{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T11:37:40Z","timestamp":1785411460224,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]],"date-time":"2026-06-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781654400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY","award":["406572\/2022-4"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["406572\/2022-4"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002322","name":"Coordena\u00e7\u00e3o de Aperfei\u00e7oamento de Pessoal de N\u00edvel Superior\u2014Brasil","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["001"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002322","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"award":["001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["001"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00x0ma614","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["TropicalMed"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection in blood donors from the Brazilian Semiarid region, and to explore its implications for transfusion safety. Samples were collected from 646 donors at blood donation centers in the states of Cear\u00e1 and Para\u00edba. Serological diagnosis was performed using BIOLISA TOXOPLASMOSE ELISA kits for anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG antibodies, and molecular diagnosis was conducted by conventional PCR targeting a 529-bp noncoding repetitive fragment. Epidemiological questionnaires on variables associated with infection were administered, and statistical analysis was performed in univariate and multivariate stages, using multiple logistic regression. Among the 646 donors, 43.4% (281\/646) were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies, 0.3% (2\/646) for IgM antibodies, and none tested positive by PCR. In the univariate analysis, age, family income, educational level, salad washing practices, water source, raw milk consumption, and duration as a donor were significantly associated, whereas in the multivariate analysis only \u201cage\u201d and \u201csalad washing practices\u201d remained significant. A substantial IgG seroprevalence was observed among blood donors in the Brazilian Semiarid. The low IgM frequency, concurrent IgG positivity, and negative PCR results are consistent with a low transfusion risk in the region. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously, as negative PCR results do not completely rule out the presence of circulating parasites. Age was identified as a risk factor, whereas proper salad washing showed a protective effect.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/tropicalmed11060163","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]],"date-time":"2026-06-17T10:19:53Z","timestamp":1781691593000},"page":"163","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Serological, Molecular, and Epidemiological Investigation of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Blood Donors from the Brazilian Semiarid Region"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-1616-1644","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bas\u00edlio Felizardo","family":"Lima Neto","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Postgraduate Program in Science and Animal Health, Federal University of Campina Grande\u2014UFCG, Patos 58055-018, PB, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ana Caroline Dantas","family":"Amorim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Postgraduate Program in Science and Animal Health, Federal University of Campina Grande\u2014UFCG, Patos 58055-018, PB, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria Jessianny Diniz","family":"Alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Institute of Para\u00edba\u2014IFPB, Sousa 58805-345, PB, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ana Maria Santos","family":"Lima","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Institute of Para\u00edba\u2014IFPB, Sousa 58805-345, PB, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Janielton Albuquerque","family":"Lima","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Institute of Para\u00edba\u2014IFPB, Sousa 58805-345, PB, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Celine Sousa Menezes","family":"S\u00e1","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Institute of Para\u00edba\u2014IFPB, Sousa 58805-345, PB, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Emilly Henrique","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Institute of Para\u00edba\u2014IFPB, Sousa 58805-345, PB, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jo\u00e3o Lu\u00eds","family":"Garcia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, State University of Londrina\u2014UEL, Londrina 86057-970, PR, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9891-7842","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vinicius Longo Ribeiro","family":"Vilela","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Postgraduate Program in Science and Animal Health, Federal University of Campina Grande\u2014UFCG, Patos 58055-018, PB, Brazil"},{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Institute of Para\u00edba\u2014IFPB, Sousa 58805-345, PB, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2762-6383","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Thais Ferreira","family":"Feitosa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Postgraduate Program in Science and Animal Health, Federal University of Campina Grande\u2014UFCG, Patos 58055-018, PB, Brazil"},{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Institute of Para\u00edba\u2014IFPB, Sousa 58805-345, PB, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dubey, J.P. (2021). Toxoplasmosis of Animals and Humans, CRC 219 Press. [3rd ed.].","DOI":"10.1201\/9781003199373"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"307","article-title":"Seroprevalence and risk factors for human toxoplasmosis in Northeastern Brazil","volume":"46","author":"Aloise","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Trop. Pathol."