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Abstract

Infection by Toxoplasma gondii is widely prevalent in humans and other warm-blooded animals. Symptomatic disease is usually uncommon and most of the infections are asymptomatic. The important aspect of this parasitic infection is the probable danger of congenital transmission and its severing effects on the fetus. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies among women referred to Khorramabad central laboratory of health center for pre-marriage medical examinations in 2008. A total of 465 serum samples were examined for detection of specific Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA. Various information about participants was collected via., questionnaires. The SPSS 15.0 software was utilized to analyze the data from experiments. In order to check for statistical differences, Chi-square test and Fisher146s exact test were used. The results indicated that 97.2 452 out of 465 of the women's sera had anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies. However, no statistically significant differences were observed between age group, level of education, rural or urban residence and job in the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies. Regarding the results of this study, Khorramabad city has relatively hyperseropositivity for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in women who intend to get married. However, a low number of these women were seronegative for Toxoplasmosis and susceptible to infection with Toxoplasma gondii and after it to congenital Toxoplasmosis in their pregnancy. Women infected with Toxoplasma gondii in pregnancy period have an abortion or baby's burn with mental retardation, hydrocephaly and macrocephaly, joundice and blindness symptoms therefore, health education especially in women who are going to marry and also during pregnancy is necessary.