Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
BMC Infect Dis. 2024 Apr 17;24(1):410. doi: 10.1186/s12879-024-09265-5.
Toxoplasmosis is a frequent infection among the human population. The infection can cause devastating complications for the fetus during pregnancy. The present study aimed to determine the serological and molecular prevalence of the infection and molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii isolates among pregnant women referred to Kowsar Hospital, Urmia, Iran. In a cross-sectional study, 340 blood samples were collected from pregnant women referred to Kowsar Hospital, Urmia, Iran from May to July 2022. Anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM seropositivity were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. PCR was carried out by targeting the GRA6 gene of the parasite on all patients' buffy coats. Anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies were positive in two (0.6%) women, and 101 (29.7%) women had anti-T. gondii IgG and 70.3% were seronegative. PCR was positive in two IgM-positive women, and both isolates belonged to T. gondii carrying the GRA6 allele of lineage I. The risk of infection was significantly higher in women who had constant contact with cats and soil, and who were residents of rural areas. The two IgM-positive women were asymptomatic regarding acute toxoplasmosis. According to the results of the present study, the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Urmia is similar to its prevalence in other areas in northwestern Iran, and despite the low prevalence of acute infection, it should not be ignored.
弓形虫病是人类中常见的感染。这种感染可能会在怀孕期间对胎儿造成严重的并发症。本研究旨在确定伊朗乌尔米亚 Kowsar 医院就诊的孕妇中弓形虫感染的血清学和分子流行率以及寄生虫分离株的分子特征。在一项横断面研究中，2022 年 5 月至 7 月间从伊朗乌尔米亚 Kowsar 医院采集了 340 份孕妇血样。采用酶联免疫吸附试验法检测抗弓形虫 IgG 和 IgM 血清阳性率。对所有患者的血涂片进行针对寄生虫 GRA6 基因的 PCR 检测。有两名（0.6%）女性的抗弓形虫 IgG 和 IgM 抗体呈阳性，101 名（29.7%）女性的抗弓形虫 IgG 呈阳性，70.3%的女性呈血清阴性。两名 IgM 阳性的女性的 PCR 均呈阳性，且两个分离株均属于携带 I 谱系 GRA6 等位基因的弓形虫。与猫和土壤持续接触且居住在农村地区的女性感染风险显著更高。两名 IgM 阳性的女性均无症状的急性弓形虫病。根据本研究的结果，乌尔米亚孕妇的弓形虫病患病率与伊朗西北部其他地区相似，尽管急性感染的患病率较低，但不应忽视。
