BACKGROUND: Ocular toxoplasmosis has been considered to be a largely asymptomatic infection because of the high seroprevalence of Toxoplasma antibodies and the low rate of clinical diagnosis. On the other hand, Toxoplasma infection has been reported to be associated with the other ocular disease. To investigate the association of Toxoplasma infection with the development of various ocular diseases, we studied Toxoplasma seroprevalence in patients with various ocular diseases. METHODS: We investigated Toxoplasma seroprevalence in 982 patients with various ocular diseases in central Japan. Then we compared the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies. RESULTS: Of 982 patients with various ocular diseases, 122 (12.4%) had serological evidence of previous exposure to Toxoplasma gondii. There were no statistically significant differences among the patients with various ocular diseases. However, the seroprevalence in patients aged 40 to 99 years with macular degenerative lesions was significantly higher than that in patients without these lesions (P < 0.05, Yates' correction). CONCLUSION: This result suggests that Toxoplasma infection could play some role in the development of a type of macular degenerative lesion.
BACKGROUND:Ocular toxoplasmosis has been considered to be a largely asymptomatic infection because of the high seroprevalence of Toxoplasma antibodies and the low rate of clinical diagnosis. On the other hand, Toxoplasma infection has been reported to be associated with the other ocular disease. To investigate the association of Toxoplasma infection with the development of various ocular diseases, we studied Toxoplasma seroprevalence in patients with various ocular diseases. METHODS: We investigated Toxoplasma seroprevalence in 982 patients with various ocular diseases in central Japan. Then we compared the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies. RESULTS: Of 982 patients with various ocular diseases, 122 (12.4%) had serological evidence of previous exposure to Toxoplasma gondii. There were no statistically significant differences among the patients with various ocular diseases. However, the seroprevalence in patients aged 40 to 99 years with macular degenerative lesions was significantly higher than that in patients without these lesions (P < 0.05, Yates' correction). CONCLUSION: This result suggests that Toxoplasma infection could play some role in the development of a type of macular degenerative lesion.