A new study from researchers at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi has found that nearly one in three babies born to HIV-positive mothers in Ghana contract toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease that can cause severe, long-term health complications if left untreated.
The study, conducted at KNUST’s University Hospital, revealed that infants born to HIV-positive mothers faced a significantly higher risk of Toxoplasma gondii infection compared to those born to HIV-negative mothers.
Toxoplasmosis, which can be transmitted during pregnancy, may lead to vision loss, brain damage, and developmental delays in children. The risk was particularly elevated in women with compromised immune systems, such as those living with HIV.
Key findings showed that over half of the HIV-positive pregnant women in the study had an acute T. gondii infection, with more than half of these cases resulting in transmission to their babies. In contrast, recent infections were rare among HIV-negative women, though transmission still occurred in half of those cases.
Dr. Bhavana Singh, lead researcher from KNUST’s Department of Clinical Microbiology, noted that older age and unemployment were significant risk factors for infection among HIV-positive women.
Genetic analysis also confirmed that the toxoplasmosis strain circulating in Ghana matches a common global variant found in regions like Europe and North America.
While not all infected newborns exhibited immediate symptoms, the research team emphasized the need for long-term monitoring up to 10 years as complications can emerge later in childhood.
The study published in the Journal of Science and Technology (JUST) underscores the urgent need for enhanced prenatal screening, particularly for high-risk groups, and greater public health education about toxoplasmosis prevention.
Additional authors include Dr. Linda Batsa Debrah, Dr. Georgina Isabella Djameh, and Prof. Alexander Yaw Debrah.
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