Seroprevalence of Toxoplasmosis and Interferon Gamma Levels in Autoimmune Thyroiditis Patients | ||
| Infection Epidemiology and Microbiology | ||
| Article 6, Volume 11, Issue 1, 2025, Pages 51-61 PDF (718.04 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Research | ||
| DOI: 10.61186/iem.11.1.51 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Akram Hadi Haddad; Amal Khudair Khalaf* | ||
| Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Thi-Qar, Iraq | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Background: In thyroiditis, the cellular immune response plays a crucial role in triggering the production of autoantibodies. Toxoplasma gondii elicits a strong innate and adaptive immune response within the host organism. This study aims to assess the seroepidemiological prevalence of toxoplasmosis and the levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis (AITD) in Iraq. Methods: This case-control survey was conducted on 100 patients diagnosed with AITD and 70 healthy individuals (non-AITD) who attended general hospitals in Thi-Qar Province, Iraq, between July and November 2023. The prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies was evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Serum levels of IFN-γ were measured using ELISA kits, while the expression levels of IFN-γ were assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Findings: Among the participants, 33 patients (33.00%) in the AITD group and 9 patients (12.85%) in the non-AITD group tested positive for T. gondii IgG antibodies (p < 0.001). Additionally, 2.00% of AITD patients and 1.40% of non-AITD patients were positive for anti-Toxoplasma IgM antibodies. PCR analysis revealed the presence of T. gondii parasites in 2.00% of AITD patients and 1.4% of non-AITD patients. In AITD patients with T. gondii antibodies, both serum levels and gene expression of IFN-γ were significantly elevated compared to AITD patients without T. gondii antibodies (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Current findings suggest that individuals infected with T. gondii may experience direct effects on the thyroid gland due to elevated levels of IFN-γ. However, further analyses are necessary to validate these results. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Toxoplasma gondii; Gravis disease; Hashimoto's disease; ELISA; Real-time PCR | ||
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