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

Toxoplasmosis is caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan parasit e, Toxoplasma gondii. Most of the toxoplasma infections are asymptomat ic or benign, but may cause severe or fatal consequences in immunodefi cient patients, transplant recipients, and in the fetus. Transmission may occur by eating uncooked meat, contaminated vegetables, blood tran sfusion, organ transplantation, and across the placenta from the mothe r to the fetus. Antibodies to T. gondii may persist in the serum at hi gh titers for years. We screened 784 Saudi blood donors using indirect hemagglutination test and 294 (37.5%) were found to be seropositive a t different titers. The highest rate of seropositivity was found in th e age group 21 to 30 years in males, and after 40 years of age, the pr esence of antibodies declined. Among females, the higher rate of serop ositivity in the age group 18 to 20 years should be confirmed by furth er studies.