Assessment of Alkaline Phosphatase in Aborted Women Infected with Toxoplasmosis in Erbil city

Abstract

Background: Previous studies in Iraqi community suggested an association between toxoplasmosis and abortion.
Aim: To determine the levels of Alkaline Phosphatase enzyme, IgG and IgM antibodies in sera of aborted women infected with Toxoplasma gondii.
Materials and methods: A total of 81 aborted women were included in the study. Samples were divided into three groups. The first group included 25 patients having previous (chronic) infection with Toxoplasma gondii, the second group included 11 patients having new (acute) Toxoplasma gondii infection and the third group included 15 patients having both (chronic and acute Toxoplasma gondii infection ). Thirty healthy matched women were selected as controls group.
Results: IgG levels was increased significantly in patients with (chronic) toxoplasma infection as compared to control (125.8±7.0 v.s 5.7±o.5), whereas IgM levels was increased significantly in patients with acute infection in comparison with control (136±6.6 v.s 6.6±1.1).While antibodies (IgG & IgM) levels increased significantly (198±15.3 and 172.5±13.4 respectively) in patients with both acute and chronic as compared with control. With respect to Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) the highest specific activity was observed in patients with both acute and chronic (140 ± 9.0) followed by patients with new infection (acute) (134.3 ± 9.0) as compared with none aborted healthy control women group (45 ± 0.8).
Conclusion: The study results suggest that infection with Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy may play a role in the induction of abortion. In addition, Alkaline Phosphatase could play a role in induction of inflammation during Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnant women.