Abstract
AIMS: Chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection is not thought to affect pregnancy or birth outcomes, but there are few prospective studies. The study aims were T. gondii immunoglobulin G measurement and relationship of chronic T. gondii infection with gestational age at birth and adverse pregnancy outcomes in 690 Hispanic women in Tampa, Florida. METHODS: Hispanic women, born either in the United States or in Latin America or the Caribbean had a venous blood sample drawn to measure T. gondii IgG and T. gondii serotype at the first prenatal visit, along with collection of demographic and health-related measures. Seropositive and seronegative women were followed throughout their pregnancy. Gestational age, infant weights, and adverse pregnancy outcomes (miscarriages, preterm births) were compared in the two groups. RESULTS: There were 740 women of self-reported Hispanic ethnicity screened and enrolled in Tampa, Florida, with 690 having birth data extracted from the electronic health record (538 T. gondii negative and 152 T. gondii seropositive). T. gondii seropositivity was 22.4% and the majority (83%) had high avidity titers, indicating chronic infection. Compared to T. gondii seronegative Hispanic women, seroseropositive women had more smaller for gestational age infants and higher prevalences of miscarriages and preterm birth. CONCLUSION: This is one of the largest longitudinal cohort studies of women with chronic T. gondii infection followed through pregnancy. There was a higher percentages of adverse pregnancy outcomes in this group compared to T. gondii seronegative controls. The mechanism for this is unknown and warrants reexamination of the dogma that chronic T. gondii infection in pregnant women has no significant clinical consequences.