Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that can infect all mammals, serving as intermediate hosts. The cause of
congenital toxoplasmosis is transplacental transmission of the parasite to the foetus, resulting in wide range of manifestations from mild
chorioretinitis to
miscarriage. Its frequency can be reduced by early screening of pregnant women which is based mainly on tests for anti-Toxoplasma
antibodies. We collected serum samples of 594 pregnant women (subjects) after taking their consent over a period of two years (2016-2018) and analyzed them for anti-Toxoplasma
IgG by ELISA. The positive samples were then analyzed for
IgG avidity test which could differentiate between recent and past
infections. The seroprevalence was also correlated with the age of the subjects and their contact with cats. 162 subjects were found positive out of which only three showed a recent
infection. After following up until delivery, one of them delivered a baby who had
jaundice and was diagnosed with anti-Toxoplasma
IgM at birth. The foetus of the second subject died in-utero, while the third woman delivered a normal baby after being given
spiramycin when diagnosed with
toxoplasmosis in the first trimester. It was found that most of the positive subjects had frequent contact with cats. Invasion of the parasite during third trimester resulted in death in-utero and
jaundice. Most common cause of pregnancy wastage during our study was
spontaneous abortions while pregnancy loss due to congenital anomalies was rare.