title: Prevalence of toxoplasmosis, HIV, syphilis and rubella in a population of puerperal women using Whatman 903 filter paper.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to determine the seroprevalence rate of toxoplasmosis, HIV, syphilis and rubella in a population of puerperal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  a prospective, cross-sectional study was performed from February 2007 to April 2008 at Hospital Geral, Universidade de Caxias do Sul in a population of 1,510 puerperal women. Women that gave birth to live born or stillborn infants were included in the study; maternal and perinatal variables were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-square with occasional Fisher's correction were used for comparisons. Alpha was set in 5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  a total of 148 cases of congenital infection (9.8%) were identified: 66 cases of syphilis (4.4%), 40 cases of HIV (2.7%), 27 cases of toxoplasmosis (1.8%) and 15 cases of rubella (1.0%). In ten cases there was co-infection (four cases of HIV and syphilis, two cases of HIV and rubella, one case of HIV and toxoplasmosis, two cases of rubella and syphilis, and one case of toxoplasmosis and rubella). In a comparison between puerperal women with and without infection there was no statistical significance in relation to incidence of abortions, small for gestational age, prematurity, live births and stillbirths, and prenatal care. Need of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), maternal schooling, maternal age higher than 35 years and drug use (alcohol, cocaine and crack) had statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the prevalence rate of infections was 9.8%. Need of NICU, maternal schooling lower than eight years, maternal age higher than 35 years and drug use were significantly associated with occurrence of congenital infection.
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics/Gynecology Department, Hospital Geral, Fundação Universidade de Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil. jmauromadi@gmail.com
authors.forename: José Mauro
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Madi
authors.forename: Ricardo da Silva de
authors.initials: Rda S
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Breno Fauth de
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Petrônio Fagundes de
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Oliveira Filho
authors.forename: Renato Luís
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Rombaldi
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Jucemara
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lorencetti
authors.forename: Nathalia Oliva
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Marcon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010209:Paper; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012409:Rubella / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D055815:Young Adult