[Serological markers in immigrant and Spanish pregnant women in Granada].

INTRODUCTION

Female immigration from less developed countries into Spain has grown in number over the years, and could contribute to changing the prevalence of routine serological markers in pregnant women.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

From April 2007 until May 2008 we studied the prevalence of serum antibodies against Treponema pallidum, Toxoplasma gondii, rubella virus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV 1/2), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) in samples from 4,171 immigrant and Spanish pregnant women in Granada.

RESULTS

The seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant immigrants was higher than in non-immigrants (44% vs. 14.4%). The overall prevalence against rubella was 97.3%. Sub-Saharan and North African women showed the lowest prevalence (88% and 89%). The prevalence of HBsAg was higher in immigrants than in Spanish women (2.6% vs. 0.4%), and especially high among the Eastern European (6.9%) and Asian (8.1%) pregnant women. The seroprevalences of HIV (0.9% vs. 0.1%) and syphilis (TPHA) (3.5% vs. 0.07%), were higher in immigrants. Seroprevalence against T. pallidum was higher among Eastern European (11.5%) and Latin-American (3.5%) women, whereas sub-Saharan (11.8%) and North African (1%) women showed the highest anti-HIV prevalence.

CONCLUSION

Hepatitis B, anti-HIV, syphilis, and antibodies against T. gondii are found more frequently in immigrants than in Spanish pregnant women, whereas rubella protection in Spanish women is higher than immigrant pregnant women.