Author/Authors :
Kheirandish, Farnaz Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center- Department of Parasitology and Mycology- School of Medicine- Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad , Ezatpour, Behrouz Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center- Department of Parasitology and Mycology- School of Medicine- Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad , Fallahi, Shirzad Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center- Department of Parasitology and Mycology- School of Medicine- Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad , Tarahi, Mohammad Javad Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics - School of Health - Isfahan University of Medical Sciences , Hosseini, Pardis Student Research Committee - Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad , Karimi Rouzbahani, Arian Student Research Committee - Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad , Seyyed Tabaei, Javad Department of Parasitology and Mycology- School of Medicine- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Akbari, Soheila Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology- School of Medicine - Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad
Abstract :
Background: Toxoplasma gondii is one of the major causes of abortion in pregnant women. Most cases of abortion
occur in the acute phase of infection and early pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association
between spontaneous abortion and seropositive status of toxoplasmosis in women with first-time spontaneous abortion.
Materials and Methods: This research is a case-control study on 240 serum samples from women experiencing spontaneous
abortion for the first time as the case group, and 240 serum samples from women who had a normal delivery
with no history of abortion as the control group. The level of anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgM and IgG antibodies were
assessed in serum samples using ELISA. To separate the acute and chronic infections, all IgM-positive samples in both
groups and IgG-positive samples of the case group were examined using IgG avidity.
Results: The Toxoplasma IgM antibody was detected in 3.3% (8/240) of the case group and 0.4% (1/240) of the control
group, which was a statistically significant difference between the two groups [P=0.019, odds ratio (OR)=10.266].
Of all samples 47.5% and 46.3% of the case and control groups were positive for Toxoplasma IgG antibody, respectively.
Seven out of 8 (87.5%) IgM-positive serum samples from the case group had low IgG avidity, indicating acute
infections, whereas all IgG-positive sera and 1 IgM-positive serum, which was related to the control group, showed a
high IgG avidity, indicating chronic infections.
Conclusion: Maternal acute toxoplasmosis during pregnancy is raised as one of the factors that increase the chance
of spontaneous abortion. The necessary health training, especially on the parasite transmission ways to women before
marriage, as well as the serological test in women before and during pregnancy is recommended. Polymerase chain
reaction (PCR) and IgG avidity assays should be performed in the medical diagnostic laboratories for accurate distinguishing
of the initial infection of toxoplasmosis in the pregnant women.
Keywords :
Toxoplasmosis , Serology , Abortion , Pregnancy , IgG Avidity
