Evaluation of rubella, toxoplasma gondii, and cytomegalovirus seroprevalences among pregnant women in Denizli province

Authors: AYSUN KARABULUT, YUSUF POLAT, MERAL TÜRK, YASEMİN IŞIK BALCI

Abstract: There is no national screening program for rubella, Toxoplasma gondii, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections for pregnant women in Turkey. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of these infections among pregnant women in Denizli province, and to review seroprevalences reported from different regions of Turkey. Materials and methods: Between April 2008 and April 2009, 1268 women were investigated for rubella, 1102 for toxoplasma, and 1000 women for CMV seroprevalences in the first trimester of pregnancy. Toxoplasma and rubella IgM and IgG antibodies were assayed by the automated Vitros ECiQ system based on an immunometric technique. Cytomegalovirus IgM and G antibodies were tested using the Chorus enzyme immune assay. We also reviewed the relevant literature reporting seroprevalences from different regions of Turkey. Results: Rubella IgG seropositivity was found in 1206 patients (95.1%) with no IgM seropositivity. CMV IgG and IgM positivities were detected in 987 (98.7%) and 12 (1.2%) subjects, respectively. Of 1102 women evaluated for toxoplasmosis, 408 (37%) were positive for IgG and 15 (1.4%) were positive for IgM. The review of the relevant literature reported from Turkey showed seroprevalence rates in the range of 92.6%-97.3% for rubella, 93.5%-96.1% for CMV, and 30.7%-69.5% for toxoplasma. Conclusion: High seropositivity rates for rubella and CMV in Turkey indicate that most of the women were exposed to these viruses before child-bearing age. Although rubella and CMV seroprevalences show a relatively homogeneous distribution throughout Turkey, toxoplasma prevalence varies greatly according to the geographic region.

Keywords: Pregnancy, rubella, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasma gondii, seroprevalence

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