Seroprevalence and risk factors of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women of district Swabi
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Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is parasitic infection that causes severe abnormalities in new born babies when transmitted from mothers. The present study was conducted to find the seroprevalence and risk factors of toxoplasmosis among the pregnant women of selected samples taken from maternity ward, District Headquarter Hospital Swabi. Furthermore, the selected samples were scrutinized for toxoplasmosis in relation with gestation period, age factor, total number of pregnancies women carried, socioeconomic factors and the source of contamination through which women can be infected. The sera sample was examined for the presence of IgG/IgM anti-Toxo antibodies. For this purpose OnSiteToxo IgG /IgM Rapid test kit was used according to manufacturing protocol CTK biotech (San Diego USA). Overall prevalence of toxoplasmosis was reported to be 12% among which 05 cases were positive for only IgG and remaining 07 were positive both for IgG and IgM. Regarding gestation period, females at the third trimester of pregnancy were at greater risk and about 20% of cases were screened positive. In relation to age factor, women at the age of 31-36 showed high prevalence (25%) for toxoplasmosis. Examining toxoplasmosis in relation to number of pregnancies women carried, high percentage was recorded in women with their first pregnancy (3.96%).The findings also linked the infection with socioeconomic factors i.e. (36.36%) of cases were reported in pregnant women belonging to lower class. Similarly, in reporting results for toxoplasmosis due to contaminated environment, 30% of the cases of toxoplasmosis were mainly caused by the consumption of raw/improperly cooked meat. Other enormous causes included the interaction of women with cats and contaminated soil i.e. 27% each. Proper screening of women at her each trimester of pregnancy and awareness about the infection by health departments may contribute towards the prevention of congenital Toxoplasmosis.
Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii; Toxoplasmosis; Seroprevalence