Biological And Serological Studies On Toxoplasma Gondii In Lagos State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Sera from 775 persons in 10 age-groups, living in Lagos metropolis, were titrated for Toxoplasma antibodies, using the haemagglutination test. The overall percentage positive was 63.2%. The highest (78.4%) was found amongst the age group ranging from 36-40 years, whilst the lowest (48.2%) was recorded in the age group. 11-15 years. The risk of non-immune persons acquiring infection was calculated in the different age groups using Van Der Veen's equation. Venous blood samples, cord blood, as well as placental tissue were also collected from a total of 452 pregnant women, who attended some antenatal clinics in Lagos. Of the 452 samples studied. 60.18% were positive for Toxoplasma antibodies. 70.7% of the cord blood specimen collected were also positive. Transmission pattern of toxoplasmosis employing cats was studied, as faecal samples of cats collected randomly from different areas of Lagos were analysed, using the formol-Ether concentration technique after Ritchie (1948) to detect the presence of oocysts. The cats were also bled for serological tests.