Humoral Response to <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> in Pregnant Women in Bangui Central African Republic

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan antrhropozoonosis widespread in mammals and birds. Normally asymptomatic in the subject health, it can have serious consequences for the fetus in the first trimester of pregnancy in the pregnant woman. It is in this context that we propose to assess the immune response to T. gondii in pregnant women in Bangui. This was a retrospective analytical study that consulted the records of pregnant women received in prenatal consultations at the Bangui Community Hospital Maternity ward from January 2019 to December 2019. Socio-demographic and laboratory data (IgM, IgG response to T. gondii) and results of HIV serology were collected from January to June 2021. Chi2 test was used. A total of 307 pregnant women were analyzed. The average age of the women included was 28 (±6) years. The average parity of the entire sample was 2.18 (±1.93). Toxoplasmosis infectious was 14.65%. Women with a positive IgM response accounted for 17.58% and those with an IgG-positive response for 42.99%. Patients with a positive HIV were 5.86%. Patients aged 20 - 29 had a serological profile suggesting a probable ongoing infection (p = 0.010). The paucipares were more represented with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.23). Pregnant women were not significantly exposed to toxoplasmosis infectious (p = 0.96). Immunized and non-immunized subjects were similarly exposed [OR = 0.97; CI 95% 0.4 = 6 - 2.05]. Toxoplasmosis remains particularly serious during pregnancy. Seroprevalence was significantly higher in the 20 - 24 year age group. Women were similarly exposed depending on whether they were immunized or not. This requires the establishment of a specific prevention program against this disease.