Study of Serological Toxoplasmosis and Risk Factors Associated with Infection in Women Referred to Labs of Northern Tehran, Iran

Document Type : Original Article (s)

Authors

1 MSc Student, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine AND Student Research Committee, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

2 Lecturer, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 Department of Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences,Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran

4 Labs’ Affairs Office, Treatment Deputy, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

5 Rajai Training and Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

6 Associate Professor, Skin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center AND Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: Toxoplasmosis is caused by an intracellular protozoan, Toxoplasma gondii. In pregnant women with toxoplasmosis, the parasite can be transmitted to the fetus, causing severe complications. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of toxoplasmosis in women of reproductive age in Tehran, Iran, to provide detailed information for health authorities regarding the prevention and control of the disease.Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted in 2013, completion of the questionnaires was done and blood samples were collected from 300 women of 18-40 years of age. Levels of IgG and IgM antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test and the risk factors cited in questionnaires were also analyzed.Findings: Among 300 studied sera, 85 (28.3%) cases were positive for IgG, 4 (1.3%) for IgM and 3 (1%) for both classes. There were no significant relationship between toxoplasmosis and factors such as employment, education, eating raw meat and vegetables and contact with cats (chi-square test); but there was a significant relationship between toxoplasmosis and age (Mann-Whitney test, P = 0.04).Conclusion: 70.4 percent of selected women in the study were seronegative. It is necessary to avoid the risk factors during and before the pregnancy for women via health education.

