Research Information System
Pediatric Practice and Research, vol.10, no.1, pp.16-21, 2022 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
Aim: Toxoplasmosis in pregnancy may cause ophthalmologic and
neurological sequelae in the fetus. However, this screening is not clearly
included in routine screening protocols in our country. Therefore, there
is no general information about the exact prevalence of the disease. In
this study, it was aimed to evaluate the toxoplasmosis seroprevalence
studies conducted in Turkey during pregnancy using the pool analysis
method and to highlight the difference in disease seroprevalence
between regions.
Material and Method: Published literature in English and Turkish
language on toxoplasmosis seroprevalence in pregnancy from Turkey
in last 30 years were elavuated. Four international databaseses were
scanned by using the keywords "Toxoplasmosis" OR "Toxoplasma
gondii" OR "TORCH" and "seroprevalence" OR "IG G" and"pregnant
women" OR "pregnancy" OR "pregnant" and ''Turkey'' or 'Turkish'. The
publications were evaluated in terms of the general frequency, city,
region, year, sample size, diagnostic method. Conference papers were
not included in the study. Studies involving refugee women in the
sample group were excluded.
Results: A total number of 58 studies and 256612 test results were
included. ELISA (n=22) was the most preferred laboratory diagnostic
method. The average Anti-Toxo IgG seroprevalence rate in the pregnant
population in Turkey was found to be 36.76%. And the average of
Anti-Toxo IgM rate was found to be 2.91%. As a result of our study,
the highest Anti-Toxo IgG test results were; It was found in studies
conducted in Southeastern Anatolia (59.43%), Mediterranean (43.95%)
and Eastern Anatolia (40.89%). The regions with the lowest Anti-Toxo
IgG test results are respectively; Aegean Region (30.25%), Marmara
Region (31.21%) and Black Sea Region (31.80%). Anti-Toxo IgM ratios
are highest respectively; It was detected in Aegean Region (5.65%),
Mediterranean Region (2.77%) and Southeastern Anatolia (2.21%).
Conclusion: It has been determined that western Turkey (Aegean
Region) is riskier in terms of congenital toxoplasmosis due to its high
susceptibility to Toxoplasma infection associated with low toxoplasma
seroprevalence compared to the east, and it is considered important
to perform at least region-based prenatal toxoplasma screening to
prevent this