title: [Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in Dakar (Senegal) in 1993: study of women in their reproductive years].
abstract: To establish the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in women during their reproductive years, we examined 720 women, of whom 404 were pregnant and 306 were not, all residing in and around Dakar. Of the serum tested by indirect immunofluorescence, 40.3% contained antibodies recognizing toxoplasmosis. The seroprevalence did not vary significantly with the age of the women, the number of previous pregnancies, the place of residence or the length of residence in Dakar. It was higher in the pregnant women (44.4%) than in the nonpregnant women (37.2%), but this difference is not statistically different. The titers of antibodies were generally weak, varying between 10 and 320 IU/ml of serum. Also, IgM specific antibodies were absent. These results indicate that the seroconversion had occurred previously, probably at a young age. We observed seroprevalences higher than those obtained by authors using comparable techniques twenty years ago. This indicates an increase of the transmission of toxoplasmosis in the population. Few women during their reproductive years had antibodies against toxoplasmosis. Thus, they are at risk of developing a primary infection during a pregnancy. This undergoes the necessity of promoting measures to prevent toxoplasmosis infection in pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Service de parasitologie-mycologie, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Dakar, Sénégal.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diallo
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ndir
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dieng
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leye
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dieng
authors.forename: I B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Bah
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Diop
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gaye
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Faye
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence; D012098:Reproduction; D012675:Senegal / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
vernacular_title: Séroprévalence de la toxoplasmose à Dakar (Sénégal) en 1993: étude chez des femmes en période de procréation.