these patients