Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in women of childbearing age.
OBJECTIVE
Determine the risk factors involved in toxoplasmosis transmission and determine whether pregnancy is a risk factor for toxoplasmosis infection.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study carried out on 2,242 women at childbearing age. An indirect immunofluorescence reaction was used to identify immunity to Toxoplasma gondii. Previous gestations were also analyzed as a possible risk factor. The results were analyzed by chi2 and OR tests, and by variance analysis. The sample was statistically balanced according to social-economic risk factors.


RESULTS
Previously pregnant women were 1.74 times more frequently infected with toxoplasmosis, regardless of environmental conditions. Pregnant women living under unfavorable environmental conditions had an approximately two times increased risk of being infected for each risk factor (contact with host animals, presence of vehicles of oocyst transmission). Previous pregnancy was the risk factor that had the strongest influence on acquiring toxoplasmosis (variance analysis and statistical balancing).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of this zoonosis is high in Goiânia-GO, Brazil (65.8%). Inadequate environmental sanitation was not significantly correlated with toxoplasmosis infection, except when associated with previous pregnancy, showing that the fundamental cause for infection is not environmental.


CONCLUSIONS
The finding that pregnancy makes women more vulnerable to this protozoan, makes it important to implement prophylactic control of at-risk pregnant women.
Avelino
Mariza Martins
MM
Department of Pediatrics of the Health Science School, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil. bmb@terra.com.br
Campos
Dioclécio
D
Parada
Josetti Barbosa de
JB
Castro
Ana Maria de
AM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan