Ecological aspects of toxoplasmosis

Objective: to study the effect of high altitude on toxoplasma infection and immunological parameters of women of reproductive age with toxoplasma invasion. Material and methods. A survey of 380 patients of reproductive age with a chronic form of toxoplasmosis from high-mountainous regions and 260 patients from lowland areas was examined. In the study of the cellular and humoral parts of the immune system, phagocytosis indices and immunoglobulin classes M, G, A were determined by the Mancini method of radial immunodiffusion. Results. Patients of reproductive age revealed a distinct relationship between infection with toxoplasmosis and high altitude. When analyzing the climatic conditions, the characteristics of the economic activity and life of residents of different settlements of the republic, the dependence of the level of Toxoplasma infection on such factors as the influence of the sea and mountain climate and occupation is revealed. It was found that in patients from high mountain regions, the average percentage of blast formation is 2 times less than this indicator in patients from lowland areas (2.80.3 and 5.70.7 p 0.05). The average percentage of agglomerated leukocytes in individuals from high mountain regions was 16.71.2, and in women from lowland regions - 10.51.1. The difference in leukergy indices was significant (p 0.05). Conclusion. The results of the studies indicate the inhibitory effect of the high mountain climate on the cellular and humoral parts of the immune system. The infection of patients with toxoplasmas from highlands is 2 times higher than among women from lowland areas.