PREVALENCE OF TOXOPLASMA ANTIBODIES IN BLOOD-DONORS IN AL-HASSA

Toxoplasmosis is caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. Most of the toxoplasma infections are asymptomatic or benign, but may cause severe or fatal consequences in immunodeficient patients, transplant recipients, and in the fetus. Transmission may occur by eating uncooked meat, contaminated vegetables, blood transfusion, organ transplantation, and across the placenta from the mother to the fetus. Antibodies to T. gondii may persist in the serum at high titers for years. We screened 784 Saudi blood donors using indirect hemagglutination test and 294 (37.5%) were found to be seropositive at different titers. The highest rate of seropositivity was found in the age group 21 to 30 years in males, and after 40 years of age, the presence of antibodies declined. Among females, the higher rate of seropositivity in the age group 18 to 20 years should be confirmed by further studies.