Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii among pregnant women in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii and is generally asymptomatic, affecting almost all organs. Serological techniques are applicable for diagnosing T. gondii since it is challenging to demonstrate under the microscope or culture in the laboratory. This study aimed to determine Toxoplasma seroprevalence in pregnant women at Near East University Hospital in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) between 2016 and 2018. Antibodies of Toxoplasma Immunoglobulin M (Toxo IgM) and Toxoplasma Immunoglobulin G (Toxo IgG) were analyzed in pregnant women retrospectively by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Toxo IgG avidity was tested by ELISA in pregnant women to differentiate between acute and chronic infections. The pregnant women were between 17 and 51 years. Of the 1348 participants, 572 (42.43%) were from the TRNC, 746 (55.34%) were from Turkey, and 30 (2.23%) were from other countries. In this study, the prevalence rates were 1.4% and 12.7% for IgM and IgG among pregnant women. High Toxo IgG avidities were observed in 75% of the IgM seropositive women. The study demonstrated that Toxo IgG prevalence rates were low compared to many countries.