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"191","DOI":"10.1007\/s11259-025-10757-1","article-title":"Survival and viability of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts under natural dry season conditions in the Brazilian semi-arid region","volume":"49","author":"Silva","year":"2025","journal-title":"Vet. Res. Commun."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100157","DOI":"10.1016\/j.crpvbd.2023.100157","article-title":"An abortion storm in a goat farm in the Northeast Region of Brazil was caused by the atypical Toxoplasma gondii genotype #13","volume":"5","author":"Vilela","year":"2023","journal-title":"Curr. Res. Parasitol. Vector-Borne Dis."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Vilela, V.L.R., and Feitosa, T.F. (2024). Recent advances in Toxoplasma gondii infection and toxoplasmosis. Trop. Med. Infect. Dis., 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/tropicalmed9070160"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Silva Filho, G.M., Silva, J.O., Costa Filho, A.A., Parentoni, R.N., Brasil, A.W.L., Feitosa, T.F., and Vilela, V.L.R. (2025). Seroprevalence of anti-Neospora caninum and anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in cattle intended for human consumption in the State of Para\u00edba, Brazil. Ruminants, 5.","DOI":"10.3390\/ruminants5040048"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"371","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rvsc.2020.10.019","article-title":"Foodborne transmission of Toxoplasma gondii infection 169 in the last decade. An overview","volume":"135","author":"Almeria","year":"2021","journal-title":"Res. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"152294","DOI":"10.1016\/j.imbio.2022.152294","article-title":"Seroprevalence and systemic immune biomarkers associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection in blood donors from Southern Brazil","volume":"227","author":"Paraboni","year":"2022","journal-title":"Immunobiology"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"388","DOI":"10.1182\/blood.V37.4.388.388","article-title":"Transmission of toxoplasmosis by leukocyte transfusion","volume":"37","author":"Siegel","year":"1971","journal-title":"Blood"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e6604","DOI":"10.7717\/peerj.6604","article-title":"Seroprevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in children with leukemia in Shandong Province, Eastern China: A case-control prospective study","volume":"7","author":"Zhou","year":"2019","journal-title":"PeerJ"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3065","DOI":"10.1007\/s00436-021-07282-w","article-title":"Toxoplasma gondii in South America: A differentiated pattern of spread, population structure and clinical manifestations","volume":"120","author":"Bessa","year":"2021","journal-title":"Parasitol. Res."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.4103\/2229-5070.190814","article-title":"Toxoplasmosis in organ transplant recipients: Evaluation, implication, and prevention","volume":"6","author":"Khurana","year":"2016","journal-title":"Trop. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1406","DOI":"10.1017\/S0031182021001013","article-title":"Congenital toxoplasmosis in humans: An update of worldwide rate of congenital infections","volume":"148","author":"Dubey","year":"2021","journal-title":"Parasitology"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"116","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tmrv.2016.03.002","article-title":"Toxoplasmosis in Blood Donors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis","volume":"30","author":"Majidiani","year":"2016","journal-title":"Transfus. Med. Rev."},{"key":"ref_15","unstructured":"(2026, January 19). Portaria n\u00ba 158, de 4 de Fevereiro de 2016, Available online: https:\/\/bvsms.saude.gov.br\/bvs\/saudelegis\/gm\/2016\/prt0158_04_02_2016.html."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"413","DOI":"10.1007\/s11250-017-1450-1","article-title":"Caprine toxoplasmosis in Southern Brazil: A comparative seroepidemiological study between the indirect immunofluorescence assay, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the modified agglutination test","volume":"50","author":"Fortes","year":"2018","journal-title":"Trop. Anim. Health Prod."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"687","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmoldx.2022.03.009","article-title":"Molecular diagnosis of toxoplasmosis: Multicenter evaluation of the Toxoplasma RealCycler Universal PCR assay on 168 characterized human samples","volume":"24","author":"Filisetti","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Mol. Diagn."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"289","DOI":"10.1016\/j.diagmicrobio.2015.04.004","article-title":"Molecular diagnosis of toxoplasmosis: Value of the buffy coat for the detection of circulating Toxoplasma gondii","volume":"82","author":"Capderou","year":"2015","journal-title":"Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.1590\/S0036-46652003000400011","article-title":"Prevalence of IgG antibodies specific to Toxoplasma gondii among blood donors in Recife, Northeast Brazil","volume":"45","author":"Kobayashi","year":"2003","journal-title":"Rev. Inst. Med. Trop. Sao Paulo"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102","DOI":"10.1093\/trstmh\/trad060","article-title":"Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in blood donors in a population from the northwestern region of S\u00e3o Paulo State, Brazil","volume":"118","author":"Assoni","year":"2024","journal-title":"Trans. R Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Thrusfield, M.V. (2018). Veterinary Epidemiology, Wiley-Blackwel. [4th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"69","DOI":"10.1016\/S0020-7519(99)00170-8","article-title":"Identification of a 200- to 300-fold repetitive 529 bp DNA fragment in Toxoplasma gondii, and its use for diagnostic and quantitative PCR","volume":"30","author":"Homan","year":"2000","journal-title":"Int. J. