[Toxoplasmosis and abortion in patients at the O'Horan Hospital of Merida, Yucatan].

The relationship between abortion and infection by Toxoplasma gondii was analyzed in 100 cases of spontaneous abortions, 51 of which corresponded to single abortions and 49 to cases with a history of repeated abortions. The Sabin-Feldman test was used for the detection of specific antibodies. Parasites were identified and isolated in the aborted material; sections were stained by Hematoxilin-Eosin, processed for indirect immunofluorescence and inoculated into mice. Antibodies to Toxoplasma were detected in 47 percent of the total study population. Positive identification of parasites in the decidua and corionic villae was established in 2 percent of the patients studied. Parasites could only be isolated in one of these patients. Both cases belonged to the group with positive serology and antibody titers of 1:64 and 1:128, and having experienced a single abortion. There was no significant statistical difference with regard to antibody titers between the single abortion and repeated abortion groups. Our results indicate an important causative relationship between toxoplasmosis and abortions in Mérida, Yucatán, México.