Prevalence of toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes (TORCH) infections among women attending the antenatal care clinic, maternity hospital in Abha, Southwestern Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the presence of toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes (TORCH) infections in women attending at the antenatal care clinic in Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: A total of 190 blood samples were collected from Abha maternity hospital in Aseer region, KSA, from February 2018 to May 2019 and screened with the TORCH panel (toxoplasmagondii [IgG/IgM], cytomegalovirus [CMV] [IgG/IgM], rubella [IgG/ IgM], and herpes simplex type 1 and 2 [IgG/IgM]). Results: The mean age was 31.42±6.514 years and gestational age was 32.48±6.168 weeks. Serum IgG was positive for Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) (27.4%), herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) (94.7%), herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) (0.5%), CMV (100%), and rubella (88.9%). Serum IgM was positive only for CMV (9.5%). Though, there was an association between abortions from previous pregnancies (26.5%), intrauterine death (5.8%), premature labor (3.2%), microcephaly (1.6%), other congenital diseases (1.6%) and low birth weight (0.5%) with current IgG positivity for TORCH infections, the results were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Seropositivity for IgG antibodies correlate with TORCH-associated pregnancy complications in Abha, KSA; however, IgM positive CMV pregnant cases warrant further systematic investigation to understand the implications of CMV on outcomes during pregnancy.

Toxoplasma gondii Infection Is Associated with Low Birth Weight: Findings from an Observational Study among Rural Bangladeshi Women

“…Based on the current knowledge and existing evidence, the true association between T. gondii infection during pregnancy with LBW is still unclear [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. One of the major limitations that these studies have acknowledged is the lack of good data following robust study designs, including robust assessment of other confounding and modifying factors related to T. gondii infection and LBW.…”

“…For further assessment of potential confounders and modifiers, a backward stepwise approach was also explored with the level of exclusion at 20% and 5% to assess the variation of estimated risk determined by the various models. Finally, to maintain the consistency with the existing literature [ 6 , 8 ], an association between T. gondii infection and LBW was further assessed by excluding IgM+; IgG+ and IgM+; IgG− ( Table S2 ).…”

“…Infection during pregnancy may lead to several fetal complications, including fatal and adverse outcomes of conception, such as abortion, stillbirth, intrauterine death, preterm delivery or congenital toxoplasmosis [ 3 ]. However, a causal relationship is heterogenic and inconclusive, since many other concurrent factors contribute in a different way to the development of these adverse and fatal outcomes [ 4 , 5 ], including low birth weight (LBW) among newborns [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Untreated toxoplasmosis may lead to serious clinical manifestations during childhood or early adulthood [ 11 ].…”

Susceptibility to Rubella Infection and Incidence of Congenital Rubella Infection: 6 Years Retrospective Study

“…22 In 2020, one study in western part of Saudi Arabia showed that 88.9% of women are immune to rubella and another study showed that rubella susceptibility in women was as high as 24%. 23 , 24 Furthermore, WHO report 62 rubella cases in Saudi Arabia in 2019 along with 4 cases of congenital rubella syndrome in the period 2017–2018. 22 Therefore this study was done to determine the seroprevalence of rubella in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia and report cases of acute rubella infections to guide and assess national vaccination programs.…”

Study the changes in vitamin D3, magnesium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone and calcium levels among women positive for SARS-2 n COVID-19 concerning rubella infection

“…This virus is responsible for thousands of confirmed human illnesses throughout numerous provinces in China, then in Arab countries, including Iraq. There have been reports of infections with no symptoms, disorders with moderate symptoms, conditions with severe symptoms, and even some fatalities [4] . The first record of the novel Corona-19 was recorded in the north of Iraq 1n February 2020, and the following figure-1 summarizes the subsequent infection in all of Iraq until June 2022.…”