Portugal and Angola: similarities and differences in Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence and risk factors in pregnant women.
In this study we determined the presence of IgM/IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in sera of 155 and 300 pregnant women from Lisbon (Portugal) and Luanda (Angola), respectively, and evaluated the potential risk factors associated with this infection. DNA detection was performed by PCR assays targeting T. gondii regions (RE/B1). Overall, 21·9% (10·9% IgG, 10·9% IgG/IgM) of the Lisbon women and 27·3% (23·7%, IgG, 2% IgM, 1·7% IgG/IgM) of the Luanda women had antibodies to T. gondii. Single variable and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted. Based on the latter, contacts with cats (family/friends), and having more than two births were identified as risk factors for Toxoplasma infection in Lisbon women. In Luanda, the risk factors for T. gondii infection suggested by the single variable analysis (outdoor contact with cats and consumption of pasteurized milk/dairy products) were not confirmed by binary logistic regression. This study shows original data from Angola, and updated data from Portugal in the study of infection by T. gondii in pregnant women, indicating that the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies is high enough to alert the government health authorities and implement appropriate measures to control this infection.
Unidade de Ensino e Investigação de Parasitologia Médica,Grupo Protozoários Oportunistas/VIH e Outros Protozoários,GHTM,Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa,Lisboa,Portugal.
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Lobo
Unidade de Ensino e Investigação de Parasitologia Médica,Grupo Protozoários Oportunistas/VIH e Outros Protozoários,GHTM,Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa,Lisboa,Portugal.
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Patrocinio
Unidade de Ensino e Investigação de Parasitologia Médica,Grupo Protozoários Oportunistas/VIH e Outros Protozoários,GHTM,Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa,Lisboa,Portugal.
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Sevivas
Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação,CINEICC, Universidade de Coimbra,Portugal.
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DE Sousa
Unidade de Ensino e Investigação de Parasitologia Médica,Grupo Protozoários Oportunistas/VIH e Outros Protozoários,GHTM,Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa,Lisboa,Portugal.
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Matos
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000810:Angola / Q000453:epidemiology; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M

               Toxoplasma gondii
            ; Congenital (intrauterine) infection; HIV/AIDS; immuno-epidemiology; public health emerging infections