51. Pregnancy as a risk factor for acute toxoplasmosis seroconversion.
- Author
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Avelino MM, Campos D Jr, do Carmo Barbosa de Parada J, and de Castro AM
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Animals, Antibodies, Protozoan blood, Child, Disease Susceptibility, Educational Status, Environment, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Poverty, Pregnancy, Risk Factors, Toxoplasmosis parasitology, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious parasitology, Toxoplasmosis diagnosis, Toxoplasmosis epidemiology
- Abstract
Objective: To test the hypothesis that pregnancy is a risk factor for toxoplasmosis seroconversion., Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study of women at child-bearing age vulnerable to Toxoplasma gondii. Serological reactions with indirect immunofluorescent antibody and immunoenzyme tests were used. The risk estimate used limits of reliability at 95%, and the results were validated by chi(2) and RR tests., Results: Acute infection among pregnant women was 8.6% (45/522), and pregnancy was confirmed to be a risk factor for seroconversion (P=0.001). Living in close contact with host animals and vehicles of oocyst transmission proved to be a statistical risk for pregnant women to seroconvert, which was aggravated in adolescents., Conclusion: Gestation, potentiating susceptibility to this infection, points to the need of primary and secondary prevention for all pregnant women at risk.
- Published
- 2003
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