Toxoplasmosis: prevalence and risk factors

J Obstet Gynaecol. 2003 Nov;23(6):618-24. doi: 10.1080/01443610310001604376.

Abstract

A total of 200 pregnant women were recruited in this cross-sectional study. The overall seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women was found to be 49%, in which 39%, 4% and 6% for anti-Toxoplasma IgG, IgM and both anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies, respectively. We found the differences in Toxoplasma seroprevalence rates among the races were significant: the highest rate was in the Malays (55.7%), followed by the Indian (55.3%) and the Chinese (19.4%) (P<0.05) populations. An increase in Toxoplasma seroprevalence with increasing parity was detected (P<0.05). Women with no children had a prevalence of 39.7%, while women with one or more than two children had a prevalence of 44.2% and 62.9%, respectively. In this study, there was no significant association between Toxoplasma seroprevalence and various possible risk factors in pregnant women (P>0.05). When multivariate analysis was performed, no significant association between Toxoplasma seroprevalence and history of contact with cats, consumption of undercooked meat and blood transfusion was found (P>0.05). We did not find any newly diagnosed cases of acute acquired toxoplasmosis in pregnancy during the study period.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Malaysia / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / blood
  • Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / epidemiology*
  • Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / ethnology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / etiology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / prevention & control
  • Risk Factors
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Toxoplasma / immunology
  • Toxoplasmosis / blood
  • Toxoplasmosis / epidemiology*
  • Toxoplasmosis / ethnology
  • Toxoplasmosis / etiology
  • Toxoplasmosis / prevention & control

Substances

  • Antibodies, Protozoan