Prevalence of Serum Antibodies to TORCH Infections among the Women of Child Bearing Age Visiting National Public Health Laboratory, Teku

Abstract

The primary infection of Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella virus, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Herpes simplex virus (HSV) abbreviated as TORCH, remain a major problem in the women of child bearing age in Nepal. The main aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of TORCH infections among the women of child bearing age visiting the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL), Kathmandu. Serum samples collected from 302 patients were tested for TORCH infections by IgM Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The seropositivity rate was found to be 18.82% (54/287) for T. gondii, 10.07% (28/278) for Rubella, 16.49% (46/279) for CMV and 23.34% (67/287) for HSV. The seropositivity rates in pregnant women were 17.92% (19/106) for T. gondii, 11.54% (12/104) for Rubella, 19.23% (20/104) for CMV and 25% (26/104) for HSV, the statistical association of TORCH infections with pregnancy was insignificant (P>0.05). Similarly, the seropositivity rates in women with bad obstetric history (BOH) were 17.84% (43/241) for T. gondii, 11.06% (26/235) for Rubella, 18.57% (44/237) for CMV and 26.14% (63/241) for HSV. The statistical association of CMV and HSV with previous obstetric performance were significant (P>0.05) while that of T. gondii and Rubella were insignificant (P<0.05). The seropositivity rate was found to be highest for HSV infection (23.34%) followed by T. gondii (18.82%), Cytomegalovirus (16.49%) and Rubella (10.07%).

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/njst.v15i2.12120

Nepal Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 15, No.2 (2014) 85-90