Seroprevalence and incidence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the Legnano area of Italy.
The decreasing prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies in Europe has re-opened the question of the appropriateness of serological screening during pregnancy. A study of 3426 pregnant women, resident in the Legnano area of Italy, revealed that the IgG seroprevalence according to ELISA was 21.5%, and that of IgM according to ELISA and enzyme-linked fluorescent assay was 1.2% and 0.9%, respectively. The incidence of infection, estimated on the basis of IgG avidity, was 0.9%. These results confirm a decrease in the prevalence of IgG, but indicate a high incidence of infection, thus suggesting that screening for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies during pregnancy should be maintained.
De Paschale
M
M
Microbiology Unit, Hospital of Legnano, Legnano (Milan), Italy. depaschale@ao-legnano.it
Agrappi
C
C
Clerici
P
P
Mirri
P
P
Manco
M T
MT
Cavallari
S
S
Viganò
E F
EF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M