title: Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in gravidas and recently aborted women and study of risk factors.
abstract: Two hundred seventeen parturients and eighty six recent aborters were screened for IgM and IgG toxoplasma antibodies. Age, profession, educational level, residence (urban/rural), presence of cat and other domestic animals were recorded for each subject. None of the subjects was IgM-positive. Prevalence of IgG positivity was 52.3% in the parturients and 50.2% in the recently aborted women. None of the personal or social characteristics investigated could be related to IgG positivity. However, the frequency of toxoplasma antibodies was found to be higher in recent aborters from rural areas where contact with soil is common regardless of whether cats are kept as pets or not. This study confirms other investigators' conclusion on the importance of soil contact as a risk factor for infection.
authors.affiliation: University of Patras, Laboratory of Public Health, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Decavalas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papapetropoulou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giannoulaki
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tzigounis
authors.forename: X G
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Kondakis
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan