Prevalence of serological Toxoplasma infection in pregnant women referred to a medical diagnostic laboratory in Rasht, North of Iran

Background and Aim : Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread intracellular parasite that causes mild infectionin humans and domestic animals. Toxoplasmosis can be severe in immunocompromised patients or iftransmitted congenitally to the fetus. Pregnant mothers who are infected with toxoplasmosis are at risk ofmiscarriage or stillbirth. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Toxoplasmainfection among pregnant women referred to a Medical Laboratory in Rasht, North of Iran.Methods : In this retrospective study, 525 women from September 2016 to October 2019 who had beenreferred to a Clinical Laboratory in Rasht were studied. Anti-Toxoplasma IgG, IgM tests have beenperformed using automated chemiluminescence immunoassay method.Results : Of the 525 studied patients 210 (40%) were pregnant. Out of 210 pregnant women, 145 (69%)and 65 (31%) were anti-Toxoplasma IgG positive and negative, respectively. Furthermore, 13 (6.2%)pregnant women were IgM positive and all IgM positive patients were also positive for the IgG.Conclusion : Infection rate with Toxoplasma gondii is notably high in Rasht in Caspian Sea basin,especially when we compare it with other regions of the country; however, the IgG positivity is not a riskfor newly pregnant women, however the even low frequency of IgM positivity cannot be ignored.

کلیدواژه ها:

Immunoglobulin G ، Immunoglobulin M ، Pregnant women ، Toxoplasma ، Iran