title: The program for antenatal screening of toxoplasmosis in Finland: a prospective cohort study.
abstract: 16,733 pregnant women were studied for toxoplasma specific antibodies during an 18-month period. The number of specimens was 44,181. The IgG seropositivity of mothers was 20.3%. The incidence of primary toxoplasma infections during pregnancy was 4.2 per 1000 seronegative pregnancies by using the traditional criteria, IgG seroconversion and/or a positive IgM. By using the IgG activity test as an additional criterion, the incidence was 2.4 per 1000 seronegative pregnancies. Due to transmission rate of 40%, the number of congenital toxoplasma infections in Finland is more than 50 per year. The evaluation is going on and the cost-benefit analysis will reveal the effectiveness of antenatal screening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koskiniemi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lappalainen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koskela
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hedman
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ammälä
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hiilesmaa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Teramo
mesh_terms: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan