# Serological screening for specific antibodies against TORCH pathogens in reproductive-aged women in Zhangzhou, China

## TL;DR

This study examines the prevalence of TORCH antibodies in reproductive-aged women in Zhangzhou, China, highlighting age and seasonal patterns to aid in preventing congenital infections.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the age and seasonal distribution of TORCH seroprevalence in a specific Chinese population.

## Key findings

- HSV-1/2-IgM and TOX-IgG positive rates were lower in 2024 compared to 2023.
- RV-IgG and HSV-1-IgG were higher in women aged 30–34 and ≥35 years.
- HSV-1/2-IgM rates were higher in spring compared to winter.

## Abstract

TORCH is a group of pathogens including Herpes simplex virus (HSV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Rubella virus (RV) and Toxoplasma gondii (TOX). Serological screening for the specific antibodies against TORCH pathogens is crucial for preventing fetal malformation and miscarriage. In this study, we analyzed the characteristics of TORCH IgM and IgG seropositivity in reproductive-aged women in Zhangzhou, China.

A total of 1,417 reproductive-aged women prior to conception attended prenatal diagnosis outpatient clinic in Zhangzhou and received the prenatal TORCH serological screening were enrolled in this study. The IgM and IgG antibodies against TORCH pathogens were detected using chemiluminescence immunoassay.

The positive rates of IgM for TOX, RV, CMV and HSV-1/2 were 0.64, 2.33, 1.34 and 11.22%. The IgG seropositivity for TOX, RV, CMV, HSV-1 and HSV-2 were 3.81, 72.83, 97.46, 82.64 and 7.27%. The positive rate of HSV-1/2-IgM and TOX-IgG in 2024 were lower than that in 2023. In addition, the positive rates of RV-IgG and HSV-1-IgG were significantly higher in the women aged 30–34 years old and ≥35 years old. The CMV-IgM and HSV-2-IgG positive rates were higher in women ≥35 years old. Regarding seasonal distribution, the positive rate of HSV-1/2-IgM was significantly higher in spring (March to May) than that in winter (December to February). The seropositivity of all TORCH-IgG showed no significant differences across four seasons.

Our research highlights the age and seasonal distribution of TORCH seroprevalence in reproductive-aged women in Zhangzhou. These findings underscore that continuous serological surveillance is important for the prevention of congenital infections caused by TORCH pathogens.