Dr. Holló Ferenc szerk.: Parasitologia Hungarica 3. (Budapest, 1970)

Certain personal features are relevant to the acquisition of Toxoplasma infection as the present study indicates. The importance of age is first to be stressed. The general trend is well outlined by data demonstrating the age-specific distribution of toxoplasmosis. Hardly any infections occurs between birth and about 6 years of age. A slow increase in the rate of infection takes place between the ages of 5 to 15 years.The vast majority of the population becoms infected between 15 and 30 years of age. Infection in later life is rare.The agespecific distribution of prevalence poses a number of somewhat theoretical questions.Why does the infection prevail between 15 and 30 years? (One can hardly claim that this age entails the most intensive and extensive contact with animals.) What immunological explanation can be offered for the fact that individuals, not infected until 30 years old,are rendered insusceptible for the rest of their life? Particular sex differences have not been noticed so far in the prevalence of toxoplasmosis (FELDMAN and MILLER, 1956). An excess of women infected was shown by BEVERLEY et al. (1954). Rather more frequent and earlier acquisition of the infection by males In Budapest has been revealed in the present work. Similar observations were made by LUDLAM (1965) in Africa. Occupation is definitely a matter of Importance.MURAEAMI (1964) using the Sabin-Feldman test reported a 90 $ positive rate in dogcatchers.Higher rates among veterinarians,animal attendants, abattoir workers rabbit- and poultry-farmers, etc. were also demonstrated by a majority of authors. The inequality of the social and financial situation of „reactors" and „non-reactors" is mainly a reflection of occupation and the extent of contact with animals. Continued research is being carried out to study the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in this country. The initial results of a survey have been reported on this occasion. In future more detailed work will be undertaken in order to clarify certain obscure aspects of toxoplasmosis.