title: Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pregnant Women: A Seroprevalence and Case-Control Study in Eastern China.
abstract: Very limited information is available concerning the epidemiology of T. gondii infection in pregnant women in eastern China. Therefore, a case-control study was conducted to estimate the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in this population group and to identify risk factors and possible routes of contamination. Serum samples were collected from 965 pregnant women and 965 age-matched nonpregnant control subjects in Qingdao and Weihai between October 2011 and July 2013. These were screened with enzyme linked immunoassays for the presence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and anti-Toxoplasma IgM antibodies. 147 (15.2%) pregnant women and 167 (17.3%) control subjects were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies, while 28 (2.9%) pregnant women and 37 (3.8%) controls were positive for anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies (P = 0.256). There was no significant difference between pregnant women and nonpregnant controls with regard to the seroprevalence of either anti-T. gondii IgG or IgM antibodies. Multivariate analysis showed that T. gondii infection was associated with location, cats in home, contact with cats and dogs, and exposure to soil. The results indicated that the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in pregnant women is high compared to most other regions of China and other East Asian countries with similar climatic conditions.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China ; State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.affiliation: Wendeng Stomatology Hospital, Weihai, Shandong 264200, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Jilin Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Feng
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Wendeng Municipal Hospital, Weihai, Shandong 264400, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China.
authors.forename: Si-Yang
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Quan
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin 130118, China.
authors.forename: Ai-Dong
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Qian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002415:Cats; D002681:China; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M