# The prevalence and associated risk factors of post-transplant Toxoplasma gondii infection among kidney transplant recipients and patients with uremia in Central-southern China

## TL;DR

This study finds that kidney transplant recipients and uremia patients in China are at risk of Toxoplasma gondii infection, with cat ownership and weakened immune cells linked to higher infection rates.

## Contribution

The study reports new seroprevalence data and identifies risk factors for T. gondii infection in kidney transplant and uremia patients in China.

## Key findings

- Approximately 10.59% of kidney transplant recipients were seropositive for T. gondii.
- Uremia patients had a 24.12% seroprevalence of T. gondii.
- Keeping cats and lower CD3+/CD8+ T cell counts were associated with higher T. gondii IgG prevalence in uremia patients.

## Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an opportunistic intracellular parasite and is a big threaten for patients with uremia and solid organ transplantation recipients, especially for kidney transplant recipients. However, Toxoplasma seroprevalence in these patient populations remain unclear, and the risk factors of post transplantation T. gondii infection were not well-defined in China and globally.

Post-transplant or uremia patient’s serum collected from transplant center of 3rd Xiangya hospital of Central South University were detected by IHA to detect anti-Toxoplasma IgG. A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed with these patient’s medical records and a questionnaire was also conducted.

The results indicated that approximately 10.59% of the kidney recipients in central-southern China were seropositive for T. gondii post-transplant. While the prevalence in patients with uremia was about 24.12%. We identified that keeping cats and a lower percentage of CD3+T cells and CD8+T cells were associated with higher prevalence of T. gondii IgG+ in uremia patients when compared with kidney transplant recipients.

This study suggested that kidney recipients and those uremia patients in the waiting list are susceptible to T. gondii infection. Immune status and keeping cats are associated with the seroprevalence in those patients. However, T. gondii infection is a neglected problem, screening and monitoring deserves more attention in the clinic.

Oxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic intracellular parasite and is Serious threaten for immunodeficient patients including those with uremia and solid organ transplantation recipients. However, Toxoplasma seroprevalence in these patients remains unclear, and the risk factors of post transplantation T. gondii infection were not well defined in China and globally. Therefore, Toxoplasma infection is still a neglected problem, and clinical screening and monitoring should be pay more attention. This study suggested that kidney recipients and those uremia patients in the waiting list are susceptible to T. gondii infection. Immune status and keeping cats are associated with the seroprevalence in those patients.