Effect of risk exposure habits for T. gondii infection on the systemic humoral and cellular immune response of chronically infected patients

RUDZINSKI MN; REINA S.; ARGÜELLES C; COUTO C,; OUBIÑA JR

C.A.B.A.

Congreso; xxxv Congreso Panamericano de Oftalmología; 2023

Asociación Panamericana de Oftalmología (PAAO) y el Consejo Argentino de Oftalmología (CAO

Correlation of risk exposure habits for Toxoplasma gondii infection and the humoral/ cellular systemic immune response of chronically parasitized patients Rudzinski M.1,2,3, Reina S.2,3, Argüelles C2, Couto C4., Oubiña J.R.51 Cátedra de Oftalmología, Universidad Católica de las Misiones (UCAMI).2 Centro de Investigación, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica de las Misiones (UCAMI).3 Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET).4 Departamento de Oftalmología, Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Universidad de Buenos Aires 5 Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica, Universidad de Buenos Aires - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.AbstractPurpose: To study the effects of risk exposure habits to Toxoplasma gondii infection in the host humoral and cellular immune response of chronically infected patients by the parasite.Material and Methods: 32 T. gondii chronically infected patients with Ocular Toxoplasmosis (OT) from Misiones Province were included. The levels of serum IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies, IFN-γ and IL-10 were determined by ELISA, as well as the same cytokines released in a Cytokine Release Assay (CRA) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Epidemiological and clinical data from each patient were obtained through a questionnaire and from clinical charts, respectively. Correlations between non-parametric data were analyzed by the Spearman Test. 15 control individuals without T. gondii infection were also included in this study.Results: Ingestion of smoked pork (raw) meat sausages (65.6%) followed by petting cats at home (56.3%) and frequent daily contact with soil (51.8%) were the most frequent factors observed in parasitized patients. When the Epidemiological Risk Factor Index (ERFI, the additive result of all risk factors corresponding to a given patient) was compared with the level of serum anti-T. gondii antibodies of each patient, a moderate positive correlation with statistical significance was observed (Rho=0.580; p=0.002). A positive correlation was also recorded when IL-10 levels released in the CRA were plotted against ERFI (Rho=0.558; p