Toxoplasma seroepidemiology in women who intend to marry in Jahrom, Islamic Republic of Iran.

Infection with Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy can lead to severe fetal sequelae. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine T. gondii seropositivity among a sample of young women in Jahrom, Islamic Republic of Iran. Four hundred and three young women with a mean age of 20.3 years who presented for pre-marriage laboratory testing were entered in the study. T. gondii antibodies (IgG and IgM) were measured using ELISA. Of the 403 women, 15% were seropositive for T. gondii antibodies (13% for IgG and 2% for IgM). Seropositivity for T. gondii IgG differed according to age groups but there was no significant difference (P = 0.83). IgM seropositivity showed the highest rate among women aged < 20 years. Many young women in Jahrom Province are susceptible to primary toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, therefore, appropriate educational programmes to improve knowledge in this population should be implemented to prevent toxoplasmosis-related congenital malformations.