Desta KassuSisay TesfayeZewda EndrasHailu Anteneh2021-09-072023-11-062021-09-072023-11-062012-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/27819Background: Toxoplasmosis is an important zoonotic parasitic disease world wid.Congenitaltransmission gondii during pregnancy has been regarded as a risk factor for the health ofnewborn infants.Prevalence and risk factors of toxoplasmosis in women of childbearing age in Ethiopia are unknown. Objective: Estimating the seroprevalence and potential risk factors in acquiring T. gondiiinfection by women of child-bearing age in Central Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2011 to January 2012 in childbearing age women of sample size of 425 in central Ethiopia. Indirect ELISA IgG and IgM testin parallel structured questionnaire was used to assess possible risk factors and knowledge andperception of health professionals about the disease. The data was cleaned, coded usingMicrosoft excel sheet and transferred to SPSS soft ware’s version 20 for data analysis. Results: The study revealed that anti-T. gondii antibodies were detected in 81.4% of the samplesof which 69.4% were positive for only IgG and 12.0% positive for both IgG and IgM antibodies.Of the 213 pregnant women 57 (26.8%) were IgM reactive. Out of 17 potential risk factorsinvestigated, univariable logistic regression showed significant association of T. gondii infectionwith study area, age, pregnancy status, raw vegetable consumption, source of water, presence ofcat at home, contact with cat, HIV status and precaution during cats’ feces cleaning (P≤0.05).Almost all child bearing age women had no awareness or information regarding health risk ofcats and toxoplasmosis. From health professionals, 63% (63) of them had knowledge oftoxoplasmosis. Among health professionals 47.3% didn’t knew the importance of testingtoxoplasmosis during pregnancy and (93%) do not screen pregnant women but 78% of them hadan exposure of toxoplasmosis in patient and all of them didn’t gave health education. Conclusion: Results of current study showed that the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection inwomen of child-bearing age in central Ethiopia is high. Study area, pregnancy and raw vegetableconsumption are risk factors to acquire T.gondii infection. Educational program, antenatalscreening of pregnant women and further epidemiological studies to uncover the economic andhealth impact of toxoplasmosis are suggested.en-USToxoplasma gondii, Seroprevalence, Cross-sectional, Risk factors, Central Ethiopia,ELISA.Thesis