Congenital toxoplasmosis among Iranian neonates: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a serious zoonotic disease that can lead to abortion and congenital disorders and has a widespread global distribution in humans and animals. The objective of this review was to investigate the incidence of toxoplasmosis in Iranian neonates in order to obtain a comprehensive assessment of the overall situation of the disease for use in developing future interventions. Original studies investigating the incidence of Toxoplasma gondii infections in Iranian neonates were systematically searched in a number of English-language and Persian-language electronic databases. The search process resulted in the inclusion of a total of 11 studies in the systematic review, 10 of which were entered into the meta-analysis. The reviewed articles included 2,230 Iranian neonates investigated through January 1, 2018. Based on the retrieved studies, the overall weighted incidence rates of toxoplasmosis in the Iranian neonatal population and neonates with suspected congenital toxoplasmosis were estimated to be 0.64% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31 to 1.09) and 4.10% (95% CI, 2.68 to 5.77), respectively, using a fixed-effects model. The findings of the reviewed studies demonstrate that the incidence of toxoplasmosis is high in Iranian neonates. Accordingly, it can be concluded that toxoplasmosis is a serious public health concern that has been ignored by the Ministry of Health. Therefore, it is essential to perform further studies, in addition to implementing screening and detection programs, using standardized methods to estimate the incidence of toxoplasmosis in Iran and to determine its associated risk factors.

From Fetal to Neonatal Neuroimaging in TORCH Infections: A Pictorial Review

“…In approximately 10% of patients, the triad of intracranial calcifications, chorioretinitis, and hydrocephalus is identified [ 29 ]. Generalized signs and symptoms are hepatosplenomegalies, anemia, and hyperbilirubinemia [ 30 , 31 ].…”

“…Prenatal diagnosis is based on maternal serology and amniotic fluid PCR analysis, while the detection of T. gondii specific IgM or IgA in infants’ serum guides postnatal diagnosis [ 31 , 32 ]. The persistence of IgG in patients at one year of age represents the gold standard for diagnosis of congenital infection [ 33 ].…”

Toxoplasmosis infection in newborn: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…[ 10 ] Factors influencing the transmission of toxoplasmosis infection from mother to infant during pregnancy include the time of transmission during pregnancy, immunological status of mother, fetal age, and the pathogenicity level of parasites transmitted to the fetus. [ 11 ] Therefore, the chance of exposure of fetus to Toxoplasma parasites depends on the socioeconomic, cultural, and health conditions. [ 12 ] Toxoplasmosis infection in fetus can be classified into acute and chronic forms.…”

Prevalence of Congenital Toxoplasmosis and Congenital Rubella among Suspected Infants in Baghdad

“…Reactivity for the IgM, but not IgG, usually indicates a current infection, while IgG without IgM suggests a past infection (7,8) During our work on the manuscript (Prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus among suspected infants in Baghdad 2019-2020) published in Al-Kindy College Medical Journal (KCMJ) Vol. 18 No. 1 at 2022 (9) , we came across the prevalence of CT and CR among the study sample of patients.…”