Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma infection of women in child-bearing ages in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiyari province, Iran

Introduction: Infection of pregnant women with Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy may cause congenital toxoplasmosis in embryo and a number of serious and even persistent complications in newborns. One of the most effective factors determining the rate of congenital toxoplasmosis is the rate of Toxoplasma infection or immune status of women in child-bearing ages against the parasite.This study was carried out to investigate the immune status of women in child-bearing ages (15-45 year-old) against Toxoplasma gondii and determine the related risk factors in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiyari province. Methods: This descriptive-analytic study included 338 sera from women in child bearing ages (15-45 year-old).The sera were examined for the specific anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies using an Enzyme Immunoassay (ELISA) method. Demographic information were collected through interview and questionnaire forms. The results were analyzed using SPSS 12 Software and Chi-Square test. Results: Out of 338 serum samples belonged to the women (mean 25.78&plusmn;8.21) of the area, 126 (37.3%) were positive for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies. The highest and lowest rates of positive reactions were found in 36-45 and 15-25 year-old groups (51.9% vs. 27.9%), respectively (P<0.001). The study also showed a significant correlation between occupation (P=0.04) and residence (P=0.01) of the subjects with seroreactivity against Toxoplasma gondii. Conclusion: The study showed that in this region of the country, a vast majority of women in child-bearing ages were seronegative for Toxoplama gondii infection (62.7%), and thus they may be susceptible to acute Toxoplasma infection during their future pregnancy. Therefore, it is recommended to implement a health education program about transmission routes of Toxoplasma for the prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis.