TOXOPLASMA GONDII ENHANCES OXIDATIVE STRESS IN PREGNANT WOMEN: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Abstract

disease Toxoplasmosis. Acute infection of T. gondii in pregnant women is dangerous
because the parasite can transmit into developing foetus and can cause congenital
toxoplasmosis. To assess the prevalence of T. gondii infection, its association with
pregnancy and the impact of this parasite on generating oxidative stress, ninety-two
pregnant women and sixty-five age matched non-pregnant control subjects were
enrolled in this study. Using an immunological assay with a rapid test cassette, T.
gondii specific IgG antibody was detected in 25% pregnant women while it was found
only 9.2% in non-pregnant healthy control subjects, suggesting that a higher
percentage of pregnant women carried chronic T. gondii infection compared to control
subjects. Anti-T. gondii IgM was also tested and found to be positive in only 3.3 %
pregnant women as compared to control. Polymerase Chain Reaction analysis was
carried out with the DNA isolated from blood of both anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG
positive pregnant women and was found to be negative for T. gondii REP-529 gene,
suggesting a chronic infection. Our data suggest that pregnant women who were in
contact with cat in their third trimester of pregnancy demonstrated a significantly
higher association with acquiring infection. Furthermore, to determine any
association of T. gondii infection with oxidative stress in pregnant women, oxidative
stress markers were assessed in plasma samples. The total oxidative stress was found
to be higher in T. gondii positive subjects compared to T. gondii negative samples
whereas total antioxidant defence was observed to be slightly decreased in T. gondii
positive pregnant women. It can primarily be said that chronic T. gondii infection in
pregnant women may increase oxidative stress and this, therefore, may act as a risk
factor for congenital toxoplasmosis.