Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasmosis among Pregnant Women Referring to the Reference Laboratory of Zahedan, Iran (2011)

Abstract Background and Objective: Toxoplasmosis is one of the most prevalent parasitic infections worldwide. Contamination of pregnant women with toxoplasmosis may cause fetal death, preterm delivery and congenital toxoplasmosis. Due to importance of congenital Toxoplasmosis and the need of further study, this research was accomplished in Zahedan. Material and Methods: The serum samples (N= 221) were collected from pregnant women referring to reference laboratory of Zahedan in 2011. The IgG and IgM antibody levels against toxoplasmosis were investigated using ELISA method. Results: Out of all samples, 30.8% are IgG positive and 1.4% are both IgG and IgM positive. There is no significant difference between positive and negative groups using Chi-square tests. Conclusion: The main part of pregnant women in Zahedan (69.2%) is serologically negative against toxoplasmosis therefore, hygiene education to eliminate risk factors especially during pregnancy period seems to be imperative. Keywords: ELISA Antibody Pregnancy Toxoplasma Zahedan