Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Abstract

The present study included the serological screening of toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii as one of the abortion causes in (463) pregnant women aged between (18-40) years. They were consulted Al-Zuharaoy, AL-Salam and AL-Bitol hospitals in Nineveh Governorate. Tests for screening toxoplasmosis were latex agglutination test LAT and Modified MLAT by using 2-mercaptoethanol(2-ME) compound and ELISA to distinguish between acute or chronic infection. The level of Anti Cardiolipin antibodies type IgM (ACL-IgM), Anti-Streptolysin-O (ASO), Rheumatoid factor (RF), Anti-Nuclear Factor (ANF) were also estimated in the serum and the relation between these factors and the infection was also checked. Other important factors such as age, profession and contact with animals suspected in causing infection were also investigated. The results showed that frequency of infected cases was (79%) using LAT and(46%) using MLAT was (46%) while ELISA detected (37%). Eighty nine of pregnant women who have positive (ACL–IgM) also gave positive result for LAT. Seventy one percentage of them were active cases by using MLAT and (63%)by using ELISA. The result also revealed that (78%) of infected women were positive to ASO tests and only (9%) to RF test but no interaction between infection and ANF test were noticed.