Molecular characterizations of Toxoplasma gondii among pregnant women attending antenatal care at central Gondar zone public hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii parasite that causes severe clinical problems such as congenital toxoplasmosis is a major public health problem that affects one-third of the world’s populationand is also associatedwith a high socioeconomic impact for pregnant women. Molecular characterizations for genotyping using PCR for the detection of T. gondii genotyping were grouped into three subtypes, designated I, II, and III, based on polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).This study aimed to determine molecular characterizations of T. gondii among pregnant women attending Anti-Natal Care (ANC) at Central Gondar Zone Public Hospitals (CGZPH), Northwest Ethiopia. Between 2022 and 2024, a cross-sectional study design was conducted to determine the molecular characterizations of T. gondii among pregnant women attending ANC at CGZPH. In this study, We determined the B1 and Surface antigen 2(SAG2) genotypes of T. gondii in pregnant women using PCR-RFLP. The genotyping data were coded for all genetic loci. Our research provides baseline information essential for planning and implementing control and prevention strategies, thereby enhancing the knowledge and epidemiology of toxoplasmosis. The study revealed that the T. gondii population in the Central Gondar Zone is predominantly represented by type II strains, which are most commonly associated with human toxoplasmosis. The use of PCR-RFLP at the SAG2 and B1 loci proved to be efficient method for rapid genotyping.