Department of Clinical Sciences Studies, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
Copperbelt University, Ndola, Zambia.
BMJ Open. 2024 Jul 1;14(6):e084582. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-084582.
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by . It has a wide host range and is capable of vertical transmission in pregnant women, which may lead to undesirable pregnancy outcomes such as congenital malformations, miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth. This study investigated the seroprevalence of infection among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at Namwala District Hospital in Southern Zambia.
This was a cross-sectional study where blood was collected, and the serum was tested for IgG and IgM. A questionnaire was administered to participants on demographic characteristics and risk factors. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel and exported to STATA version 14 for analysis.
A total of 401 women were enrolled in the study from 3 March to 5 August 2021. The seroprevalence of IgG was 4.2% (n=17), while the seroprevalence of IgM was 0.7% (n=3). The median age was 27 (IQR: 24-30) years, and a larger proportion had primary-level education (n=223, 55.6%). The majority (81.6%) of the women were married. None of the risk factors investigated in this study were significant for infection.
There was a low seroprevalence of infection among pregnant women in the Namwala district of Southern Province, Zambia, and regular screening may not be warranted in this population. Continued research on toxoplasmosis is recommended to understand its epidemiology across Zambia.
弓形虫病是一种由 引起的人畜共患寄生虫病。它宿主范围广泛，能够在孕妇中进行垂直传播，可能导致先天性畸形、流产、早产和死产等不良妊娠结局。本研究调查了赞比亚南部那姆瓦拉区医院产前诊所孕妇 的血清流行率。
这是一项横断面研究，采集血液并检测血清中的 IgG 和 IgM。向参与者发放一份关于人口统计学特征和危险因素的问卷。数据录入 Microsoft Excel 并导出到 STATA 14 进行分析。
2021 年 3 月 3 日至 8 月 5 日期间，共有 401 名妇女参加了这项研究。IgG 的血清流行率为 4.2%（n=17），而 IgM 的血清流行率为 0.7%（n=3）。中位年龄为 27 岁（IQR：24-30），大多数人接受过初级教育（n=223，55.6%）。大多数妇女（81.6%）已婚。本研究调查的危险因素均与 感染无关。
在赞比亚南部那姆瓦拉区，孕妇 感染的血清流行率较低，该人群可能不需要常规筛查。建议继续研究弓形虫病，以了解其在赞比亚的流行病学情况。
