Screening for TORCH infections in pregnant women: a report from Delhi.
Primary TORCH infections (toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2) in the mother can lead to severe fetal anomalies or even fetal loss. A prospective study was designed to detect the seroprevalence of IgM antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii, rubella virus and cytomegalovirus and IgG antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2. One hundred and twenty pregnant women presenting to the antenatal clinic of a tertiary health center were included in this study. Out of these 120 women 112 (93.4%) had evidence of one or more infections. Prevalence of IgG antibodies to HSV was 70%. Seropositivities for toxoplasmosis, rubella and CMV respectively were 11.6, 8.3 and 20.8%. Our data demonstrating high frequency of primary infections during pregnancy support the conclusion that routine prenatal TORCH screening is justified.
Kaur
R
R
Department of Microbiology, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.
Gupta
N
N
Nair
D
D
Kakkar
M
M
Mathur
M D
MD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008403:Mass Screening; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012409:Rubella / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control