Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies among Pregnant Women Attending Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Abstract

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Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Benue state, Nigeria

“…This result is comparable to a study in Maiduguri, Borno state, which reported 52.7% of the sampled pregnant women to be susceptible to T. gondii infection. 23 The results from this study are comparable to studies in Lagos and Maiduguri that reported 7.6 and 8.9% for anti-T. gondii IgM, and 32.6 and 40.0% for IgG antibodies, respectively. 21,23 However, our study results are unlike those conducted in Zaria, Sokoto and Osogbo which reported seropositivity of anti-T. gondii IgG as 29.1, 27.7 and 30.4%, respectively.…”

“…23 The results from this study are comparable to studies in Lagos and Maiduguri that reported 7.6 and 8.9% for anti-T. gondii IgM, and 32.6 and 40.0% for IgG antibodies, respectively. 21,23 However, our study results are unlike those conducted in Zaria, Sokoto and Osogbo which reported seropositivity of anti-T. gondii IgG as 29.1, 27.7 and 30.4%, respectively. 20,22,24 In comparison with other studies conducted outside Nigeria, the present study reported a higher seroprevalence than those of Iran at 29.0%,Southern Ethiopia 23.9% and Egypt 20.4%.…”

“…24 The relationship between age and T. gondii infection as observed in the current study disagrees with some other reports. 23,40 The current study suggested a decrease in anti-T. gondii IgM seropositivity and an increase in IgG seropositivity as the educational status of the sampled women increased, although the association was not statistically significant. This trend is consistent with some other reports of IgM and IgG seropositivity and IgM seropositivity only.…”

“…This trend is consistent with some other reports of IgM and IgG seropositivity and IgM seropositivity only. 23,24 The decrease in IgM seropositivity in educationally advanced women could be related to the well-informed status of these women on ways to prevent infection and on basic hygiene, while the previous exposure to circulating bradyzoites or oocysts of T. gondii in the environment accounts for the increase in chronic infections. It is possible that increased educational status is reflected by greater geographic movement, increasing previous opportunities for chronic infection.…”

“…3 In Nigeria, human seroprevalence of 27 to 40.0 % has been reported in the last 10 years. [20][21][22][23][24] An earlier study in Benue state reported a seroprevalence of 43.7 % in women of childbearing age. 25 More than twenty years later, information on the current prevalence is lacking.…”