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. 2023 Apr 24;17(4):e0011248.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011248. eCollection 2023 Apr.

Seroprevalence of high incidence congenital infections among pregnant women in Coatepeque, Guatemala and surrounding areas, 2017-2018

Victoria J Hicks  1   2 , César Sánchez  3 , María Reneé López  1 , Anna Gottschlich  2 , Laura M Grajeda  1   4 , Amanda Balish  5 , Ana Gómez  6 , Nevis Nuñez  7 , Julio Juárez  8 , Beatriz López  2 , Mariangeli Freitas-Ning  2 , Celia Cordón-Rosales  1 , Manuel Sagastume  3 , John P McCracken  1 , Andrés Espinosa-Bode  2 , Loren Cadena  2 , Terrence Q Lo  5
Affiliations

Seroprevalence of high incidence congenital infections among pregnant women in Coatepeque, Guatemala and surrounding areas, 2017-2018

Victoria J Hicks et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. .

Abstract

Maternal infections during pregnancy can potentially cause birth defects and severe adverse effects in infants. From 2017 to 2018, we investigated the seroprevalence of five antibodies among 436 mother-infant pairs enrolled in a pregnancy cohort study in Coatepeque, Guatemala. Upon enrollment (< 20 weeks gestational age) and shortly after delivery, we measured the prevalence of IgG and IgM antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), rubella, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) in mothers and newborns and used rapid tests to detect HIV and syphilis (Treponema pallidum) in mothers. The mean cohort age was 24.5 years. Maternal T. gondii IgM and IgG seropositivity was 1.9% and 69.7%, respectively. No women were positive for HIV, syphilis, or rubella IgM. Maternal rubella IgG seropositivity was 80.8% and significantly increased with age. Maternal CMV IgM and IgG seropositivity were 2.3% and 99.5%, respectively. Of the 323 women tested at both timepoints, IgM reactivation occurred in one woman for T. gondii infection and in eight for CMV. No newborn was seropositive for CMV IgM or rubella IgM. One newborn was seropositive for T. gondii IgM. Congenital T. gondii and CMV infections are important public health issues for pregnant women, newborns, and healthcare providers in Coatepeque and Guatemala.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Women were tested at baseline and delivery for IgM antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Women were tested at baseline and delivery for IgM antibodies against Cytomegalovirus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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