Toxoplasmosis and pregnancy: an analytical study in Zagazig, Egypt

The sera of 72 women with a history of abortion (sporadic or habitual abortion) or perinatal complications were examined for Toxoplasma antibodies using indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). It was found that 27.8% of them were positive for toxoplasmosis with geometric mean titre of 1/64. Also sera of 34 women with normal obstetric history as a control group were examined. 11.8% of them were positive for toxoplasmosis with geometric mean titre 1/16. The difference between the control group and complicated group was found to be statistically significant. The histopathological picture of placenta of positive cases showed characteristics of toxoplasmic placentosis with detection of the organism in fixed paraffin sections using HX and E, PAS or Giemsa stains.