Prevalence of toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes (TORCH) infections among women attending the antenatal care clinic, maternity hospital in Abha, Southwestern Saudi Arabia

Authors

• Ahmed M. Al-Hakami, From the Department of Microbiology and Clinical Parasitology (Al-Hakami, Paul, Moosa, Chandramoorthy); from the Department of Child Health (Shati); from the Department of Family and Community Medicine (Riaz); from College of Medicine (Assiri, Qasim), King Khalid University, from the Department of Main Laboratory (Al-Abed); and from the Department of Neonatology (Alzoani), Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Ministry of Health, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Esther Paul, From the Department of Microbiology and Clinical Parasitology (Al-Hakami, Paul, Moosa, Chandramoorthy); from the Department of Child Health (Shati); from the Department of Family and Community Medicine (Riaz); from College of Medicine (Assiri, Qasim), King Khalid University, from the Department of Main Laboratory (Al-Abed); and from the Department of Neonatology (Alzoani), Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Ministry of Health, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Faten Al-Abed, From the Department of Microbiology and Clinical Parasitology (Al-Hakami, Paul, Moosa, Chandramoorthy); from the Department of Child Health (Shati); from the Department of Family and Community Medicine (Riaz); from College of Medicine (Assiri, Qasim), King Khalid University, from the Department of Main Laboratory (Al-Abed); and from the Department of Neonatology (Alzoani), Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Ministry of Health, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Ahmad A. Alzoani, From the Department of Microbiology and Clinical Parasitology (Al-Hakami, Paul, Moosa, Chandramoorthy); from the Department of Child Health (Shati); from the Department of Family and Community Medicine (Riaz); from College of Medicine (Assiri, Qasim), King Khalid University, from the Department of Main Laboratory (Al-Abed); and from the Department of Neonatology (Alzoani), Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Ministry of Health, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Ayed A. Shati, From the Department of Microbiology and Clinical Parasitology (Al-Hakami, Paul, Moosa, Chandramoorthy); from the Department of Child Health (Shati); from the Department of Family and Community Medicine (Riaz); from College of Medicine (Assiri, Qasim), King Khalid University, from the Department of Main Laboratory (Al-Abed); and from the Department of Neonatology (Alzoani), Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Ministry of Health, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Mohammad I. Assiri, From the Department of Microbiology and Clinical Parasitology (Al-Hakami, Paul, Moosa, Chandramoorthy); from the Department of Child Health (Shati); from the Department of Family and Community Medicine (Riaz); from College of Medicine (Assiri, Qasim), King Khalid University, from the Department of Main Laboratory (Al-Abed); and from the Department of Neonatology (Alzoani), Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Ministry of Health, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Asim A. Qasim, From the Department of Microbiology and Clinical Parasitology (Al-Hakami, Paul, Moosa, Chandramoorthy); from the Department of Child Health (Shati); from the Department of Family and Community Medicine (Riaz); from College of Medicine (Assiri, Qasim), King Khalid University, from the Department of Main Laboratory (Al-Abed); and from the Department of Neonatology (Alzoani), Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Ministry of Health, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Fatima Riaz, From the Department of Microbiology and Clinical Parasitology (Al-Hakami, Paul, Moosa, Chandramoorthy); from the Department of Child Health (Shati); from the Department of Family and Community Medicine (Riaz); from College of Medicine (Assiri, Qasim), King Khalid University, from the Department of Main Laboratory (Al-Abed); and from the Department of Neonatology (Alzoani), Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Ministry of Health, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Riyad A. Moosa, From the Department of Microbiology and Clinical Parasitology (Al-Hakami, Paul, Moosa, Chandramoorthy); from the Department of Child Health (Shati); from the Department of Family and Community Medicine (Riaz); from College of Medicine (Assiri, Qasim), King Khalid University, from the Department of Main Laboratory (Al-Abed); and from the Department of Neonatology (Alzoani), Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Ministry of Health, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Harish C. Chandramoorthy, From the Department of Microbiology and Clinical Parasitology (Al-Hakami, Paul, Moosa, Chandramoorthy); from the Department of Child Health (Shati); from the Department of Family and Community Medicine (Riaz); from College of Medicine (Assiri, Qasim), King Khalid University, from the Department of Main Laboratory (Al-Abed); and from the Department of Neonatology (Alzoani), Abha Maternity and Children Hospital, Ministry of Health, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the presence of toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes (TORCH) infections in women attending at the antenatal care clinic in Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: A total of 190 blood samples were collected from Abha maternity hospital in Aseer region, KSA, from February 2018 to May 2019 and screened with the TORCH panel (toxoplasmagondii [IgG/IgM], cytomegalovirus [CMV] [IgG/IgM], rubella [IgG/IgM], and herpes simplex type 1 and 2 [IgG/IgM]). Results: The mean age was 31.42±6.514 years and gestational age was 32.48±6.168 weeks. Serum IgG was positive for Toxoplasma gondii ( T. gondii ) (27.4%), herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) (94.7%), herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) (0.5%), CMV (100%), and rubella (88.9%). Serum IgM was positive only for CMV (9.5%). Though, there was an association between abortions from previous pregnancies (26.5%), intrauterine death (5.8%), premature labor (3.2%), microcephaly (1.6%), other congenital diseases (1.6%) and low birth weight (0.5%) with current IgG positivity for TORCH infections, the results were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Seropositivity for IgG antibodies correlate with TORCH-associated pregnancy complications in Abha, KSA; however, IgM positive CMV pregnant cases warrant further systematic investigation to understand the implications of CMV on outcomes during pregnancy.

Article Type

Brief Report

First Page

757

Last Page

762

Recommended Citation

Al-Hakami, Ahmed M.; Paul, Esther; Al-Abed, Faten; Alzoani, Ahmad A.; Shati, Ayed A.; Assiri, Mohammad I.; Qasim, Asim A.; Riaz, Fatima; Moosa, Riyad A.; and Chandramoorthy, Harish C. (2020) "Prevalence of toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes (TORCH) infections among women attending the antenatal care clinic, maternity hospital in Abha, Southwestern Saudi Arabia," Saudi Medical Journal: Vol. 41: Iss. 7, Article 14.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15537/smj.2020.7.25121