Résumé:
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii. It is contracted during contact with a cat carrying the parasite or by consuming contaminated food. This non-contagious infection between humans, it is usually mild and asymptomatic. It is a disease that most often goes unnoticed: 80% of affected individuals, including pregnant women, show no symptoms. However, it can cause sometimes serious complications in patients suffering from immunosuppression and sometimes in fetuses if it occurs during pregnancy.
The present study aims to evaluate the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis by the search for anti-toxoplasmic IgG and IgM immunoglobulins in pregnant women in the Mostaganem region, as well as to study certain risk factors associated with toxoplasma infection. The sample of this prospective cross-sectional study on blood samples from 60 pregnant women aged between 18 and 42 years. These women came for a prenatal serological consultation at two private medical analysis laboratories. Our study revealed an overall seroprevalence of 15% which varies according to several factors (age, trimester and number of pregnancies).
The majority of women are then non-immune and require monthly monitoring, until the end of pregnancy and respecting the hygiene and dietary measures. The contamination risk factors identified are contact with cats and the consumption of undercooked meat. This study underlines the interest of the systematic determination of the immune status of women, the surveillance of seronegative women, and the importance of education and information in terms of prevention.