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"Zar, J.H. (1999). Biostatistical Analysis, PrenticeHall."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hosmer, D.W., and Lemeshow, S. (2000). Applied Logistic Regression, John Wiley & Sons. [2nd ed.].","DOI":"10.1002\/0471722146"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"461","DOI":"10.3389\/fcimb.2019.00461","article-title":"Serum IgG anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody concentrations do not correlate nested PCR results in blood donors","volume":"9","author":"Nakashima","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e00049","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fawpar.2019.e00049","article-title":"Environmental transmission of Toxoplasma gondii: Oocysts in water, soil and food","volume":"15","author":"Shapiro","year":"2019","journal-title":"Food Waterborne Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1202","DOI":"10.1186\/s12879-025-11559-1","article-title":"Prevalence and risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection among blood donors in eastern China","volume":"25","author":"Gao","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e28013","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2024.e28013","article-title":"Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in Iranian blood donors: A systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"10","author":"Foroutan","year":"2024","journal-title":"Heliyon"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.1051\/parasite\/2020049","article-title":"Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii among healthy blood donors in two locations in Tunisia and associated risk factors","volume":"27","author":"Lachkhem","year":"2020","journal-title":"Parasite"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e00505-20","DOI":"10.1128\/JCM.00505-20","article-title":"Role of Toxoplasma gondii IgG avidity testing in discriminating between acute and chronic toxoplasmosis in pregnancy","volume":"58","author":"Teimouri","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Clin. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102640","DOI":"10.1016\/j.parint.2022.102640","article-title":"Vertical transmission and pathological findings in the mother, the placenta and the offspring, during first and last thirds of gestation in a mouse model of congenital toxoplasmosis","volume":"91","author":"Correa","year":"2022","journal-title":"Parasitol. Int."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kantzanou, M., Kostares, E., Kostare, G., Papagiannopoulou, E., Kostares, M., and Tsakris, A. (2025). Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among blood donors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cureus, 17.","DOI":"10.7759\/cureus.85403"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"867","DOI":"10.1186\/s12879-025-11243-4","article-title":"Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection among patients with beta-thalassemia major: A case-control study in Southeastern Iran","volume":"25","author":"Baloochi","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lupu, M.A., Lighezan, R., Paduraru, A.A., Dragomir, A., Pavel, R., Grada, S., Mihu, A.G., Ursoniu, S., and Olariu, T.R. (2022). Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in blood donors from Western Romania. Microorganisms, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms10050973"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0212375","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0212375","article-title":"Socioeconomic vulnerability associated with Toxoplasma gondii exposure in southern Brazil","volume":"14","author":"Mareze","year":"2019","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.4103\/abr.abr_24_21","article-title":"Toxoplasmosis infection in newborns: A systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"11","author":"Akbari","year":"2022","journal-title":"Adv. Biomed. Res."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e00295","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fawpar.2025.e00295","article-title":"Molecular detection and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in goats\u2019 milk and aborted goat kid tissues from Pakistan","volume":"41","author":"Khan","year":"2025","journal-title":"Food Waterborne Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"L\u00f3pez Ure\u00f1a, N.M., Chaudhry, U., Calero Bernal, R., Cano Alsua, S., Messina, D., Evangelista, F., Betson, M., Lalle, M., Jokelainen, P., and Ortega Mora, L.M. (2022). Contamination of soil, water, fresh produce, and bivalve mollusks with Toxoplasma gondii oocysts: A systematic review. Microorganisms, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms10030517"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103143","DOI":"10.1016\/j.parint.2025.103143","article-title":"Prevalence, risk factors, diagnosis and outcomes of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnancy: A review","volume":"110","author":"Walana","year":"2026","journal-title":"Parasitol. Int."}],"container-title":["Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2414-6366\/11\/6\/163\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]],"date-time":"2026-06-19T04:55:21Z","timestamp":1781844921000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2414-6366\/11\/6\/163"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]}},"alternative-id":["tropicalmed11060163"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/tropicalmed11060163","relation":{},"ISSN":["2414-6366"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2414-6366","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]]}}}