Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in suspected female population of child bearing age in N.W.F.P

ABSTRACT

Sera of 272 married women with obstetric history of abortion and stillbirths were tested for the presence of 1gG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by using commercial latex tests. Out of 272 collected samples 297 were found positive for Toxoplasma antibodies showing overall incidence of 72.42 percent. The rate of abortion among total samples of 272 patients was 184 [78.66 percent] and 113 positive subjects had a history of contact with animals [cattle, dogs and cats etc.] which showed a significant relation between animal contact and Toxoplasma antibodies. The present work also showed that among 85 cases with a bad feeding habits such as eating undercooked meat or unwashed fruits and vegetables, 69 were positive for toxoplasmosis. The results of this study augmented the argument that Toxoplasma gondii infection plays an important role in abortion and pregnancy wastage. The results also show significant relation between animal contact and Toxoplasma antibodies but we could not find significant relation of feeding habits such as use of under cooked meat with Toxoplasma antibodies. Significant correlation was found between bad obstetric history/age and Toxoplasma antibodies. The results of this study suggest that toxoplasmosis may not be uncommon in our opulation