Association between Toxocara spp. seropositivity and cognitive outcomes in older adults: a cross-sectional analysis of the amirkola health and ageing project.

IF 3.9 2区医学 Q1 INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Infection Pub Date : 2026-09-14 DOI:10.1007/s15010-026-02964-y

Ali Rostami, Seyed Reza Hosseini, Fatemeh Saeedi, Zahra Geraili, Farzan Kheirkhah, Ali Bijani, Mahmood Shams, Ashkan Garshasbi, Negar Jafari

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Human evidence regarding the association between Toxocara exposure and cognitive function in older adults remains limited and derives largely from U.S. population-based studies, with heterogeneous findings across cognitive domains. Evidence from non-Western older populations is scarce. We therefore examined the association between Toxocara spp. seropositivity and MMSE-based cognitive outcomes among older adults participating in the Amirkola Health and Ageing Project (AHAP) in northern Iran.

Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study included adults aged ≥60 years who participated in phase 3 of AHAP during 2023-2024. Anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), with cognitive impairment defined as an MMSE score <22 based on Iranian validation data. Logistic regression was used to examine MMSE-defined cognitive impairment, and upper-censored Tobit regression was used to evaluate continuous MMSE scores.

Results: Among 1,559 participants tested for Toxocara, seroprevalence was 44.7% (95% CI, 42.3-47.2%). The analytic sample included 1,453 participants with serological and MMSE data; 223 (15.3%; 95% CI, 13.5-17.3%) had cognitive impairment. In the fully adjusted model, Toxocara seropositivity was not significantly associated with MMSE-defined cognitive impairment (OR=1.31; 95% CI, 0.84-2.06; P=0.231). Similarly, in the fully adjusted Tobit model, the estimated marginal effect of Toxocara seropositivity on the observed MMSE score was -0.16 points (95% CI, -0.51 to 0.18; P=0.356).

Conclusions: We found no statistically significant evidence of an association between Toxocara seropositivity and MMSE-based cognitive outcomes in older adults; however, modest associations cannot be excluded. Longitudinal studies using domain-specific cognitive assessments are needed.

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老年人弓形虫血清阳性与认知结果之间的关系：amirkola健康与老龄化项目的横断面分析。

背景：关于弓形虫暴露与老年人认知功能之间关系的人类证据仍然有限，并且主要来自美国基于人群的研究，在认知领域中发现异质性。来自非西方老年人群的证据很少。因此，我们研究了在伊朗北部参加Amirkola健康和老龄化项目（AHAP）的老年人中弓形虫血清阳性与基于mmse的认知结果之间的关系。方法：这项以人群为基础的横断面研究纳入了2023-2024年期间参加AHAP第三期的年龄≥60岁的成年人。采用酶联免疫吸附法检测抗弓形虫IgG抗体。认知功能采用简易精神状态检查（MMSE）进行评估，认知障碍定义为MMSE评分。结果：在1,559名弓形虫检测的参与者中，血清阳性率为44.7% （95% CI, 42.3-47.2%）。分析样本包括1453名具有血清学和MMSE数据的参与者；223人（15.3%;95% CI, 13.5-17.3%）有认知障碍。在完全调整后的模型中，弓形虫血清阳性与mmse定义的认知障碍无显著相关性（OR=1.31; 95% CI, 0.84-2.06； P=0.231）。同样，在完全调整的Tobit模型中，弓形虫血清阳性对观察到的MMSE评分的估计边际效应为-0.16分（95% CI, -0.51至0.18；P=0.356）。结论：我们没有发现有统计学意义的证据表明弓形虫血清阳性与老年人基于mmse的认知结果之间存在关联；然而，不能排除适度的关联。需要使用特定领域认知评估的纵向研究。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Infection 医学-传染病学

CiteScore

12.50

自引率

1.30%

发文量

224

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Infection is a journal dedicated to serving as a global forum for the presentation and discussion of clinically relevant information on infectious diseases. Its primary goal is to engage readers and contributors from various regions around the world in the exchange of knowledge about the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases, both in outpatient and inpatient settings. The journal covers a wide range of topics, including: Etiology: The study of the causes of infectious diseases. Pathogenesis: The process by which an infectious agent causes disease. Diagnosis: The methods and techniques used to identify infectious diseases. Treatment: The medical interventions and strategies employed to treat infectious diseases. Public Health: Issues of local, regional, or international significance related to infectious diseases, including prevention, control, and management strategies. Hospital Epidemiology: The study of the spread of infectious diseases within healthcare settings and the measures to prevent nosocomial infections. In addition to these, Infection also includes a specialized "Images" section, which focuses on high-quality visual content, such as images, photographs, and microscopic slides, accompanied by brief abstracts. This section is designed to highlight the clinical and diagnostic value of visual aids in the field of infectious diseases, as many conditions present with characteristic clinical signs that can be diagnosed through inspection, and imaging and microscopy are crucial for accurate diagnosis. The journal's comprehensive approach ensures that it remains a valuable resource for healthcare professionals and researchers in the field of infectious diseases.