Abstract
ABSTRACT Background and Objective: Maternal viral and protozoan infections contribute to many complications in early pregnancies leading to spontaneous abortion. The present study was aimed to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis and rubella infections in women experienced spontaneous abortion. Materials and Methods: 692 serum samples were tested for the presence of antibodies for toxoplasmosis and rubella using ELISA techniques. The investigations were carried out in the laboratory of Tripoli Central Hospital from January 2002 to December 2007. Results: Testing results showed serological evidence of previous infection in 17.6% of tested women for toxoplasmosis and only 4.3% for rubella with co-existence of both infections in only 1.8% of women. Conclusion: It seems that testing is more useful in excluding rather than establishing etiology. Considering the study outcome, it appears that toxoplasmosis and rubella represent only about one fifth of the total number of spontaneous abortion, this means that there are some other factors involved that have to be identified and deeply studied in order to establish prevention and therapeutic strategies.