Seroprevalence of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> in Women Referring to Health Centers in Sabzevar, Northeast of Iran (2021-2022)

Background: Toxoplasmosis is a common zoonotic disease in the world, which is caused by an intracellular protozoan parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. In its congenital form, the pathogen is transferred to the fetus through placenta. The acquired infection is caused by either consuming contaminated meat and vegetables or contact with cats. The present research aimed to investigate the prevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody in women referring to health centers for premarital tests in Sabzevar, Northeast of Iran (2021-2022). Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study included 190 women admitted to health centers in Sabzevar for premarital tests. The participants were selected by simple random sampling. A questionnaire was used to collect the clients’ demographic information and data on some risk factors. In order to perform the tests, 2 mL of their blood samples was taken and their serum was separated. The serum samples were kept at -20 °C until the test was performed. To perform the test, after thawing the serum samples, the presence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody was examined using the ELISA method in the immunology laboratory of the medical school. The data analysis was done using the chi-square test in SPSS. Results: The results showed that out of 190 participants, 171 had no history of infection with this parasite and only 19 of them had a positive anti-T. gondii IgG antibody test result. Additionally, 90% did not have enough immunity. The Chi-square test showed a significant positive relationship between the presence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody and age, education, consumption of semi-cooked meat and vegetables (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion: The results suggest that the positive rate of IgG test in this Northeast Iranian region is lower than in other parts, and this problem may be attributable to its specific climatic conditions, where it is hot and dry, and the humidity level is relatively low. The destruction of the parasite oocyst due to these factors can result in a low rate of parasite transmission. Therefore, the need for a screening program is not necessary, but educational programs are recommended to educate women before marriage.