Prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis in Szeged, Hungary

Abstract

Antenatal, early diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis in mothers, together with treatment and follow-up of their offspring, may considerably reduce the incidence of the disease in the offspring.

Toxoplasma gondii Infection in South-East Europe: Epidemiology and Epizootiology

“…For instance, in 1994, the prevalence ranged from 69% in southern Hungary (as a region neighbouring the SEE to the north) (Szénási et al, 1997), over 53% in Serbia (Bobić et al, 2003) to 26% in northern Greece (Diza et al, 2005 Bobić et al, 2011). Moreover, a significant north-to-south decrease in the infection prevalence was also shown within Serbia itself (Bobić et al, 2003).…”

Kinetics of Toxoplasma infection in the Balkans

“…For instance, in 1994, the prevalence ranged from 69% in southern Hungary (as a region neighbouring the Balkans at the north) [14], over 53% in Serbia [8] to 26% in northern Greece [6]. Comparative data wherever available for the same year further confi rmed this trend, that is, in 2002 (Serbia 36%, FYRoM 25%), 2004 (Serbia 32%, north Greece 20%), and 2007 (Serbia 31%, north Greece 21%) (Table 1) [6,9,10].…”

Toxoplasmose-Überwachung während der Schwangerschaft und Qualitätskontrolle der eingesetzten Methoden in Ungarn

“…clinical treatment, etc. In a previous paper of us [7], we published a calculation on the yearly cost of our screening program. Though the actual value of the Hungarian Forint is lower than it was at the time of the calculation (1997), the ratio of the cost of screening versus clinical treatment has not changed: the costs of the whole yearly screening program are in the same range as the costs of the yearly institutional care of one case of congenital toxoplasmosis.…”

“…To prevent congenital toxoplasmosis, we screened routinely all pregnant women for Toxoplasma antibodies in the town of Szeged, from 1987 to 2000 [7], furthermore, in Csongrád county from 1994; in Zala county from 1997 [18], and in Fejér county from 1998 till now. Since Toxoplasma screening is not compulsory in Hungary, the blood samplings are carried out with the informed consent of the pregnant women.…”

“…Accurate laboratory methods will greatly improve the chances of the diagnosis [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17].…”