Study of congenital toxoplasmosis in Egyptian newborns

Five hundred cord blood samples of normal, full term, apparently healthy newborns of both sexes and of different social classes were studied for Toxoplasma antibodies. Eighty nine cases (17.8%) showed a seropositivity for IgG antibodies while specific IgM antibodies were found in 3 cases. A significant higher percentage of seropositivity was found among newborns whose mothers had a previous history of abortion (p less than 0.01), still birth, prematurity or delivery of infants with congenital anomalies (p less than 0.001). The relation between seropositivity and maternal lymphadenopathy and/or fever during pregnancy was highly significant (p less than 0.001). Also, a highly significant (p 0.001) relationship was observed between mothers' contact with cats and seropositivity for toxoplasmosis. No statistical differences were found in the seropositivity between the 2 social classes studied, nor between the sexes. The study ensured that the problem of congenital toxoplasmosis in Egypt should be seriously considered and emphasized the importance of serological screening before and during pregnancy for those women who are at greater risk and of newborns.