Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Immunocompromised Patients in Iran (2013-2022): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Aref Teimouri; Fatemeh  Goudarzi; Kimia Goudarzi; Rasoul  Alimi; Keivan  Sahebi; Hassan  Foroozand; Hossein Keshavarz

doi:10.18502/ijpa.v17i4.11271

Aref Teimouri Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Fatemeh Goudarzi Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Kimia Goudarzi Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Rasoul Alimi Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
Keivan Sahebi Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Hassan Foroozand Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Hossein Keshavarz Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijpa.v17i4.11271

Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii; Immunocompro-mised patients; HIV; Aids; Cancer patients; Transplant recipients; Iran

Abstract

Background: Toxoplasma gondii infection (toxoplasmosis) has the potential to cause a serious disease in immunocompromised patients and can be fatal in this population. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess comprehensively the pooled seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis among immunocompromised patients including HIV/AIDS patients, cancer patients, and transplant recipients in Iran.

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar databases (international) and Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, IranMedex, and IranDoc databases (national) were systematically searched for all reports that possibly contained data for T. gondii prevalence in different immunocompromised populations in Iran between 2013 and 2022.

Results: Overall, IgG seroprevalence rate of toxoplasmosis in Iranian immunocompromised patients was 45.1% (95% confidence interval (CI), 37.4–52.9). IgG seroprevalence rate of toxoplasmosis in 12 studies that included 2279 cancer patients, 19 studies that included 2565 HIV/AIDS patients and in 3 studies that included 200 transplant recipients was 43.6% (95% CI, 30.2–57.0), 45.9% (95% CI, 34.8–57.1) and 45.8% (95% CI, 32.5–59.0), respectively. Moreover, IgM seroprevalence rate in the 26 studies was 2.6% (95% CI, 1.4–3.7).

Conclusion: Our findings represent a high seroprevalence rate of Toxoplasma IgG among immunocompromised patients. Health improvement and education toward prevention of toxoplasmosis is of great importance for these susceptible populations.