台灣東部山地原住民（排灣族、布農族和阿美族）弓蟲抗體陽性率與年齡層和性別關係之探討

In this study, latex agglutination test (LAT) was used to screen sera anti-toxoplasma antibodies of Paiwan aborigines in King-fong district, Bunun aborigines in Hei-don district, and Ames in Chang-bin district,Taitung county as a measure of exposure to the Toxoplasma gondii in eastern Taiwan. Out of 564 Paiwan aborigines, 425 Bunun aborigines and 100 Ames aborigines were tested, the positive rates were 28.7%, 29.7% and 33.0%, respectively. LAT positive sera were further confirmed for toxoplasmosis using microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA). The crude positive rates for sera anti-toxoplasma IgG antibodies were 33.0% for Ames, 19.8% for Bunun and 19.0% for Paiwan, respectively. Except in Chang-bin district, the positive rates in males and females were not significantly different in two other districts (P>0.05). The seroprevalence in adults (24.4%) was significantly higher than that in children (7.0%) (P<0.05) in Paiwan, in contrast, no significant difference in seroprevalence was observed in the other two aboriginal groups. Note that the age pattern of prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies is consistent with increasing duration of exposure to Toxoplasma gondii with age in those aborigines in eastern Taiwan.