Anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in pregnant women and their newborn infants in the region of São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil

• Published in: São Paulo medical journal Vol. 129; no. 4; pp. 261 - 266
• Main Authors: Mattos, Cinara de Cássia Brandão de, Spegiorin, Lígia Cosentino Junqueira Franco, Meira, Cristina da Silva, Silva, Thaís da Costa, Ferreira, Ana Iara da Costa, Nakashima, Fabiana, Pereira-Chioccola, Vera Lúcia, Mattos, Luiz Carlos de
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Associação Paulista de Medicina - APM 2011; Associação Paulista de Medicina
• Subjects: Antibodies, Protozoan - immunology; Antibody Affinity; Brazil - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; Gestational Age; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Infant, Newborn - immunology; MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL; Neonatal screening; Pregnancy - immunology; Pregnancy, high-risk; Prenatal diagnosis; Risk Factors; Serologic tests; Short Communication; Toxoplasma - immunology; Toxoplasma gondii; Toxoplasmosis - transmission; Brazil; Serologic tests; Toxoplasma gondii; Prenatal diagnosis; Triagem neonatal; Testes sorológicos; Diagnóstico pré-natal; Pregnancy, high-risk; Neonatal screening; Gravidez de alto risco
• ISSN: 1516-3180; 1806-9460; 1806-9460; 1516-3180
• DOI: 10.1590/S1516-31802011000400010

Toxoplasmosis transmission during pregnancy can cause severe sequelae in fetuses and newborns. Maternal antibodies may be indicators of risk or immunity. The aim here was to evaluate seropositivity for anti-Toxoplasma gondii (anti-T. gondii) immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies and IgG avidity in pregnant women and their newborn infants.
Cross-sectional study in a high-risk pregnancy outpatient clinic.
Serum samples from pregnant women (n = 87) and their respective newborns (n = 87) were evaluated for anti-T. gondii antibodies using indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) (IgM and IgG), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (IgG) and an avidity test.
Anti-T. gondii antibodies were identified in 64.4% of the serum samples from the mothers and their infants (56/87). Except for two maternal serum samples (2.3%), all others were negative for anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies, using IIF. The results showed that 92.9% of the pregnant women had high IgG avidity indexes (> 30%) and four samples had avidity indexes between 16 and 30%. Two women in the third trimester of pregnancy were positive for anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies; their babies had avidity indexes between 16 and 30%. The avidity indexes of serum from the other 83 newborns were similar to the results from their mothers.
The results showed that 2% of the pregnant women were at risk of T. gondii transmission during the gestational period. These data seem to reflect the real situation of gestational toxoplasmosis in the northwestern region of the state of São Paulo.