Toxoplasma gondiiInfection in Pregnant Women: A Seroprevalence and Case-Control Study in Eastern China

Abstract

Very limited information is available concerning the epidemiology ofT. gondiiinfection in pregnant women in eastern China. Therefore, a case-control study was conducted to estimate the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in this population group and to identify risk factors and possible routes of contamination. Serum samples were collected from 965 pregnant women and 965 age-matched nonpregnant control subjects in Qingdao and Weihai between October 2011 and July 2013. These were screened with enzyme linked immunoassays for the presence of anti-ToxoplasmaIgG and anti-ToxoplasmaIgM antibodies. 147 (15.2%) pregnant women and 167 (17.3%) control subjects were positive for anti-T. gondiiIgG antibodies, while 28 (2.9%) pregnant women and 37 (3.8%) controls were positive for anti-T. gondiiIgM antibodies (P=0.256). There was no significant difference between pregnant women and nonpregnant controls with regard to the seroprevalence of either anti-T. gondiiIgG or IgM antibodies. Multivariate analysis showed thatT. gondiiinfection was associated with location, cats in home, contact with cats and dogs, and exposure to soil. The results indicated that the seroprevalence ofT. gondiiinfection in pregnant women is high compared to most other regions of China and other East Asian countries with similar climatic conditions.