Seroprevalence of TORCH-S infections among pregnant woman: A study from vellore district (South India)

Abstract

Introduction: TORCH-S agents include Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella virus, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes simplex virus (HSV) (1 and 2), and Treponema pallidum (syphilis) which are transmissible in utero at various stages of gestation. Description of the Hypothesis Tested: TORCH-S agents are known to cause adverse fetal outcomes and pregnancy loss. The Approach Used: Pregnant women attending a multispecialty hospital for regular antenatal care and high-risk pregnant women with a bad obstetric outcome from a rural area of Vellore District were recruited. A total of 180 pregnant women recruited from two centers were used. Pregnant women were evaluated for their serological status (IgM and IgG) against TORCH-S agents using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits available for respective pathogens. Results: Among the samples (n = 180) collected, IgM antibodies were positive in 3 (1.66%) for Toxoplasma gondii and 1 (0.55%) for HSV1. IgG antibodies were positive in 14 (7.77%) women for T. gondii, 152 (84.44%) for Rubella virus, 110 (61.11%) for CMV, 125 (69.44%) for the HSV-1 (16.66%), 30 were positive for HSV-2, and 5 (2.77%) women were positive for Treponema pallidum. In the 17–25-year age group, the number of IgG positives for T. gondii and HSV-2 were lower compared to other pathogens. Conclusions: The study reports a high prevalence of IgG to TORCH-S agents in pregnant women indicating a high risk among these populations. Routine screening for TORCH-S agents among antenatal women is warranted as timely diagnosis, and proper intervention could help initiate appropriate management. Information of these infections could help the clinicians for appropriate counseling on the potential for adverse fetal outcomes and preventive measures to the mothers.