Seroepidemiology and Associated Risk Factors for Toxoplama gondii Infection among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics at the Sino-Gabonese Friendship Hospital in Franceville, South East Gabon

Background: Generally asymptomatic in pseudo-healthy individuals, Toxoplama gondii infection can lead to serious pathological complications among pregnant women and their fetuses, as well as in immuno compromised patients. This study was conducted to investigate the seroepidemiology and associated risk factors of this infection among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at the Sino-Gabonese Friendship Hospital in Franceville.

Patients and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was based on the consultation of randomly selected records and test results for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii in pregnant women attending antenatal clinics from 03 January to 28 November 2022 at the Sino-Gabonese Friendship Hospital in Franceville. Socio demographic information and obstetrical data of pregnant women were collected and analysed using R software version 4.2.1, and the results were considered significant for a value of p≤0.05.

Results: A total of 260 records and test results for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii from pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at the Sino-Gabonese Friendship Hospital in Franceville from 03 January to 28 November 2022 were sorted and recorded for this study. With a mean age of 30 ± 7.38 years, 67 cases were reported to be positive for anti- Toxoplasma gondii antibodies (IgG and/or IgM), indicating an overall seroprevalence of 25.77% (67/260; 95% CI;[0.21-0.32]). While IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii were detected in 23.85% (62/260) of pregnant women, 1.92%(5/260) was positive for IgM. Being aged between 31 and 40 years (Odds Ratio=4.58; CI95% [2.52;8.32], p<0.001*) and between 41 and 43 years (Odds Ratio=0.24; CI 95%[0.05;1.05], p=0.040*), single (Crude Odds Ratio=6.12. 95% CI [3.13; 11.9], p<0.001*), a primary education level (Crude Odds Ratio=4.57; 95% CI [2.53-8.26], p<0.001*), a shopkeeper (Crude Odds Ratio=2.93; 95% CI [1.51; 5.68], p=0.000*), or a housewife (Crude Odds Ratio=0.24; 95% CI [0.11; 0.52], p<0.001*), living in a rural area (Crude Odds Ratio=3.02; 95%CI [0.54; 5.1], p=0.001*), having between 2 and 3 pregnancies (Crude Odds Ratio=2.62; 95% CI [1.4; 4.63], p=0.000*) and being in the first trimester of a new pregnancy (Crude Odds Ratio=2.55; 95% CI [1.25; 4.83], p=0.003*), were significant predictors of Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in the pregnant women studied.

Conclusion: 25.77% was the overall seroprevalence rate of Toxoplasma gondii infection among pregnant women in the present study. This relatively high rate was significantly associated with a number of socio-demographic characteristics. It would therefore be important to guarantee quality maternal healthcare and health education for pregnant women in both urban and rural areas of Gabon. This would help to reduce the prevalence or prevent Toxoplasma gondii infection in the population.