TORCH Agents in Pregnant Saudi Women

OBJECTIVE: To determine the seroprevalence rates of IgG to common TORCH agents in pregnant Saudi women using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 926 samples of sera were tested for antibodies to TORCH agents known to cause serious congenital infections: Toxoplasma gondii, rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1 and HSV-2), varicella zoster virus (VZV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 and HIV-2). RESULTS: Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were detected in 35.6%, CMV total IgG antibodies were found in 92.1%, rubella IgG antibodies in 93.3%, HSV-1 IgG antibodies in 90.9%, HSV-2 IgG in 27.1%, and VZV IgG antibodies in 74.4%. A 0% seroprevalence rate for HIV-1 and -2 was found. CONCLUSION: Pregnant Saudi women commonly have IgG antibodies to rubella, CMV, HSV-1 and -2, VZV, and T. gondii. Serological evidence of HIV infection was not observed.