Prevalence and risk factors for typical signs and symptoms of toxoplasmosis in children born to at risk pregnant women attending prenatal care in Temeke district, Tanzania

Abstract

The study determined the prevalence of typical signs and symptoms of toxoplasmosis in children born to at risk pregnant women in Temeke district, Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania. It was a cross sectional study of 371 pregnant women attending Prenatal clinics for prenatal health care services in Temeke district.The overall prevalence of signs and symptoms typical of toxoplasmosis was 13% (95% CI=9.5-16.4%).The proportions of signs and symptoms related to Toxoplasmosis reported in children are as follows; eye problems (4.8%, 95% CI=2.7-7.0%), hydrocephalus (3.2%, 95% CI=1.6-5.4%), mental retardation (3%, 95% CI=1.4-5.0%) and paralysis (2%, 95% CI=0.7-3.6%). After adjusting for other factors, we found a very strong association with a wide confidence interval between multigravida and prevalence of typical signs and symptoms of toxoplasmosis in children (AOR=40.89, 95% CI=4.65-359.93%). Marriage was also found to be strongly associated with signs and symptoms of toxoplasmosis in children (AOR=8.22, 95% CI=2.91-23.21%).The study findings indicate that there is low prevalence of signs and symptoms typical of toxoplasmosis among children born to at-risk pregnant women attending prenatal clinics in Temeke district, but are of clinical relevancy considering the sequelae of the disease in affected children.Based on the current study findings, it is imperative to either clinically or serologically screen both pregnant women and newborns for Toxoplasma gondii infection in order to get a conclusive evidence of prevalence of toxoplasmosis in children born to at risk women in Temeke District in Tanzania and thus limits the risk of occurrence of congenital toxoplasmosis and clinical outcomes of the disease in newborns in Tanzania.