A seroepidemiological survey for toxoplasmosis among schoolchildren of Sari, Northern Iran

A seroepidemiological survey for toxoplasmosis among schoolchildren of public schools of the urban areas of the Sari, Mazandaran province, Iran, was carried out from September 2006 to March 2007. A total of 1209 serum samples (686 males, 523 females) were examined for IgG antibodies by ELISA. Questionnaires were completed for all participants. In regard to criteria>10 IU/mL as positive, the infection coefficient (IC) was 266 (22%), of which 161 were males (IC=23.5) and 105 females (IC=20.1) (P=0.15). No age-antibody association was detected, although an increase in positivity with increasing age was observed, reaching 23.1% in the oldest group (P=0.84). A significant association was observed with the presence of cat, contact with soil, washing hands before meals and eating raw or undercooked meat. An improvement in personal hygienic conditions and behavioral characteristics such as eating cooked meat is important in reducing the rate of Toxoplasma infection.