Research article

Seroprevalence and risk factors for toxoplasma infection among pregnant women in Aydin province, Turkey

Sema Ertug¹ , Pinar Okyay² , Munevver Turkmen³ and Hasan Yuksel⁴

¹  Department of Parasitology, Adnan Menderes University, School of Medicine, Aydin, Turkey

²  Department of Public Health, Adnan Menderes University, School of Medicine, Aydin, Turkey

³  Department of Child Health, Adnan Menderes University, School of Medicine, Aydin, Turkey

⁴  Department of Gynecology, Adnan Menderes University, School of Medicine, Aydin, Turkey

author email corresponding author email

BMC Public Health 2005, 5:66doi:10.1186/1471-2458-5-66

Published:	15 June 2005

Abstract

Background

The aims of the present study were to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women at first trimester of their pregnancy and to follow up the seroconversion for next two trimesters, and to identify the risk factors and possible contamination routes in Aydin province, Turkey.

Method

The sample size was calculated as 423 on a prevalence of 50%, d=0.05 at a confidence level of 95% with 10% addition. It was a cross-sectional study with multistage sampling. After a questionnaire applied to the pregnant women, anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were studied with ELISA and IFA, values in conflict with DA test, where IgM antibodies were studied with ELISA and for borderline or positive values of IgM avidity test was used.

Results

The mean age of 389 (92.9%) of pregnant women in the study was 24.28+/-4.56 years, the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies for toxoplasmosis was 30.1%. Seroprevalence was increased with age (p=0.001) and with drinking water consumption other than bottled water (p=0.042). No significant relations were observed between anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies and education level, being native or migrant, abortion history, consumption of meat, vegetable and milk/milk products, personal or kitchen hygiene habits, cat owning at home of the pregnant women. No IgM antibody was detected.

Conclusion

One of every three pregnant women in Aydin was at risk of toxoplasmosis at the first trimester of their pregnancy. Increased seroprevalance with age was a predictable result because of increasing time of exposure. Increased seroprevalence with consumption of municipal and uncontrolled water (well/spring water) supplies was similar with latest epidemiological findings.