Low prevalence of Toxoplasma infection in a Rocky Mountain prenatal population.
Congenital toxoplasmosis is rarely diagnosed in Colorado. To better determine whether this was the result of under-reporting or a valid observation, the sera of 120 consecutive prenatal patients from a lower-income clinic population were tested for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. Four of the patients had positive Sabin-Feldman dye tests, for a 3% incidence of past infection. None had immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody. This rate is considerably lower than that in other populations, perhaps because the high-altitude, arid environment shortens oocyst survival in soil. A questionnaire designed to detect risk factors for Toxoplasma infection, such as exposure to cats or undercooked meat, did not indicate any differences between the antibody-positive and antibody-negative groups.
Hershey
D W
DW
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver.
McGregor
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis*; D003120:Colorado; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000276:immunology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan