B. H. Kean

Congenital toxoplasmosis: A prospective study of 4,048 obstetric patients

Abstract Of the 4,048 patients, 2,765 had negative tests for toxoplasma antibodies and were at risk; 6 of these tests converted to positive during pregnancy, and 2 of the 6 transmitted toxoplasmosis to their infants. Of the 1,283 patients who had positive tests for Toxoplasma antibodies on prenatal blood specimens, 17 showed a substantial rise in titer during pregnancy, and 1 of these transmitted toxoplasmosis to her infant. The study population included 758 Negroes, 70 Orientals, 403 white patients born in Puerto Rico, and 2,817 whites born elsewhere. All 6 of the patients whose tests converted, 15 of the 17 who showed a rise in titer, and all 3 infected infants were white. Pregnant women should be advised to eat only well-cooked meat and to avoid exposure to cat feces.

The role of toxoplasmosis in abortion.

Abstract A prospective study of 5,000 obstetric patients indicated that: (1) Habitual abortion was not associated with Toxoplasma antibody; (2) sporadic abortion was significantly associated with Toxoplasma antibodies, which suggests but does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship; and (3) none of the 260 abortions were shown to be due to acute toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasmosis: risk variations in New York City obstetric patients.

Abstract Toxoplasma antibody tests on over 4,000 New York City obstetric patients were analyzed by age, race, birthplace, and economic status. Positive dye tests were used to select all infections; positive complement-fixation tests were used to select comparatively recent infections. Greater prevalence of toxoplasmosis in whites than in blacks or Orientals was demonstrated. The highest prevalence of both old and comparatively recently acquired infection occurred in affluent whites. The white private patients continued to acquire toxoplasmosis at the highest rate of any patient group; three of 189 DT− patients became DT+ during their pregnancy. Prevalence was greater in foreign-born patients than in those born in the U.S.A. for all racial and economic groups. Instruction of obstetric patients, particularly the more affluent, to avoid the sources of T. gondii infection (ingestion of raw or poorly cooked meat and exposure to cat feces) is strongly recommended for the prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis.

Adult Acquired Toxoplasmosis.

Excerpt Fifty-two adult patients were seen at The New York Hospital with a Sabin-Feldman dye test titer of 1:256 or greater in at least one serum specimen. Thirty-eight met serologic criteria consi...