Purpose

This study aimed to identify the factors associated with ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) among uveitis patients seen in two ophthalmic clinics in Kinshasa.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in two ophthalmic clinics in Kinshasa between March 2020 and July 2021. Patients with uveitis were enrolled in the study. Each patient underwent an interview and a complete ophthalmic examination. Serology testing was performed by an enzyme-linked fluorescent assay. A logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with OT. Variance-inflation factors were calculated to test for multicollinearity, with the highest found to be 2.04.

Results

Of 212 patients included, 53% of patients were male. The mean age was 42 ± 15.9 years. The IgG antibodies were positive for 87% of patients and OT affected 45% of patients (IC95%: 38.7-52.1). Old Uveitis patients (˃60 years old) (AOR 8.48; 95% CI 2.33-3.52; p < 0.001), consumption of cat meat (AOR 2.48; 95% CI 1.14 -5.40; p=0.022), eating undercooked meat (AOR 2.34; 95% CI 1.05 -5.21; p=0.037) were significantly associated with ocular toxoplasmosis among uveitis patients.

Conclusions

Screening for OT should be routine in patients, especially the elderly. Consumption of undercooked meat, especially cat meat, should be discouraged to reduce the risk of OT. A more elaborate study to confirm or refute the results of the present study is highly recommended.