•  
  •  
 

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to conduct a sero-epidemiological survey of toxoplasmosis in pregnant Sudanese women. METHODS: Four hundred and eighty-seven pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Khartoum and Omdurman, Maternity Hospitals, Sudan during the period June through to December 2000 were counselled for socio-demographic and obstetrical risk factors for toxoplasmosis, and screened for immunoglobin G (IgG) and IgM anti-toxoplasma antibodies using enzyme linked immunoassay. RESULTS: Immunoglobin G anti-toxoplasma antibodies were positive (titre > 11 IU/ml) in 166/487 (34.1%), while 321/487(65.9%) were sero-negative. The sera of 35 women showed very high titres (>100 IU/ml), 5/35 (14.3%) were IgM-positive. The risk factors for IgG anti-toxoplasma seropositivity were; Southern ethnic origin and consumption of raw meat. Thirty (18.1%) out of 166 women who were IgG anti-toxoplasma seropositive gave history of intrauterine fetal death, while 31 (9.7%) out of 321 women who were sero-negative gave history of intrauterine fetal death, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Over 65% Sudanese women screened for anti-toxoplasma IgG antibodies were sero-negative and they were at risk of sero-conversion during pregnancy. Southers and eating raw meat were the risk factors for toxoplasmosis in Sudanese pregnant women.

Article Type

Research Article

First Page

868

Last Page

870

Download

Share

COinS