title: Serological screening and toxoplasmosis exposure factors among pregnant women in the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe.
abstract: The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among pregnant women in the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe (DRSTP) from November 2003 to March 2004 was determined by detection of serum anti-T. gondii antibodies. A short questionnaire interview for pregnant women was performed to investigate risk factors associated with T. gondii infection, including consumption of raw meat or unwashed vegetables, drinking unboiled water and keeping pets (cats and dogs). The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was high (75.2%; 375/499). The older age group of > or =35 years had a significantly higher seroprevalence (85.7%; 54/63) than that of the younger age group of 15-25 years (70.4%; 178/253) (odds ratio 2.5, 95% CI 1.2-5.4; P=0.01). No significant difference in the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was found between the pregnant women with and without exposure to the risk factors studied. However, among pregnant women with high antibody titers of > or =1:1024, it seemed likely that continual contact with pets and consumption of oocyst-contaminated water or raw unwashed vegetables rather than tissue cysts in meat was the primary route of infection. The incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis in unborn babies should be intensively monitored in the DRSTP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Chia-Kwung
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Kua-Eyre
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Fung-Chang
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Hung-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.forename: Vilfrido
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: da Conceicao dos Reis Ferreira
authors.forename: Jose Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Claudina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Yu-Kuan
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Lian-Fen
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Ke-Yun
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Sao
authors.forename: Wen-Cheun
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hung-Shue
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Shing-Hsien
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D001266:Atlantic Islands / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D008461:Meat Products; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014867:Water / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D014867:Water