Serological diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection in women associated with gyneco-obstetric problems

The latex agglutination test (Toxoreagent) was used to detect the sero-prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in 302 Bangladeshi women who were under treatment for various gyneco-obstetric problems at the Mymensingh Medical College during January to June 1991. The over-all sero-prevalence rate was 15.89%, of which 6.25% reacted at 1:32, 33.33% at 1:64, 16.67% at 1:128, 22.92% at 1:256, 6.25% at 1:512 and 14.58% at 1:1024. The positivity rate of 18.60% recorded in women between 31 and 40 years was insignificantly (p > 0.05) higher than that of 15.44% in women between 17 and 30 years of age. Over-all 26.49% of infections resulted in abortion, 6.62 in stillbirths and 30.79% in dystocia, of which 20.0%, 30.0% and 7.53% women had positive titers to T. gondii, respectively, whereas 17.43% women with normal live births had also positive titers to T. gondii. The over-all prevalence rate of abortion in association with T. gondii infection was 5.30% which was higher than the rates of stillbirths (1.99%) and perinatal death (0.66%). It is concluded that toxoplasmosis can cause abortion, stillbirths and perinatal death in Bangladeshi women.