International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2013): 6.14 | Impact Factor (2014): 5.611 Volume 4 Issue 12, December 2015 www.ijsr.net Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY Assessment of Level of Cortisol Hormone in Patients with Toxoplasmosis Hisham Abdelazeem 1 , GadAllah Moddawe 2 , Suhair Abdalrahman Ahmed 3 , AbdElkarim A. Abdrabo 4 1, 3 Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences Alneelain University, Khartoum, Sudan 2 Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Omdurman Islamic University, Omdurman, Sudan 4 Associate professor of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Al-Neelain University Abstract: Objective : to estimate serum level of cortisol in patients with toxoplasmosis. Materials and Methods : A case control study was conducted in Military Hospital in 150 subjects, during the period from April to June 2015. The studied population consisted of 100 patients already diagnosed as toxoplasmosis patients (58 male and 42 female) as cases and 50 apparently healthy individuals (32 male and 18 female) as controls. After complete fasting, five ml of blood samples were collected and sera separated by centrifugation at 4000 rpm. The cortisol levels were accurately using automated hormonal analyzer. Results : We found significantly increasing in serum cortisol levels in toxoplasmosis patients as compared to control (p=0.000). No statistically significant correlation observed between levels of serum cortisol in male cases and female cases (p=0.798). Conclusion : toxoplasmosis is associated with higher serum cortisol levels. Keywords: Toxoplasma infection, cortisol, Military Hospital, Sudan 1. Introduction Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite that infects human and animals. Infection by toxoplasma gondii is widely prevalent in human and animals throughout the world, and of both veterinary and medical importance, because it may cause abortion, fetal death, and stillbirths in its intermediate hosts. Although toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan infection, the disease appears to be overshadowed in the tropics by other endemic diseases like malaria and enteric fever. With the realization of toxoplasmosis as an opportunistic infection in AIDS, renewed interest has emerged in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in Africa. Recent surveys have shown wide variations in the prevalence and epidemiologic pattern of toxoplasmosis in different African countries (Somalia 43.6%, Mauritania 14.5%, kenya 54%, Negeria 58.9% , libya 52%, Burundi 41.1% , Niger 18.2%) in the Sudan, the only information available on the prevalence of toxoplasmosis dates back to 1966 (Carter &Fleck 1966). This parasite has been reported to cause four types of disease. The most dangerous is congenital toxoplasmosis, which often results in serious damages to fetus and development of various symptoms like micro-cephalic, hydro-cephalic and mental problems in infants The Second form is acute postnatally acquired toxoplasmosis. This form recognized by the presence of tachyzoite in blood and other tissues. A wide range of clinical symptoms like cervical lymphadenopathy, fever, headache, and psychiatric and neurological complications can be found in immunocompetent patients. But symptoms of acute toxoplasmosis are usually mild and harmless. Accordingly, toxoplasmosis is usually misdiagnosed with bacterial or viral diseases. Lower cellular immunity which is associated with high levels of steroid hormones contributes to the survival of the parasite in the body. Such these people, cause of steroid hormones increase with weak immune system, contribute to this parasite survive in body. Regarding, the above report, it seems that there is a relationship between infected individuals by toxoplasmosis and stress hormones increase. It must be noted that stress hormones increase can lead to behavioural challenges in individuals. The aim of this study is to evaluate effect of toxoplasma infection on cortisol level. 2. Materials and Methods This was a prospective case control study conducted in military hospital in Khartoum during the period from April 2015- June 2015. The case group was composed of 100 patients with toxoplasmosis while the control group was composed of 50 apparently healthy individuals. A coded enrollment number was given for each enrolled subject. The data were collected by using a direct interviewing questionnaire. Medical information was collected from the patients. The questionnaire was used to collect data regarding name, age, gender and stress. Five ml venous blood were collected from each enrolled subject at 8:00 am after adequate fasting and poured into plain containers to collect serum by adequate method. Sera obtained were analyzed for cortisol using Roche and Hitachi E411 analyzer (Germany), which is fully automated Elecrto- chemiluminescense anlyzer. The data were analyzed using the statistical software package SPSS, version 20.0. 3. Result The participants included were 150. Of them, 100 were toxoplasmosis patients (58 male and 42 female) as cases and Paper ID: NOV151722 55