Globally, congenital toxoplasmosis remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, and outbreaks of infection with T. gondii represent a significant, emerging public health burden, especial...

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a protozoal parasite: Toxoplasma gondii. This infection can cause severe illness when the organism is contracted congenitally or when it is reactivated in immunosuppressed people. In this paper we review prevalence and risk factors of T. gondii among pregnant women and HIV-infected adults in Morocco. A systematic review methodology was used to consult three databases: Pub Med, Science Direct and Google Scholar dated until 2015, regarding prevalence data and risk factors of infection among pregnant women and people living with HIV. Data collection and eligibility criteria were established in this paper. No statistical method was employed in this study. Our review resulted in a total of 6 publications meeting the inclusion criteria of prevalence and risk factors of toxoplasmosis in Morocco. Seropositive rates of T. gondii infection reach up to 51% in pregnant women. Risk factors that were reported included contact with soil and the level of knowledge about the disease. For HIV-infected adults, the limited data show a 62.1% prevalence rate of T. gondii .According to our review, there is still very little information on toxoplasmosis disease in pregnant women and HIV infected patients in Morocco. Further research on toxoplasmosis is needed to better ascertain the human disease burden in Morocco.

Background: Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by a protozoan parasite named Toxoplasma gondii (T.gondii). Pregnant women are considered one of the risk groups. The objective of this retrospective study is to provide an updated estimate of the seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies among a group of Moroccan pregnant women monitored at the Parasitology Laboratory of the National Institute of Hygiene in Rabat in Morocco. Methods: Serum samples were tested for the presence of specific anti-T. gondii immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-Toxoplasma IgM- and IgG-positive cases were also evaluated with the anti-Toxoplasma IgG avidity test. All cases were evaluated according to the age, parity, and historical of abortion. Results: Among 677 pregnant women, 94.1% (637/677) were serologically screened for the first time and therefore had no knowledge of their serological status, and only 5.9% (40/677) were screened for the second or third time. The overall anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM seropositivity among the 637 pregnant women included in the study analysis was 43% (274/637) and 3.9% (25/637), respectively. The use of the IgG avidity test allowed excluding recent infection among 83% of cases with IgG and IgM positive sera. The mean age was 29.4 ± 6.3 years. The result of the bivariate analysis revealed that the age influenced significantly the seroprevalence rate, while the parity and the existence of previous spontaneous abortion did not have any significant statistical correlation with seropositivity to T. gondii. Conclusion: This study shows that 43% of pregnant women were positive and 57% of them had no antibody against the T. gondii infection. However, the pregnancy follow-up and the counseling of pregnant women remain essential for the prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis.

Background: The assessment of the knowledge of Toxoplasma gondii infection among health professionals is essential to design an effective management strategy. The current study was conducted to assess the knowledge and perception of health professionals working in urban public health centers of different parts of Rabat in Morocco. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 15 to June 15, 2017, in urban public health centers selected in the prefecture of Rabat in Morocco. A structured questionnaire was completed by participants and included questions on the epidemiology and diagnosis of toxoplasmosis and clinical issues related to the infection. Results: Ninety-six health professionals participated, including medical doctors, nurses, midwives, and laboratory technicians. Most of them were female (86, 89.58%). The mean age was 40.51 ± 10.26 years, and the mean length of time working in the field of healthcare was 15.92 ± 8.55 years. Eighty one percent (86, 81.25%) of health professionals knew the agent of toxoplasmosis, and 62 (64.5%) knew the definitive host of the parasite. Regarding clinical symptoms, 55 (57.29%) of the respondents knew that toxoplasmosis is an asymptomatic disease in immunocompetent persons. More than half of the respondents correctly identified the main routes of transmission: eating raw or undercooked meats, unwashed fruits and vegetables, and having direct contact with cats. However, only 29 (30.21%) of them believed that water can be a risk factor for the transmission of toxoplasmosis. Regarding diagnosis, only 14 (14.58%) health professionals knew about the avidity test. Conclusions: The implementation of educational interventions is recommended to raise awareness of toxoplasmosis among health professionals who provide prenatal care in public health centers.