Biomedical Research

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease One third of the world population has been estimated to be infected with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) parasite. Generally, it does not cause serious illness in healthy adults, but causes severe diseases in immune-compromised patients. Dimness of the host immune role may allow reactivation of infection, sometimes and results in widespread organ damage. The present study was aimed to investigate the prevalence of toxoplasmosis among women in Erbil and to assess serum level of Interleukin 12 (IL-12 and Interleukin 6 (IL-6) in women with recurrent abortion. A total of 300 women at their reproductive age who attended Maternity Teaching Hospital were enrolled in this study. Anti- toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies were detected by ELISA technique. Serum IL-12 and IL-6 were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antitoxoplasma IgG and IgM were seropositive in 129 (43%) and 14 (4.7%) women, respectively, and only 9(3%) of them for both anti-toxoplasma IgG and IgM. Significant association of toxoplasmosis and history of miscarriage was observed, while no significant association of toxoplasmosis and educational level, socioeconomic level, age, and residency were observed. The results also revealed that IL-6 level (2.51±0.06 pg/ml vs. 2.50±0.03pg/ml) was non-significantly (P > 0.05) changed in infected women in comparison with negative control group. However, serum IL-12 level (232.81± 51.58 pg/ml vs. 152.96±37.90 pg/ml) was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in infected women in comparison to the control group. Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis is relatively high in Erbil and IL-12 level was significantly elevated in the sera of women with toxoplasmosis.

Author(s): Niyan Inaam Muhammed Yousif*, Hadi Mahdi Ahmad Alsakee
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