Serological and Molecular Phylogeny of Toxoplasma gondii in Asymptomatic Pregnant Women, and Association to MTHFR-C677T gene Polymorphism in Wasit Province, Iraq
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite infects a wide range of warm-blooded animals as well as humans causing typically asymptomatic infection with severe life-threatening complications in patients. Serological and molecular surveying of human toxoplasmosis in asymptomatic pregnant women, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of study T. gondii isolates and identification the associations of MTHFR-C677T gene polymorphism to positive infections. Overall 190 asymptomatic pregnant women admitted to the private gynecological clinics in Wasit province (Iraq) during March-April (2025) were selected randomly, and subjected to direct collection of venous blood that examined serologically by qualitative ELISA and molecularly using the conventional PCR. Phylogenetic analysis was done throughout the MEGA-11 Software; whereas, the quantitative and qualitative molecular analyses were served for MTHFR-C677T C>T rs1801133 genotyping. Seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in asymptomatic women was 37.89% with significant incidence of mild infection compared to moderate and severe infections. Molecular PCR demonstrated that 11.05% of study women have a positive reactivity to human toxoplasmosis. Phylogenetically, 17 of 21 study isolates were having a marked identity to local isolate obtained from cats; while, 4 of 21 study isolates were identical for another local isolate obtained from birds. For MTHFR-C677T gene polymorphism, Hardy Weinberg equilibrium demonstrated that the frequency of dominant wild type homozygous CC and mutant homozygous TT was increased significantly in infected women more than expected. However, genotypic frequency of mutant homozygous TT and heterozygous CT was higher in infected women than non-infected women; whereas for allele frequency, the mutant T allele was higher in infected than non-infected women. This study indicates serologically a marked high seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies, particularly mild phase; and molecularly, an existence of mutant acute human toxoplasmosis. Phylogenetically, the study isolates have a significant identity to another Iraqi isolates identified in cat and bird suggesting the role of these hosts in transmission of infection and the isolate might circulate between different hosts including human. Genetic and allele frequencies of MTHFR-C766T gene demonstrate a significant trend to T. gondii infection.
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