Sero-epidemiological survey for toxoplasmosis in Burundi

The first sero-epidemiological survey for toxoplasmosis in Burundi was conducted in 1985. The global prevalence among 622 subjects tested in ELISA and IFI was 44.1% with a higher rate in men (49.6%) than in women (39.2%, p less than 0.01). The highest prevalences were observed in rural areas with intensive farming activities: the crest (57.9%), the plain (53.3%). The central platform, where people and farming activities are widespread, had a lower prevalence (29.3%, p less than 0.001). The risk of infection is much lower in urban people with high levels of hygiene (22.4%) specially in women (13%), than in those of poor condition (45%, p less than 0.001). These data suggest that toxoplasmic infection is mainly due to oocysts ingestion associated with low levels of hygiene and to a lesser extent to meat consumption in men.