For the estimate based on women of childbearing age with IgM antibodies, the probability of transmission to the fetus was assumed to be between 25% and 50%. studies of newborns would be helpful to accurately estimate incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis. Introduction is a ubiquitous parasite whose definitive hosts are members of the Felidae (cat family). Cats shed millions of environmentally resistant oocysts in their feces after primary infection and are usually without clinical manifestations of disease.1C4 Intermediate hosts include almost all warm-blooded mammals and birds, including humans, who accumulate infectious, quiescent stages (bradyzoites) of the parasite in their tissues, particularly in skeletal muscle and the brain.5,6 Intermediate hosts may acquire infection by consuming raw or undercooked flesh from other intermediate hosts,5 or by ingesting oocysts from the environment.7,8 Environmental sources of (oocysts) include soil, water, shellfish, fruits, and vegetables.9C16 is of particular concern in humans because of the potential for transmitting the disease to the unborn fetus if the mother is infected for the first time during pregnancy.17,18 Toxoplasmosis most commonly manifests as a mild, flu-like illness with low-grade fever, myalgia, malaise, and headache, but primary infection in humans may also cause spontaneous abortion, fetal mental and pyschomotor retardation, retinochoroiditis, encephalitis, and hepatitis.6,17,18 Patients with a history of recent miscarriage, ocular infection, jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, and cirrhosis of the liver may be referred into a Trichodesmine testing protocol termed TORCH (prevention program exists in Qatar other than routine prenatal counseling, which may or may not include advice about how to prevent toxoplasmosis. Increasing concern has been raised about toxoplasmosis because of the large, indigenous feral cat population in the capital city of Doha, where most of the inhabitants live. Doha and its surrounding communities had experienced problems controlling rodents for decades, so domestic cats were introduced in the 1960s to ameliorate the problem. The cat population is Trichodesmine now estimated to exceed 2 million animals (Cat Control Unit, personal communication). Cats are rarely kept as pets in Qatar and the vast majority leads a feral existence on the streets, congregating near human dwellings, businesses, restaurants, and in the market places where food for human consumption is prepared and traded.23 They survive by scavenging on garbage and preying on rodents, and some are supplemented with food by the local residents. This analysis updates and extends an earlier study of patients referred for TORCH testing in Qatar.24 The aims were to determine the prevalence of in the subpopulations of women of childbearing age and infants from among all patients referred for TORCH testing in Qatar, and to determine if specific TORCH pathogens (CMV, HSV-1, HSV-2, and rubella) were associated with infection in patients referred for TORCH testing, after controlling for demographic risk factors. Materials and Methods Study location, selection of subjects, and inclusion criteria. Doha, the capital city of Qatar, is located on the Arabian Gulf and encompasses about 285 km2. The city is populated by about 1 million residents, many of whom are immigrants from other Middle Eastern countries, Africa, and Asia. The climate of Qatar is arid, with sparse annual rainfall averaging only 0.1C3.2 cm. The entire patient population included persons who had symptoms compatible with those of TORCH pathogens (ocular disease, hepatosplenomegaly, cirrhosis), women with a history of miscarriage(s), and Trichodesmine their most recent child, who was usually 1 year of age. Testing was carried out in Qatari hospitals and outpatient clinics between 2005 and 2008, and patients came Trichodesmine from such specialties as maternity, pediatrics, internal medicine, Rabbit Polyclonal to NEIL3 and gastroenterology. Patient confidentiality was maintained throughout and the data set were de-identified so as to mask patient identity from the investigators. Trichodesmine The study was approved by the Medical Research Center & Research Committee at Hamad Medical Cooperation, Qatar (research protocol no. 8036/08). Blood collection and serological tests. Each subject had 5 mL of whole blood collected by venipuncture in plain tubes. Blood samples were then transported to the virology laboratory at Hamad Medical Corporation according to hospital arrangements, centrifuged to remove blood cells, and stored at +4C for 48 hours or frozen at ?20C for longer storage. Serologic tests for anti-IgG and IgM antibodies were performed as previously described.24 Commercially available enzyme immunoassay Enzygnost kits (Dade Behring GmbH, Marburg, Germany) were used to detect the presence of antibodies against in their sera that were most likely acquired antibodies in the female population was also assessed separately by age in yr to determine prevalence in females of childbearing age (15C45 yr). Subjects in the study came from 55 countries that were grouped into.