title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and risk factors associated with seropositivity of pregnant women in Korea.
abstract: A total of 351 serum samples was examined for anti-T. gondii antibody titers; the overall seroprevalence was 3.7%. The Sabin-Feldman dye test (DT), latex agglutination test (LAT), and IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IgG ELISA) indicated seroprevalences of 3.7%, 3.4%, and 4.0%, respectively. Compared with the DT, the sensitivities of the LAT and IgG ELISA were 84.6% and 100.0%, respectively, and the specificities of the LAT and IgG ELISA were both 99.7%. An increase in T. gondii seroprevalence with increasing age was detected, but the difference was not significant. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii-antibody titers in pregnant Korean women was relatively low compared to those of Europeans and Americans. A multivariate analysis of risk factors showed that T. gondii infection was positively correlated with eating raw meat, but was not associated with the consumption of unwashed vegetables, drinking untreated water, a history of raising a cat, or blood transfusion. The consumption of raw or undercooked meat may, therefore, be the main route of T. gondii infection in Korea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection Biology, Research Institute for Medical Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Dae-Whan
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Tae-Yong
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Ha
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002415:Cats; D004032:Diet; D004395:Dye Dilution Technique; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan