TORCH agents in pregnant Saudi women

ABSTRACT

To determine the seroprevalence rates of IgG to common TORCH agents in pregnant Saudi women using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Subjects and A total of 926 samples of sera were tested for antibodies to TORCH agents known to cause serious congenital infections Toxoplasma gondii, rubella, cytomegalovirus [CMV], herpes simplex viruses [HSV-1 and HSV-2], varicella zoster virus [VZV] and human immunodeficiency virus [HIV-1 and HIV-2]. Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were detected in 35.6%, CMV total IgG antibodies were found in 92.1%, rubella IgG antibodies in 93.3%, HSV-1 IgG antibodies in 90.9%, HSV-2 IgG in 27.1%, and VZV IgG antibodies in 74.4%. A 0% seroprevalence rate for HIV-1 and -2 was found. Pregnant Saudi women commonly have IgG antibodies to rubella, CMV, HSV-1 and -2, VZV, and T. gondii. Serological evidence of HIV infection was not observed