Journal of School of Public Health and

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The purpose of this study was to determine toxoplasmosis seropositivity rates and to record ascending serologic titers in high-school girls. We also searched for possible risk factors. This descriptive-analytic study used 414 serum specimens collected from high school girls in six different regions of Esfahan city through cluster random sampling. The sera were taken from the tip of the finger by hematocrite microtubes. Samples were studied by the Indirect Immunofluorescent Assay Test(IFAT) for estimation of serum titers. Data were analyzed using chi-square (X²) and t tests. The overall seropositivity rate was 18.4% in 14-19 year-old girls and this rate increased with age. IFAT titers in 98% of the positive samples were at 1:100 the remaining 2% showed values above this threshold. For the latter group, we performed another titration test to determine exact titers .The supposed risk factors were age, place of residence, education level (parents and student), consumption of undercooked meat and raw liver, occupation and parent income, and exposure to contaminated material from cats and fowls. The highest positivity rates (27.5%) were recorded in District 1, while the lowest rates (14.5%) were seen in District 5. Significant relationships were found between seropositivity and exposure to cats and fowls.(P>0/05). No significant relationship was observed with the other factors. There was a low level of knowledge about toxoplasmosis and the relevant risk factors: only 2.4% of the subjects were relatively well-informed on this subject. There were not any acute cases. Toxoplasma infection is very important because of its socioeconomic implications, so control measures seem crucial. All seronegative women should be know about this infection and its transmission routes. Education is the most important element in prevention and must be promoted via the mass media, other education systems and the health managers. The studied group in this survey were girls at the usual age of marriage or younger, and it is recommended that health system managers continue to offer education on practices that help prevent infectious diseases in general and toxoplasmosis in particular.

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Background and Aim: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common medical problems in pregnant women. Nutrition plays an important role in the prevention and control of this disease. Some studies have found a relationship between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and food insecurity. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between food insecurity and GDM.

Material and Methods: : This case-control study included 274 pregnant women (137 GDM cases and 137 healthy controls) selected by convenience sampling. Data on the subjects’ food insecurity, demographic features and physical activity (MET) were collected by interviewing and their heights and weights measured. For the analysis of the data, the Chi-square test, independent sample t-test and multivariate and univariate logistic regression tests were used, the statistical software being SPSS 16.0.

Results: On the whole, 18.2% and 21.9% of the women in the case and control groups suffered from food insecurity, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between the case and control groups with regard to a previous history of pregnancy, a family history of diabetes in the first and second degree relatives, and a history of giving birth to a baby weighing over 4 kgs.

Further analysis of the data showed a family history of diabetes mellitus and a low socio-economic status to be independent risk factors for GDB.

Conclusion: No statistically significant difference was observed between food insecurity of the women and gestational diabetes mellitus in this study. Despite this finding, considering that there are associations between food insecurity and other types of diabetes mellitus, we recommend further studies on this subject to be able to either accept or reject the hypothesis on the association between food insecurity and gestational diabetes mellitus.