Authors : Ahmad D , S. Mohsen , S. Mehdi , H.D. Mohammad and Z. Hajar
Abstract: Infection with Toxoplasma gondii can cause sever illness when the organism is transmitted to fetus or when it is reactivated in immune-suppressed individuals. As using the percentage of immune women who are going to get married is useful to determine the occurrence of abortion, still birth and foetal death to toxoplasmosis and congenital toxoplasmosis so the aim of this study was to determine the antibody prevalence of toxoplasmosis in women referred to laboratory of health center for medical examinations before marriage. This cross-sectional study was performed on 504 sera collected from women in Ardabil city, Iran, in 2002. The samples were studied by indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA) for determination of IgG and IgM antibodies to toxoplasma. The seroprevalence of IgG antibody at a titer of 1:20 was 34.7% . There was the most of antibody titer frequency in 1:20 titer (11.7%) and the least of them in 1:3200 (0.4%) and 1:6400 (0.4%) titres. Eighty eight percent of seropositive women consumed vegetables, 67.5 and 61.6% of them contacted with raw meat and infected cats, respectively. Only 20 individuals (4%) showed IgM antibody against Toxoplama gondii. No statistically significant differences in the levels of antibodies were observed in relation to age, history of contact with cat or domestic animals. Since 65.3% of women before marriage in Ardabil city were seronegative and the risk of abortion, still borth, foetal death due to toxoplasmosis and also congenital toxoplasmosis is high so health education to omit its risk factors, especially in women who are going to marry and also during pregnancy is necessary.
Ahmad D , S. Mohsen , S. Mehdi , H.D. Mohammad and Z. Hajar , 2006. Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasmosis in Women Referred To Ardabil Laboratory of Health Center for Medical Examinations Before Marriage, Iran, 2002. International Journal of Tropical Medicine, 1: 27-29.