Keywords

References

  1. Holland GN. An epidemic of toxoplasmosis: Lessons from coimbatore, India. Arch Ophthalmol 2010; 128(1): 126-8.
  2. Kijlstra A, Jongert E. Control of the risk of human toxoplasmosis transmitted by meat. Int J Parasitol 2008; 38(12): 1359-70.
  3. Sakikawa M, Noda S, Hanaoka M, Nakayama H, Hojo S, Kakinoki S, et al. Anti-Toxoplasma antibody prevalence, primary infection rate, and risk factors in a study of toxoplasmosis in 4,466 pregnant women in Japan. Clin Vaccine Immunol 2012; 19(3): 365-7.
  4. Jones JL, Dubey JP. Waterborne toxoplasmosis--recent developments. Exp Parasitol 2010; 124(1): 10-25.
  5. Karczewski G, Golab E. Diagnostic problems with congenital toxoplasmosis. Przegl Epidemiol 2011; 65(3): 451-4. [In Polish].
  6. Martin PA, Bouza PE. Blood and tissue protozoa. In: Cohen J, Powderly WG, editors. Infectious diseases. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby; 2004.
  7. Zeibig EA. Clinical parasitology. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders; 1997.
  8. Benenson MW, Takafuji ET, Lemon SM, Greenup RL, Sulzer AJ. Oocyst-transmitted toxoplasmosis associated with ingestion of contaminated water. N Engl J Med 1982; 307(11): 666-9.
  9. Montoya JG, Boothroyd JC, Kovacs JA. Toxoplasma gondii. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, editors. Principles and practice of infectious diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone; 2004. p. 3170-97.
  10. De Paschale M, Agrappi C, Belvisi L, Cagnin D, Cerulli T, Clerici P, et al. Revision of the positive predictive value of IgM anti-Toxoplasma antibodies as an index of recent infection. New Microbiol 2008; 31(1): 105-11.
  11. Press C, Montoya JG, Remington JS. Use of a single serum sample for diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women and other adults. J Clin Microbiol 2005; 43(7): 3481-3.
  12. Dehgani N, Asmar M, Honarmand M. Seroepidemiology of toxoplasmosis in referred to clinical laboratories in Ramsar City in 2007. Journal of Biology Science 2008; 1(3): 35-44.
  13. Sharif M, Ziaei H, Daryani A, Ajami A. Seroepidemiological study of toxoplasmosis in intellectual disability children in rehabilitation centers of northern Iran. Res Dev Disabil 2007; 28(3): 219-24.
  14. Youssefi MR, Sefidgar AA, Mostafazadeh A, Omran SM. Serologic evaluation of toxoplasmosis in matrimonial women in Babol, Iran. Pak J Biol Sci 2007; 10(9): 1550-2.
  15. Naghili B, Mozaffari SH, Jamali R. Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in girl student's dormitory of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. J Urmia Med 1997; 8: 113-25.
  16. Taravati M, Sadegh Khalili F, Hazrati Tapeh Kh, Babazadeh H, Besharat S. Evaluation anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies in the serum of women refered to the University Health Cente. J Urmia Med 1998; 13(2): 109-17. [In Persian].
  17. Alimohammadi H, Fouladi N, Amani F, Safarzadeh M, Pourfarzi F, Mazaheri E. Sero epidemiological toxoplasmosis in pre-marriage women on the basis of remarriage tests 2007. J Ardabil Univ Med Sci 2009; 8(4): 408-13. [In Persian].
  18. Hajghani H, Absalan A, Partow G, Mohammadi H, Ravagh M, Hoseini F, et al. Seroprevalence of antitoxoplasma IgG antibody in female students of Kerman University 2004-2005. Iran J Infect Dis Trop Med 2008; 13(41): 399-43. [In Persian].
  19. Hatam Gh, Shamseddin A, Nikouee F. Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in high school girls in Fasa district, Iran. Iran J Immunol 2005; 2(3): 177-81. [In Persian].
  20. Namaee M, Hanafi Bojd R, Zojaji F, Shafiee S. Prevalence of Toxoplasmosis in women in pre-marriage stage in Birjand. Modern Care 2010; 7(3): 28-31. [In Persian].
  21. Fallah E, Navazesh R, Majidi J. An epidemiological study of toxoplasma infection among high- school girls in Jolfa. J Reprod Fertil 2005; 6(3): 261-9. [In Persian].
  22. Mahmoodi M, Mohebali M, Hejazi H, Keshavarz H, Alavi Naeini AM, Izadi Sh. Seroepidemiological study on toxoplasmic infection among high-school girls by IFAT in Isfahan city, Iran. J Sch Public Health Inst Public Health Res 2005; 3(1): 29-42. [In Persian].
  23. Rafiei A, Hemadi A, Amani F. Seroepidemiology of toxoplasmosis among girls students, Ahwaz city, Iran. J Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine 2006; 10(31): 35-41.
  24. Saraei M, Jahani Hashemi H. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii among females referred to Qazvin community-based medicine center for pre-marriage examinations. J Qazvin Univ Med Sci 2007; 11(1): 12-7. [In Persian].
  25. Sharif M, Ajami A, Daryani A, Ziaei H, Khalilian A. Serological survey of toxoplasmosis in women referred to medical health laboratory before marriage, Northern Iran, 2003-2004. Int J Mol Med Adv Sci 2006; 2(2): 134-7.
  26. Ataeian A, Tadayon P, Haniloo A, Taran H, Mehregan F, Azizi A. Seroepidemiology of toxoplasmosis in referred to Zanjan Hydjy Hakim Hospital in 1991. J Zanjan Univ Med Sci 2000; 8(32): 4-11. [In Persian].
  27. Ziaei Kajbaf T, Taheri M. Evaluation of prevalence of sero-positively against toxoplasmosis among childbearing age women in Ahwaz city in year 2003. Jundishapur Sci Med J 2008; 7(1): 92-9. [In Persian].
  28. Sarkari B. Seroprevalence toxoplasmosis in persons referred to the health center in Kazeron city [MSc Thesis]. Tehran, Iran: Tarbiat Modares University;1991. [In Persian].
  29. Arbabi M, Talari SA, Asmar M. Seroepidemiology of toxoplasmosis in Kashan, 1993. Feyz 1997; 1(2): 29-37. [In Persian].
  30. Daryani A, Sharif M, Laktarashi B, Gholami SH, Ziaei H, Ajami A, et al. Serological survey of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in goats, sheep and cattle in slaughter houses of Mazandaran province, Iran. J Mazandaran Univ Med Sci 2006; 16(54): 60-6. [In Persian].
  31. Fallah M, Matini M, Taherkhani H, Rabiei S, Hajiloei M. Seroepidemiology of toxoplasmosis among pregnant women in Hamadan city. Sci J Hamdan Univ Med Sci 2006; 13(1): 33-8. [In Persian].
  32. Saeedi M, Bakhshandeh Nosrat S, Ghaemi E, Hedayat Mofidi SM, Kohsar F, Behnampour N. The prevalence of Toxoplasma antibodies in women during marriage consultation in Gorgan. J Gorgan Univ Med Sci 2002; 4(1): 64-71. [In Persian].
  33. Sedaghat A, Ardehali SM, Sadigh M, Buxton M. The prevalence of toxoplasma infection in southern Iran. J Trop Med Hyg 1978; 81(10): 204-7.
  34. Sardarian Kh, Moradi A. Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii in patients referred to Health Center in Malayer city [MSc Thesis]. Tehran, Iran: Tarbiat Modares University; 1994.
Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 31, Issue 248 - Serial Number 248
July and August 2013
Pages 1257-1266

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 31 August 2013
  • Revise Date: 01 November 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2022

Share

How to cite

Statistics