Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and risk factors in pregnant women followed up by the Family Health Strategy

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Rosiléia Marinho de Quadros, Gino Chaves da Rocha, Getúlio Romagna, Juliana Pellizzoni de Oliveira, Dadryhan Morghani Ribeiro, Sandra Márcia Tietz Marques
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2015
• Subjects: Toxoplasmosis; Pregnant women; Epidemiology; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0233-2014; https://doaj.org/article/2466e14be1d94e64939895713a694fa4

INTRODUCTION : Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii. It is transmitted by the ingestion of contaminated water and foods, by soil contaminated with cat feces, especially while handling it, and congenitally via the placenta. The diagnosis of maternal infection is made by serological detection of either IgM or IgG antibodies. This study assessed the seropositivity in pregnant women followed up by the Family Health Strategy (FHS) in Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil. METHODS: The study was performed in 19 FHS units and included 148 childbearing women. The outcomes evaluated were IgM and IgG seropositivity and behavioral variables. RESULTS: IgG yielded positive results in 16% of the pregnant women, whereas IgM was positive in only 1%. CONCLUSIONS: The 1% IgM positivity rate for T. gondii indicates congenital toxoplasmosis is not common in Lages.