title: High prevalence of anti-toxoplasma antibodies and absence of Toxoplasma gondii infection risk factors among pregnant women attending routine antenatal care in two Hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. It is acquired mainly by eating raw or undercooked meat containing Toxoplasma gondii tissue cyst, eating food or water contaminated with oocyst, and acquiring congenital infection through the placenta. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis and assess possible risk factors associated with the infection among pregnant women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional study was designed, and 288 serum samples were collected from November 1(st) 2010 to January 2011. The serum samples were tested for anti- Toxoplasma gondii antibodies using latex agglutination test. The risk factors were tested for significance using Bivariate and multivariate analysis. P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  85.4% were positive for anti Toxoplasma gondii antibody. No significant association was observed between seroprevalence and age, gestational age, socio demographic characters, history of abortion, consumption of raw or undercooked meat, consumption of raw vegetable, owning of cat, and blood transfusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of toxoplasmosis among pregnant women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is higher than that reported from other countries. Efforts to describe risk factors for toxoplasma infection among Ethiopians should focus in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia; Regional Health Research Laboratory Center, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. Electronic address: woyn1978mam@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Woyneshet
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gelaye
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Tadesse
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kebede
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Asrat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hailu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D033661:Oocysts / Q000276:immunology; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Ethiopia.; Toxoplasma gondii; congenital