Association between Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Type-1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Ashley Catchpole (), Brinley N. Zabriskie, Pierce Bassett, Bradley Embley, David White, Shawn D. Gale and Dawson Hedges
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Ashley Catchpole: The Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Brinley N. Zabriskie: The Department of Statistics, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Pierce Bassett: The Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Bradley Embley: The Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
David White: The Department of Micro and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Shawn D. Gale: The Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Dawson Hedges: The Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-10

Abstract: Type-1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease characterized by damage to pancreatic insulin-producing beta cells, is associated with adverse renal, retinal, cardiovascular, and cognitive outcomes, possibly including dementia. Moreover, the protozoal parasite Toxoplasma gondii has been associated with type-1 diabetes. To better characterize the association between type-1 diabetes and Toxoplasma gondii infection, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies that evaluated the relationship between type-1 diabetes and Toxoplasma gondii infection. A random-effects model based on nine primary studies (total number of participants = 2655) that met our inclusion criteria demonstrated a pooled odds ratio of 2.45 (95% confidence interval, 0.91–6.61). Removing one outlying study increased the pooled odds ratio to 3.38 (95% confidence interval, 2.09–5.48). These findings suggest that Toxoplasma gondii infection might be positively associated with type-1 diabetes, although more research is needed to better characterize this association. Additional research is required to determine whether changes in immune function due to type-1 diabetes increase the risk of infection with Toxoplasma gondii, infection with Toxoplasma gondii increases the risk of type-1 diabetes, or both processes occur.

Keywords: type-1 diabetes mellitus; type-1 diabetes juvenile-onset diabetes; toxoplasmosis; Toxoplasma gondii (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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