Tropical medicine and infectious disease
Assessment of Anti-Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Evaluation of Liver Fibrosis Biomarkers and Elastography Findings
By Abdulwehab MM, El Saftawy EA, Elattar S and 9 others.
Abstract
Background
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains an important cause of progressive liver disease and fibrosis. Toxoplasma gondii infection is highly prevalent worldwide and may influence inflammatory and fibrotic pathways; however, its clinical significance in patients with chronic HCV infection remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies among patients with chronic HCV infection and to evaluate potential differences in liver fibrosis biomarkers and elastography findings according to T. gondii serostatus.
Methods
In this case-control study conducted between December 2023 and October 2024 at Beni-Suef University Hospital, Beni-Suef, Egypt, 58 treatment-naive patients with chronic HCV infection, confirmed by documented anti-HCV positivity together with detectable serum HCV RNA, and 20 healthy controls were enrolled. Anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies were detected using a qualitative rapid immunochromatographic assay (OnSite Toxo IgG/IgM Combo Rapid Test, CTK Biotech, Poway, CA, USA). In HCV patients, liver fibrosis was assessed using transient elastography and circulating fibrosis-related biomarkers, including tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), and YKL-40, the latter three measured by quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Clinical, biochemical, and fibrosis-related parameters were compared between HCV patients and controls and according to T. gondii serological status.