title: Pregnancy as a risk factor for acute toxoplasmosis seroconversion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that pregnancy is a risk factor for toxoplasmosis seroconversion.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective observational study of women at child-bearing age vulnerable to Toxoplasma gondii. Serological reactions with indirect immunofluorescent antibody and immunoenzyme tests were used. The risk estimate used limits of reliability at 95%, and the results were validated by chi(2) and RR tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acute infection among pregnant women was 8.6% (45/522), and pregnancy was confirmed to be a risk factor for seroconversion (P=0.001). Living in close contact with host animals and vehicles of oocyst transmission proved to be a statistical risk for pregnant women to seroconvert, which was aggravated in adolescents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gestation, potentiating susceptibility to this infection, points to the need of primary and secondary prevention for all pregnant women at risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics of the Health Science School, National University of Brasília, Brasília (DF), Brazil. bmb@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Mariza Martins
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Avelino
authors.forename: Dioclécio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Josetti
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: do Carmo Barbosa de Parada
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: de Castro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004522:Educational Status; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000469:parasitology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan