[Infection status of Toxoplasma gondii and its related knowledge and behavior among special population in Changzhou City].

Objective To investigate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and related knowledge and behavior among special population in Changzhou City, so as to provide the evidence for formulating effective measures of toxoplasmosis prevention. Methods The pregnant women and patients with neoplasia in Changzhou hospitals, and livestock and poultry breeding or processing workers were selected as the subjects of the study. Venous blood samples were collected from each participant for detecting IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii by ELISA. A questionnaire investigation on knowledge and behavior about T. gondii infection was conducted. Results Among the total 300 respondents investigated from March to May, 2015, the prevalence of T. gondii infection was 16.3% (49/300). Totally 52 respondents knew the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection with an awareness rate of 17.3% (52/300). The proportion of participants who frequently contacted with cats/dogs (25.0%, 13/52) in the group who knew the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection was lower than that of participants (50.8%, 126/248) in the group who did not know the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 = 11.51, P < 0.05). The proportion of participants separating chopping boards for raw and cooked food (61.5%, 32/52) in the group who knew the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection was statistically higher than that of the participants (9.3%, 23/248) in the group who did not know the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 = 78.43, P < 0.001). There was a negative correlation between the awareness rate of the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection and the infection rate of T. gondii. The infection rate of T. gondii (5.8%, 3/52) in the group who knew the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection was lower than that (18.5%, 46/248) of the group who did not know the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 = 5.14, P < 0.05). Conclusions The awareness rate of the knowledge about the prevention and control of T. gondii infection among special population in Changzhou City is low. The health education on the knowledge of the prevention and control of toxoplasmosis should be strengthened, in order to improve the awareness of personal hygiene and change the unhealthy lifestyles and dietary habits.