Background: Toxoplasmosis is a common disease among humans and animals, that is caused by the infection of the intracellular protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. Infection by this parasite is generally without any clinical symptoms, but it can have severe effects in people with immune deficiency, such as those experiencing chemotherapy, transplantation, cancer and AIDS, as well as dialysis patients. Considering the high prevalence of parasites in different parts of Iran, we decided to study the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in hemodialysis patients, in selected centers of Tehran.
Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 260 hemodialysis patients attending 5 dialysis centers in Tehran in 2016 were studied. The serum samples were analyzed for anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgG antibodies by the ELISA method.
Results: In this study, 175 (67.3%) of the hemodialysis patients tested positive for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies and 18 (7%) tested positive for anti-Toxoplasma IgM antibodies.
Conclusion: Considering the high prevalence of toxoplasmosis in hemodialysis patients in Tehran compared to other control people in this region, and considering the fact that this infection is one of the most important risk factors in hemodialysis patients, regular screening and detection of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii is necessary in these patients.