title: [Spatial distribution of anti-toxoplasma antibodies in pregnant women from Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the spatial distribution of the prevalence of anti-toxoplasma gondii antibodies in pregnant women from a Brazilian Northeast city, and to correlate such prevalence with average maternal age and place of residence.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive, analytical and ecological study was conducted from January 1st to December 31st 2012. Data were obtained retrospectively from the Medical Specialties Center database and processed with the Epi info statistical package (Epi 7, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA) and with Microsoft Excel 2010. The X2 test was applied to assess the association between the prevalence of antibodies to toxoplasma gondii and the average age. Spatial analysis of infection prevalence was performed using the TerraView software, version 4.2.2, with Kernel density estimation, which estimates the quantity of events through maps in order to identify areas with the highest concentration of cases in the city.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The seroprevalence of IgG was 68.5% (95%CI 67.2-69.8) and the prevalence of IgM was 0.36% (95%CI 0.23-0.6). A higher IgG prevalence was associated with increased age in the oldest neighborhoods of the state capital, whereas a higher IgG prevalence among younger women was detected in suburban neighborhoods. The spatial concentration of IgM antibodies was higher in suburban neighborhoods, with no significant correlation between seroprevalence and age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Geoprocessing allowed the identification of areas with the highest prevalence, as well as the most susceptible average age and it was also useful as an instrument for the evaluation and implementation of appropriate preventive measures for this municipality and for other regions of Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Sergipe - UFS, Aracaju, SE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ana Dorcas de Melo
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Inagaki
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Sergipe - UFS, Aracaju, SE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Nadyege Pereira
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Sergipe - UFS, Aracaju, SE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Renata Julie Porto Leite
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Sergipe - UFS, Aracaju, SE, Brasil.
authors.forename: José Antônio Barreto
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Sergipe - UFS, Aracaju, SE, Brasil.
authors.forename: José Roberto Freire
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mesquita
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe - UFS, Aracaju, SE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Karina Conceição Gomes Machado
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: de Araújo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe - UFS, Aracaju, SE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Satie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Katagiri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D062206:Spatial Analysis; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan