Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Related Risk Factors among Blood Donors in Northwest Iran

Background: Toxoplasmosis, a worldwide parasitic infection, is considered as a transfusion-transmitted disease. Objectives: Due to ignorance about Toxoplasma infection in blood donors monitoring and its important role in provision of safe blood and blood products and also poor information about the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in blood donors, this study was conducted to assess anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and associated risk factors among blood donors in northwest of Iran. Methods: In this cross- sectional study, 194 serum samples were collected from healthy blood donors who referred to Tabriz Blood transfusion organization (East Azerbaijan, Iran) during April and June 2014 and tested for anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG antibodies using chemiluminescence immunoassay. The questionnaire consisting of demographic and risk factors were filled for all the participants. Results: From 194 donors, 75 (38.66%) and 2 (1.03%) individuals were seropositive for anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies, respectively. In the present study, anti-T. gondii antibodies in first-time donors was significantly higher than those in regular blood donors (P < 0.05). A significant correlation was observed between T. gondii infection and age (P < 0.05); however, there were no relationship between Toxoplasma infection and other factors. Conclusions: Considering the medical importance of blood transfusion and high rate of anti- T. gondii antibodies in healthy blood donors, it seems that effective monitoring of infection is required to prevent transfusion- transmitted toxoplasmosis.