Abstract
A sero-epidemiologic study of toxoplasmosis employing indirect fluorescent antibody revealed a positivity rate of 23.4 percent among 799 indigent, young, predominately black pregnant women in Birmingham. Previous infection was not influenced by race but quite surprisingly, the incidence was significantly greater in the 289 subjects, 17 yrs. or less, than in their 477 older cohorts, 30.4 vs 20.4 percent, respectively. The geometric mean antibody titers, however, were quite similar in the 2 groups (44 vs 39). A retrospective telephone survey regarding cat and dog exposure, rural residence, and meat cooking preference was conducted among 360 of the above women. The surveyed subgroup was comparable to the larger population with respect to age, race, and incidence of infection. A history of a cat in the home was elicited from 44 percent of infected women, as compared to only 22 percent of antibody negative subjects (X2=16, p<.001). In contrast, routine dog exposure (30 vs 23%), rural residence (29 vs 23%), and eating undercooked meat (8 vs 7%) could not be implicated as sources of infection in this population. These data support the concept that cats play an important role in the transmission of human toxoplasmosis. Cat contact, however, did not account for the increased prevalence in the younger vs older group (28.1 vs 32.6%).
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