Seroprevalence of toxoplasma infection among primigravid women attending antenatal clinic at a secondary level hospital in North India.

ABSTRACT

A study was carried out among primigravid women attending a secondary level hospital in a district of North India. The objective of the study was to determine seroprevalence rate of Toxoplasma gondii infection using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. Associations between toxoplasma seropositivity and selected variables (socio-demographic and biologically plausible variables) were also studied. Five hundred three women were enrolled from the antenatal clinic between August, 1996 and September, 1997. Of these, 210 women (41.75%) were seropositive for Toxoplasma gondii infection. These results indicate that a large number of the study subjects were vulnerable to toxoplasma infection. If these infections had occurred during the pregnancy, their foetuses would have been at high risk of infection. There was no statistically significant association between toxoplasma seropositivity and the variables studied except, in the case of type of meat usually consumed. There is a need to provide health education to pregnant women in order to prevent primary toxoplasma infection during pregnancy.