Non-malarial infectious diseases of antenatal care in pregnant women in Franceville, Gabon

Abstract

BackgroundIn sub-tropical countries, infectious diseases remain one of the main causes of mortality. Because of their lack of active immunity, pregnant women and their unborn children represent the most susceptible people. In Gabon, data on infectious diseases of pregnant women such as syphilis and rubella are either scarce or very old. Few studies have assessed T. gondii infection during pregnancy in the country. Here, we evaluate seroprevalence of HIV, HTVL-1, syphilis and T. gondii and rubella infection during antenatal care among women living in Franceville, Gabon.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted on data collected from May 2007 to July 2010. After signing an informed written consent form, all pregnant women consulting in two hospitals of Franceville (Gabon) and in offices of maternity and childbirth health centers were included. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Serum samples were collected and analysed using immunological assays relevant for HIV (Genscreen HIV-1 version 2, Bio-Rad®, Marne la Roquette, France).HTLV-1 (Vironostika HTLV-1, Biomérieux®, Marcy l’Etoile, France), T. pallidum (TPHA/VDRL), BIOLABO®SA), rubella virus (Vidas Biomerieux®, Marcy l’Etoile, France) and T. gondii (Vidas Biomerieux®, Marcy l’Etoile, France) diagnoses were performed. Data analysis was done using the Stat view 5.0 software.ResultsA total of 973 pregnant women were assessed. The mean age was 25.84 ± 6.9 years, with a minimum age of 14.0 years and a maximum of 45.0 years. Women from 26 to 45 years old and unemployed women were the most prevalent: 41.93% and 77.18%, respectively. The prevalence of studied infectious diseases were 2.50% for syphilis, 2.88% for HTLV-1, 4.00% for HIV with no significant difference between them (p = 0.1). Seropositivity against rubella was higher (87.56%, n = 852) than seropositivity against T. gondii (57.35%, n = 557), (p < 0.0001). Only 5 (0.51%) co-infection cases were found: 2 co-infected with HIVand T. pallidum, 2 co-infected with HIV and HTLV-1, and one co-infected with T. pallidum and HTLV-1. Sixty-two pregnant women were seronegative against toxoplasmosis and rubella (6.37%).ConclusionHigh levels of seropositivity against T. gondii and the rubella virus were observed. The prevalence of T. pallidum and HTLV-1 were lowest but HIV prevalence in young women was worrying.

Risk factors for HTLV-1 infection in Central Africa: A rural population-based survey in Gabon

“…These data confirm the high prevalence of HTLV-1 in Gabon and extend it to most rural areas, since we studied adult populations of both sexes, from 6 of the 9 rural provinces of this country. Previous studies mainly carried out in pregnant women or in populations from some regions of Gabon (mostly Franceville area and/or Eastern Gabon regions), have observed a high level of HTLV-1 infection [ 18 – 21 , 24 , 25 ]. However, such studies were mostly based on serological analyses with, for the oldest studies, Western blot interpretation criteria that are now considered as poorly specific.…”

Rubella seroprevalence among mothers and incidence of congenital rubella three years after rubella vaccine introduction in Vietnam

“…We found that age groups 20-24, 25-29, and having no selfreported RCV history increased seronegativity. The youngest age group showed the highest seronegativity in previous studies during the pre/post-RCV era, 3,17,[32][33][34] indicating cumulative opportunities to be exposed to rubella virus or vaccination by age. However, younger age did not influence increased seronegativity in other studies, both before and after RCV initiation, 15,35,36 depending on the timing of rubella epidemics and the difference in vaccine coverage of each age group after changing the vaccine strategy in each country.…”

“…Some factors, including maternal education, maternal occupation, residential area, para, number of antenatal care visit, mode of delivery, baby's sex, low birth weight, and preterm birth, might be less relevant for rubella seronegativity in this study, while some of these were discussed as the relevant factors in previous studies. 3,17,34,[36][37][38][39] A limitation of the present study is that we could not discuss the effect of RCVs on the rubella seronegativity sufficiently due to the unavailability of individual vaccination record to confirm the self-reported RCV history. This study described the CRS incidence and rubella seronegativity that was reported a relatively short time after the previous rubella outbreak and vaccine introduction.…”

“…Some factors, including maternal education, maternal occupation, residential area, para, number of antenatal care visit, mode of delivery, baby’s sex, low birth weight, and preterm birth, might be less relevant for rubella seronegativity in this study, while some of these were discussed as the relevant factors in previous studies. 3 , 17 , 34 , 36–39 …”

Tendência e distribuição espacial de doenças infecciosas em gestantes no estado do Paraná-Brasil

“…In the United States, the incidence of congenital syphilis increased from 8.4 per 100,000 in 2012 to 11.6 per 100,000 live births in 2014, reflecting the increase in disease among pregnant women 5 . In a municipality in Gabon, a country in the African continent, a study with 973 pregnant women found a prevalence of 2.5% for syphilis, 4.0% for HIV infection and 57.3% for toxoplasmosis 6 .…”