Toxoplasma Gondii Infection and Testosterone Alteration: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and testosterone alteration, analyzing 24 articles (18 human and six animal studies). Most human studies (13 out of 19) reported increased testosterone levels in males with latent toxoplasmosis, while three reported decreases and two found no significant change. In animals, testosterone levels varied, with some studies showing decreases and others increases. The pooled data indicated a mean increase of 0.73 units in males and 0.55 units in females. No significant publication bias was detected. The findings suggest that T. gondii infection may influence testosterone levels, potentially affecting sexual behavior and reproductive health, highlighting the need for further research.