Toxoplasmosis - seroprevalence and trend over 10 years.

Objective: Determination of the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in patients tested in the network Unilabs Slovakia Ltd over 10 years (2011-2020).

Material and methods: In the study period, 142,088 patients from all over Slovakia underwent targeted serological screening for toxoplasmosis. Serum samples were tested for IgG and IgM antibodies by electrochemiluminescence assays. A total of 469,824 of tests were performed during the study period in three central laboratories of the Alpha Medical company (now Unilabs Slovakia Ltd) located in Bratislava, Ružomberok-Likavka, and Stropkov.

Results: The seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis has shown a slightly upward trend (for IgM antibodies), remaining stable for IgG class antibodies, neither declining nor rising. An upward trend in positive IgM antibodies appeared not only in general, but also in pregnant women. When calculated per 100,000 population, the IgG seroprevalence has shown an upward 10-year trend for the whole of Slovakia.

Conclusion: The results of this study have evidenced that toxoplasmosis is far from declining in Slovakia; just on the contrary, it can be reasonably assumed that its incidence is slowly rising, especially among pregnant women, which, from the point of view of public health, is worthy of further and more detailed investigation.