The Epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii in Patients Infected with HIV/AIDS in Iran: a Systematic Review

Introduction and Objective: Toxoplasma gondii is a joint pathogen between humans and animals with a worldwide distribution that has intense pathologic consequences and even results in the death of people infected with acquired immunodeficiency (HIV/AIDS). This research aims at studying the epidemiology of T. gondii in patients infected with HIV.Method : Systematic review searches to find the published studies until ۲۰۲۲ in databases (PubMed, Google Scholar) and the recently published abstracts were done using the keywords T.gondii , toxoplasmosis , HIV , AIDS , Iran . This systematic review study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines (figure ۱)Results : Using the data gathered from ۱۵ studies, we analyzed ۲۲۲۸ HIV patients from ۱۲ cities in Iran between ۲۰۰۰ and ۲۰۲۲. We found ۷۷۳ cases of toxoplasmosis among HIV patients. According to this systematic review, the prevalence of toxoplasmosis among HIV patients is ۳۴.۶۹%. This relatively high prevalence shows that toxoplasmosis is one of the most common parasitic intestinal infections among AIDS patients. toxoplasmosis is one of the most common opportunistic parasitic diseases that affect the central nervous system and the eyes and may result in Toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) which is the most widespread display of infection with T.gondii in patients infected with HIV that occurs because of the reactivation of the latent infection. Its clinical symptoms include fever, headache, convulsions, confusion, memory loss, neurological and movement disorders, psychopathy, and loss of consciousness. Having raw or half-cooked meat infected with cysts, vegetables, or water infected with oocytes of this parasite, and having contact with animals such as cats are the main source of this parasitic disease.Conclusion : T. gondii is a preventable and treatable disease and its early diagnosis plays an important role in the management, control, and treatment process. Therefore, performing screening examinations in patients infected with HIV, training, and observing sanitation principles have great importance.

کلیدواژه ها:

T. gondii ، toxoplasmosis ، HIV ، AIDS ، Iran