الفهرس 
AcknowledgementOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide infection of man and animals caused by organism called .a gondii. Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite capable of infecting a wide variety of intermediate hosts including man. Toxoplasmosis is acquired by man via ingestion of cat feces or undercooked meat infested with cysts. ’infection of the normal adult is commonly asymptomatic. Transplacental transmission of the parasite resulting in congenital toxoplasmosis can occur during acute acquired maternal infection. The aim of the present work is to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis among pregnant women attending antenatal Health Insurance Clinics in Alexandria. The study is a cross sectional study conducted on pregnant mothers attending antenatal health insurance clinics and follow up visits to assess rising toxoplasma titer and antenat management steps provided to the pregnant mother. Also examining the newborns of positive’ IgG mothers clinically and serologically for diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis. Two out of the six antenatal health jnsurance clinics in Alexandria characterised by high attendance rate were chosen to conduct this study (Lowran and Menashaa clinics). The sa.,~ple included all pregnant mothers attending these two clinics and in their first trimester for a period of ten months. The sample size was 20 I pregnant mothers and 51 newborns of positive mothers to toxoplasmosis who were followed up. } For conduction of the present study the following tools and techniques were used: J ic A structured inteIYiewing questiolUlaire for collecting the data. 1 ~ Serological assessment: ELISA was applied. to serum of pregnant mother to detect IgG & IgM for diagnosis of toxoplasmosis: v IgG was tested by Toxoplasma gondii, HUMAN ELISA antibody test. rising IgG titer. I ¥ Follow up of IgG positive cases by repeating the test one-month later to assess ¥ Detection of toxoplasma IgM by ETI- TOXO-M reverse from SORIN BIOMEDICA. Pregnant mothers with rising IgG and/or cases seropositive for IgM were described as having active toxoplasma infection. ~IgM seropositive test results in newborn sera were considered to indicate acute :congenital toxoplasmosis. Quality assessment for management of toxoplasmosis during pregnancy by Health Insurance Clinics: 0 Development of explicit criteria. 0 Data collection by insurance booklet review, observation and by interviewing pregnant mothers. 0 Neonatal assessment to detennine incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis among newborn~: patal assessment after birth: by’ general examination of newborns and anthropometric measurements of the infants I weight, head circumference and fundus examination). serology: IgM was done for all infants of rising IgG positive mothers (22). The following resuIts were obtained. The results were classified into five parts, including: part One: Prevalence and Sociodemographic Characteristics The prevalence rate was 44.8. The highest percentage of seropositivity was found among women aged 25-< 30 years and the lowest was encountered among those aged 20- <25 years. 117 --~~ The percentage of seropositive mothers decreased with increase level of their education. .The level of seropositivity decrease with increased the level of education of the husband and the distribution showed statistical significance. There was increase in the level of seropositivity with decrease in family income and this .stribution showed statistical significant difference. The highest percentage of seropositivity (80.00/0) was in crowded families (4:”/room) and lecreased with less crowded families (2-, <2). The level of seropositivity decreased with the presence of electricity and improvement of ,anitary condition in women’s home. The level of seropositivity decreased with increase in the availability of mass media. This listribution was statistically significant.