High frequency of infection of lung cancer patients with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii
Background Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite that can cause a wide range of clinical conditions, including miscarriage and pneumonia. The global prevalence is 30% in humans, but varies by locality (e.g. in the UK it is typically 10%). The association between lung cancer and T....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
European Respiratory Society
2019-05-01
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| Series: | ERJ Open Research |
| Online Access: | http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/5/2/00143-2018.full |
| _version_ | 1818361414296797184 |
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| author | Jaroslav Bajnok Muyassar Tarabulsi Helen Carlin Kevin Bown Thomas Southworth Josiah Dungwa Dave Singh Zhao-Rong Lun Lucy Smyth Geoff Hide |
| author_facet | Jaroslav Bajnok Muyassar Tarabulsi Helen Carlin Kevin Bown Thomas Southworth Josiah Dungwa Dave Singh Zhao-Rong Lun Lucy Smyth Geoff Hide |
| author_sort | Jaroslav Bajnok |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite that can cause a wide range of clinical conditions, including miscarriage and pneumonia. The global prevalence is 30% in humans, but varies by locality (e.g. in the UK it is typically 10%). The association between lung cancer and T. gondii infection was investigated by direct detection in lung tissue samples.
Methods
Lung tissue samples were taken from patients undergoing lung resection surgery (n=72) for suspected lung cancer (infection prevalence 100% (95% CI: 93.9–100%)). All 72 participants were confirmed as having lung cancer following subsequent diagnostic tests. In addition, bronchial biopsy samples were collected from non-lung cancer healthy control subjects (n=10). Samples were tested for T. gondii using PCR amplification of T. gondii specific gene markers and T. gondii specific immunohistochemistry.
Results
All 72 lung cancer patients were infected with T. gondii (prevalence 100% (95% CI: 93.9–100%)). Of which, 95.8% (n=69) of patients showed evidence of active parasite stages. Infection prevalence in the controls (10%) was significantly lower (p<0.0001).
Conclusions
Clinicians treating lung cancer patients should be aware of the potential presence of the parasite, the potential for induction of symptomatic complications and interference with treatment success. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T21:16:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-243e1087e20e48c3812e37b11502e764 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2312-0541 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T21:16:18Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | European Respiratory Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | ERJ Open Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-243e1087e20e48c3812e37b11502e7642022-12-21T23:31:13ZengEuropean Respiratory SocietyERJ Open Research2312-05412019-05-015210.1183/23120541.00143-201800143-2018High frequency of infection of lung cancer patients with the parasite Toxoplasma gondiiJaroslav Bajnok0Muyassar Tarabulsi1Helen Carlin2Kevin Bown3Thomas Southworth4Josiah Dungwa5Dave Singh6Zhao-Rong Lun7Lucy Smyth8Geoff Hide9 Biomedical Research Centre and Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK Biomedical Research Centre and Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK Biomedical Research Centre and Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK Biomedical Research Centre and Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK The University of Manchester, Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester and University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK The University of Manchester, Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester and University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK The University of Manchester, Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester and University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK Biomedical Research Centre and Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK Biomedical Research Centre and Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK Biomedical Research Centre and Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, UK Background Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite that can cause a wide range of clinical conditions, including miscarriage and pneumonia. The global prevalence is 30% in humans, but varies by locality (e.g. in the UK it is typically 10%). The association between lung cancer and T. gondii infection was investigated by direct detection in lung tissue samples. Methods Lung tissue samples were taken from patients undergoing lung resection surgery (n=72) for suspected lung cancer (infection prevalence 100% (95% CI: 93.9–100%)). All 72 participants were confirmed as having lung cancer following subsequent diagnostic tests. In addition, bronchial biopsy samples were collected from non-lung cancer healthy control subjects (n=10). Samples were tested for T. gondii using PCR amplification of T. gondii specific gene markers and T. gondii specific immunohistochemistry. Results All 72 lung cancer patients were infected with T. gondii (prevalence 100% (95% CI: 93.9–100%)). Of which, 95.8% (n=69) of patients showed evidence of active parasite stages. Infection prevalence in the controls (10%) was significantly lower (p<0.0001). Conclusions Clinicians treating lung cancer patients should be aware of the potential presence of the parasite, the potential for induction of symptomatic complications and interference with treatment success.http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/5/2/00143-2018.full |
| spellingShingle | Jaroslav Bajnok Muyassar Tarabulsi Helen Carlin Kevin Bown Thomas Southworth Josiah Dungwa Dave Singh Zhao-Rong Lun Lucy Smyth Geoff Hide High frequency of infection of lung cancer patients with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii ERJ Open Research |
| title | High frequency of infection of lung cancer patients with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii |
| title_full | High frequency of infection of lung cancer patients with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii |
| title_fullStr | High frequency of infection of lung cancer patients with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii |
| title_full_unstemmed | High frequency of infection of lung cancer patients with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii |
| title_short | High frequency of infection of lung cancer patients with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii |
| title_sort | high frequency of infection of lung cancer patients with the parasite toxoplasma gondii |
| url | http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/5/2/00143-2018.full |
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