Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis and associated risk factors among females at childbearing ages in Zakho City, Iraq

Abstract Background Toxoplasma gondii is an obligatory intracellular protozoan that causes toxoplasmosis and is prevalent worldwide, infecting humans and other warm-blooded animals. In healthy people, the infection usually has no symptoms, but in immunocompromised patients and pregnant women, it can lead to serious complications. Methods The purpose of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of anti- Toxoplasma gondii Abs their relation to some risk factors in females. During the period from October 2024 to March 2025, 364 random blood samples were collected from the female population of childbearing ages 15–45 years and their association with some risk factors in Zakho City, Iraq. Results The obtained samples were analyzed by ELISA to detect ant- Toxoplasma IgG and IgM Abs. The overall seroprevalence of anti- Toxoplasma antibodies was 29.95%, including 17.58% for IgG and12.36% for IgM. The variables with significant impacts on the seroprevalences of both anti- Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies were the marital status which had a significant ( P = 0.049) effect on IgG and a highly significant ( P = 0.0001) effect on IgM antibodies and abortion had a high significant ( P = 0.0001) effect. Other factors with high significant effects on the seroprevalences of anti- Toxoplasma IgM antibodies included age, blood groups, cat contact, and occupation at P values of P = 0.019, P = 0.0001, P = 0.005, and P = 0.037, respectively. While other factors had non-significant association with seroprevalences of anti- Toxoplasma antibodies. Conclusions In conclusion, this study shows high seroprevalence of chronic and acute toxoplasmosis among females at childbearing age in Zakho District; this is alarming and requires the implementation of health education programs and screening of pregnant women at an early gestation stage.