Prevalence of latent and reactivated Toxoplasma gondii parasites in HIV-patients from Uganda

Untreated Toxoplasma gondii-infections are often fatal in AIDS-patients. Many African countries struck hard by HIV/AIDS exhibit a high seroprevalence of T gondii, but the rate of reactivated parasites among African HIV-patients has never previously been determined. In this study, lgG-agglutination and PCR was used to analyse blood samples from 130 HIV-positive patients in Uganda. Anti-T gondii antibodies were detected in 54% of the patients while 23% had parasites in the peripheral blood, which indicates active infection. Genotyping of the SAG2-locus revealed the type 11 allele for most disease-causing strains (60%), but all three SAG2-types was represented in our Study population. Furthermore, one sample appeared to harbour a recombinant strain, with SAG2 type 11 but the type I-allele at the BTUB-gene. This study emphasizes the high prevalence of toxoplasmosis among Ugandan HIV-patients and also suggests that recombinant or atypical strains may be present in this part of the world. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.