Positivity rate of antibodies anti-Toxoplasma gondii in pregnant women from Curitiba-PR

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The estimative of women population in Curitiba city, state of Paraná (Brazil) in the year of 2014 was 916,792 women, being 593,203 of them in childbearing age. When the women of this group are pregnant, the infection by Toxoplasma gondii is dangerous, since toxoplasmosis can cause health problems to the fetus. Serology to toxoplasmosis seeks to prevent and diagnose this disease, and as it follows, the congenital toxoplasmosis. In this manner, this work aimed to verify the rate of IgG and IgM antibodies anti-Toxoplasma gondii in pregnant women assisted in the basic health units from Curitiba between the years of 2010 and 2014. A total of 117,668 pregnant women with ages from 12 to 61 years old were evaluated and the results showed that 28.9% of them were positive for IgG and negative for IgM anti-Toxoplasma gondii, whereas 0.8% were positive for both IgG and IgM anti-Toxoplasma gondii. Seronegative women accounted 70.3% of the evaluated pregnants. This profile indicates a high susceptibility to infection, a reduced previous immunization, and a low rate of acute infection in these women. Once there is a high rate of people liable to infections, the implementation of awareness campaigns is of great importance, seeking inform people and avoid a possible contamination by Toxoplasma gondii, not only for pregnant or women in childbearing age, but also for all population.

Keywords: Toxoplasmosis. Pregnant women. IgG. IgM. Toxoplasma gondii.