title: Toxoplasmosis screening and risk factors amongst pregnant females in Natal, northeastern Brazil.
abstract: Toxoplasmosis results in systemic disease, and if the mother is infected for the first time during gestation, the fetus may suffer substantial damage. Relatively little is known about the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in pregnancy in most states of northeastern Brazil. Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis among pregnant woman was studied in Natal, capital of Rio Grande do Norte State, in northeastern Brazil, from March to December 2007. The sera were tested for IgM and avidity of IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma by a microparticle enzyme immunoassay. The overall seroprevalence was high [126/190 (66.3%)]; prevalence increased with age indicating that in this setting most infections occur in adulthood (third decade of life). Only one pregnant woman was IgM positive and had high-avidity antibodies. The high percentage of pregnant women who are vulnerable to this parasite (33.1%) favors primary infection during pregnancy. Our studies show that direct contact with cats or dogs was highly associated with toxoplasmosis (odds ratio 2.72, P<0.001, 95% CI 1.46-5.02). The number of years in school (P<0.001), precarious socioeconomic status and limited knowledge about the disease (P<or=0.05 for both) were also associated with toxoplasmosis infection. The pattern of risk factors for infection corroborate other studies in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia da Malária e Toxoplasmose, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Lagoa Nova, 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Isabelle Ribeiro
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.forename: Cecília Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: de Carvalho Xavier Holanda
authors.forename: Valter Ferreira
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: de Andrade-Neto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002415:Cats; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000517:prevention & control; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M