Association of TORCH infections and foetal outcome in women with bad obstetric history in a tertiary care hospital of Eastern India

Abstract

TORCH complex infections- Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella virus, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes simplex virus during pregnancy are linked with congenital disorder, unfavorable foetalconsequences and successive reproductive failures. TORCH complex contaminations are normally mild in mother yet can be harmful to the foetus. The objective of thepresentstudy is to evaluate the seroprevalence of TORCH among women with Bad obstetric history and to find its correlation with socio-demographic characteristics and foetal outcomes. For this, we executed a cross-sectional study for a period of two years in 334 women. Blood sampleanalysis was conducted for the presence of specific Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against each agent of TORCH complex by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Statistical analysis was carried outusing independent sample t-test / Chi=square tests. Our results for BOH patients showed IgM seropositivity for HSV-II was 22.64%, Toxoplasma 8.97%, Rubella 7.26%, HSV-I 6.4% and CMV 3.41% whereas, IgG seropositivity for CMV was 70.51%, Rubella 55.99%, HSV-I 42.3%, HSV-II 29.9% and Toxoplasma 19.2%. Cross infection with multiple TORCH agent was observed. TORCH positive pregnant women indicates that most of the newbornsexperience congenital cardiac malformation (35%), followed by Cataract (30%), Hydrocephalus (20%), and congenital rubella syndrome (15%). These Congenital anomalies are linked with multiple TORCH infections. Timely detection and early treatment of infected pregnant women can prevent transfer of infection to foetus.