Seroepidemiología de la toxoplasmosis en una comunidad indígena Yucpa de la Sierra de Perijá, Estado Zulia, Venezuela / Seroepidemiology of toxoplasmosis in a Yucpa Amerindian community of Sierra de Perijá, Zulia State, Venezuela

BACKGROUND: There is a high rate of Toxoplasma gondii infection worldwide. In Latin America the rate is as high as 65% in some populations. AIM: To measure the prevalence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in a native Yucpa community in Venezuela. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Total serum antibodies measured by indirect hemagglutination and IgM antibodies by ELISA were measured in 94 Yucpa subjects (49 males), aged from 3 months to 100 years. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of infection was 63%. Fifty nine subjects had total antibodies and 14 had IgM antibodies. No significant differences by age or sex, were observed in the proportion of subjects with positive total or IgM antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: The studied individuals had a high prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection.