Seroprevalence and risk factors for <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> infection among pregnant women at Debre Markos Referral Hospital, northwest Ethiopia

Kassie, Enirsie; Kebede, Nigatu; Kassa, Tesfu; Garoma, Abebe; Girma, Musse; Asnake, Yewbnesh; Alemu, Ayinalem; Degu, Sileshi; Tsigie, Meshesha

doi:10.1093/trstmh/trad053

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Studies performed in Iraq exhibited significant diversity in the seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies among women. The seroprevalence rates are as follows: in Zakho 12.21%, in Duhok 17.6%, in Basra 30.8%, in Baghdad 31.5% [9][10][11][12], in Turkey 23.2% [13], in Iran 38.8% [14], in Saudi Arabia 8.3% [15], and in Pakistan 25.8% [16].…”

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confidence: 99%

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies and Associated Risk Factors Among Women in Zakho City, Iraq

Mustafa,

Mohammed,

Mero

2024

Cureus

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Toxoplasmosis, an infectious disease caused by the obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, poses varying degrees of risk, ranging from asymptomatic cases in immunocompetent individuals to severe, life-threatening conditions in immunocompromised individuals and developing fetuses, especially when infection occurs during early pregnancy. While the disease is endemic in Iraq, there is a notable lack of precise information regarding its seroprevalence among females of childbearing age and pregnant women, along with associated risk factors in the Zakho district. This cross-sectional study aimed to address this gap by determining the prevalence of anti- Toxoplasma gondii IgG and IgM antibodies using the ELISA assay. The study involved 610 females aged 18-79 years from various residential areas within Zakho district, Iraq. The findings revealed a seroprevalence of 32.46% for anti- Toxoplasma IgG antibodies and 8.86% for IgM antibodies. Significant variations in IgG antibody seroprevalence were observed across different age groups (P=0.008), with the highest prevalence noted among those aged 46-55 years (47.73%). Conversely, IgM antibody seroprevalence, while non-significant (P>0.05), displayed the highest rate of 10.05% among ages 18-25 years. The study identified residence as a variable significantly associated with toxoplasmosis. Additionally, contact with cats, marital status, a history of abortion, and the consumption of homemade food showed significant associations with anti- Toxoplasma IgM antibodies only. These findings strongly suggest that Toxoplasma gondii is a prevalent causative agent of infection in Zakho city, Iraq. This study contributes valuable insights into the seroprevalence and associated risk factors, providing a foundation for targeted interventions and further research in this region.

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