Toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Sanliurfa, Southeastern Anatolia City, Turkey.

Abstract

Blood samples from 1149 pregnant women (age 26.9 +/- 5.3 years; mean 20 weeks gestation) on their first prenatal visit to Obstetrics and Gynecology Department and analyzed for Toxoplasma-specific immunoglobulin (IgM) and immunoglobulin (IgG) by ELISA. 694 (60.4%) of the women were IgG-positive, indicating previous maternal infection, while 35 (3%) were IgM-positive, indicating recent infection, and 420 (38.9%) were sero-negative. The high sero-positive rate may be linked to traditional raw meat consumption. Treatment with spiramycin was effective in preventing congenital toxoplasmosis in children of sero-positive mothers who consented to treatment.

• Authors: Muge Harma, Mehmet Harma, Nese Gungen, Nurettin Demir
• Journal: Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology (J Egypt Soc Parasitol) Vol. 34 Issue 2 Pg. 519-25 (Aug 2004) ISSN: 1110-0583 [Print] Egypt
• PMID: 15287175 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Protozoan
• Coccidiostats
• Immunoglobulin G
• Immunoglobulin M
• Spiramycin

Topics

• Adult
• Animals
• Antibodies, Protozoan (blood)
• Coccidiostats (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G (blood)
• Immunoglobulin M (blood)
• Infant, Newborn
• Meat (parasitology)
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic (epidemiology)
• Spiramycin (therapeutic use)
• Toxoplasma (growth & development)
• Toxoplasmosis (epidemiology)
• Turkey (epidemiology)