Prevalence of Toxoplasma Gondii Infection and Knowledge of Risk Factors among Female Medical Students in Tripoli, Libya

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a widespread infection caused by the intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Transmission occurs through the fecal-oral route, blood transfusion, and vertical transmission from mother to fetus. Although typically asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, T. gondii infection can lead to severe complications in immunocompromised patients and congenital abnormalities if acquired during pregnancy. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of T. gondii infection, knowledge about toxoplasmosis, behavioral and lifestyle risk factors, and medical history, including a history of abortion, and to find the association between the variables of the study among female students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tripoli, Libya. A cross-sectional study was conducted over five months, from August 2025 to January 2026. Two data collection instruments were employed: blood sample analysis to evaluate the seroprevalence of T. gondii and an adapted questionnaire to assess the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, knowledge about toxoplasmosis, behavioral and lifestyle risk factors, and medical history and history of abortion among the participants. A total of 223 female students were screened for T. gondii antibodies using a standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Demographic, socioeconomic, knowledge and behavioral, and risk factor data were collected using a pre-tested, adapted questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews. The seropositivity rate for T. gondii was 78 (35%) positive for IgG and none for IgM. The majority of participants were aged 23-27 (84.8%); 184 (82.5%) of them had heard about toxoplasmosis, 197 (88.3%) knew the route of transmission, 75 (33.6%) do own a cat, and almost all of them, 73 (32.7%), handled a cat and changed a cat’s litter box, 9 (4%) participants were married, five of them (2.2%) had history of abortion. This study observed a significant association between the prevalence of the infection and wearing gloves when dealing with meat (p=0.032) and whether participants had heard about Toxoplasma before (p=0.019). This study documented that T. gondii was positive among female students at Tripoli University, Libya, identified the prevalence of the infection, and gave insight into risk behaviors among the participants. Enhanced sanitation practices, rigorous personal hygiene protocols, and targeted educational initiatives on responsible pet ownership may mitigate this pathogen transmission.