Molecular Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in Pregnant Women and Domestic Cats in Anambra State

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite capable of causing congenital toxoplasmosis, which may result in severe neurological complications and fetal loss. Domestic cats serve as definitive hosts for T. gondii, making cat ownership and environmental oocyst exposure a notable risk factor for pregnant women. This study molecularly detected T. gondii in pregnant women and domestic cats in Awka and Onitsha, Anambra State, Southeast Nigeria. Blood samples from 120 consenting pregnant women and fecal samples from 45 household cats were collected. Serology (IgG/IgM ELISA) was applied to human samples, and PCR targeting the B1 gene was performed on both human and feline DNA. Seroprevalence among pregnant women was 41.7%, with IgM positivity indicating recent or active infection in 8.3%. T. gondii DNA was confirmed by PCR in 23.3% of domestic cat fecal samples. A statistically significant association was found between cat ownership and seropositivity in pregnant women (OR: 2.6, p<0.05). These findings highlight the public health significance of human-feline T. gondii transmission cycles in Southeast Nigeria and advocate for toxoplasmosis screening in antenatal programs. Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii, B1 gene, congenital toxoplasmosis, domestic cats, Anambra State.