Systematic review and modelling of Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in humans, Europe, 2000 to 2021
Eurosurveillance·
- DOI
- 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2025.30.34.2500069
- PMID
- 40878705
- PMCID
- PMC12397722
- OpenAlex
- W4413807913
- Study type
- Systematic review
- Publisher
- European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC)
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
Toxoplasma gondii infection typically causes mild or asymptomatic illness in immunocompetent individuals but can lead to severe ocular, neurological, or multi-systemic disease and even death in unborn children and immunocompromised persons. The findings establish a robust baseline for future epidemiological research and may support risk assessment studies in Europe.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The study sought to compile and analyze Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence data across human populations in Europe to model and compare age-dependent prevalence by geographic region.
Study design
This was a systematic review and modeling study. Investigators identified 1,822 publications and extracted seroprevalence data from 69 studies, then analyzed the data using a Bayesian hierarchical model.
Population and setting
The population consisted of humans across Europe, with data spanning the period 2000 to 2021. Geographic regions analyzed included eastern, western, and northern Europe, as well as the United Kingdom.
Main findings
Modeled seroprevalence was highest in eastern and western Europe (50% and 48%, respectively) and lowest in northern Europe and the UK (both 18%). Half of the population in eastern and western Europe was expected to become seropositive by ages 44 and 47 years, respectively, while in northern Europe and the UK the modeled median time to infection exceeded 170 years.
Public-health relevance
Toxoplasma gondii infection typically causes mild or asymptomatic illness in immunocompetent individuals but can lead to severe ocular, neurological, or multi-systemic disease and even death in unborn children and immunocompromised persons. The findings establish a robust baseline for future epidemiological research and may support risk assessment studies in Europe.
Important limitations
This summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata and requires the original paper for decision-grade interpretation.
GIDS interpretation
The classifier links indicate the article is discoverable under Toxoplasmosis, United Kingdom, and topics including Travel medicine, Transmission dynamics, and One Health. These links reflect how the article is indexed and may aid retrieval in the context of related disease surveillance or research queries.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 7 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.