You are currently viewing a new version of our website. To view the old version click .
  • This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
  • Article
  • Open Access

31 December 2025

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Congenital Toxoplasmosis in Newborns in the Public Health System in the Eastern Region of the Brazilian Amazon, Northern Tocantins State, Brazil: Retrospective Cohort Study

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
and
1
Medical School, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Northern Tocantins (UFNT), Araguaína 77814-350, TO, Brazil
2
Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Federal University of Tocantins, Gurupi 77402-970, TO, Brazil
3
Gurupi Regional Hospital, Gurupi 77405-110, TO, Brazil
4
Graduate Program in Biosciences and Health at Universidade de Gurupi-UnirG, Gurupi 77425-500, TO, Brazil
This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxoplasma and Neospora: Public Health Challenges in Tropical Regions

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for congenital toxoplasmosis in neonates treated in the public health network of the eastern region of the Brazilian Amazon, northern Tocantins state. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with neonates born to mothers with gestational toxoplasmosis who received care between 2017 and 2024. The outcome under analysis was positivity for immunoglobulin M in the electrochemiluminescence assay (CLIA). We estimated the prevalence of transplacental infection and respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) and its association with risk factors using the odds ratio (or) with a p-value < 0.05 in infected neonates before and after 16 gestational weeks at maternal infection diagnosis. Results: A total of 1142 neonates were surveyed, in which 496 were diagnosed with congenital toxoplasmosis (IgM positive), thus obtaining a prevalence of vertical transmission of 45.4%. The main risk factors for vertical transmission were the mother’s education level equal to or less than eight years, (OR = 1.5; 95% CI 1.2;2.0) and having less than six prenatal consultations (OR = 22.8; 95% CI 3.0;172.6). Conclusions: A high prevalence of congenital toxoplasmosis was observed, with higher rates of infection in neonates born to mothers with lower levels of education.

Article Metrics

Citations

Article Access Statistics

Article metric data becomes available approximately 24 hours after publication online.