ABSTRACT

We determined the incidence of toxoplasmosis and cystic echinococcosis (CE) in 388 healthy high school students who reside in Kocaeli region and were not previously diagnosed as toxoplasmosis and CE positive. The collected serum samples were tested with ELISA for the presence of toxoplasmosis and CE. Toxoplasmosis serology was positive at 61 people (18%). Among them, 90% had the raw meat consumption habit and 81.7% had the history of close contact with cats. There was a statistically positive correlation between the raw-meat-consuming females and toxoplasmosis seropositivity (p<0.05). The serology of CE was positive in 30 (8.9%) samples. Eighty percent of these, eozinophili was detected and a positive correlation was observed with CE (p<0.05). Also, a positive relationship was detected between CE and males who had close contact with dogs (p<0.05). Two students who were serologically positive with high titrations and one of them had the ultrasound test. A cyst with a diameter of 4-cm was observed in his liver. The results of this study led us conclude that the real incidence of the parasitic diseases and the endemic sites should be determined with seroepidemiological studies and the citizens, especially students should be informed about the contagion ways and precautions.

Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii, Toxoplasmosis, Echinococcus spp. cystic echinococcosis, epidemiology