The epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnant women in rural Mexico is largely unknown. The sero-epidemiology of T. gondii infection in 439 pregnant women from 9 communities in rural Durango State, Mexico was investigated. Using commercial enzyme-linked immunoassays, sera were tested for T. gondii IgG, IgM, and avidity antibodies. Prevalences of T. gondii IgG antibodies in the communities varied from 0% to 20%. Overall, 36 (8.2%) of the 439 women had IgG T. gondii antibodies. Ten (2.3%) women had also T. gondii IgM antibodies; IgG avidity was high in all IgM-positive women, suggesting chronic infection. None of the women, however, had delivered a known T. gondii-infected child. The seroprevalence was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in women from low socio-economic conditions (14%) than in those with higher socio-economic status (6.6%). Multivariate analysis showed that T. gondii infection was associated with soil floors at home (adjusted OR = 2.89; 95% CI: 1.12–7.49). This is the first epidemiological study of T. gondii infection in pregnant women in rural Mexico.
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1 April 2009
Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pregnant Women in Rural Durango, Mexico
C. Alvarado-Esquivel,
A. Torres-Castorena,
O. Liesenfeld,
C. R. García-López,
S. Estrada-Martínez,
A. Sifuentes-Álvarez,
J. F. Marsal-Hernández,
R. Esquivel-Cruz,
F. Sandoval-Herrera,
J. A. Castañeda,
J. P. Dubey
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