Abstract
Aim:The study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in sheep breeding in a particular husbandry system called “Elevage en case” in Dakar, Senegal.Materials and Methods:Blood samples were collected from 278 sheep. Serum was harvested and used for analysis. For the detection of T. gondii antibodies, 278 sera were analyzed using the modified agglutination test, while the enzyme linked-immunosorbent assay was used on 174 sheep sera to look for N. caninum antibodies.Results:This study showed that 29.4±6.8% of sheep carried both T. gondii and N. caninum antibodies. The overall prevalence was 60.1±5.7% and 41.9±7.3% for toxoplasmosis and neosporosis, respectively. For toxoplasmosis, the prevalence was higher in Gueule Tapée (63.3%) than in Medina (58.9%), but the variation was not significant (p=0.45). Regarding the age of animals, the prevalence was significantly higher in animals over 2 years old compared to those under 2 years old (p=0.002). For neosporosis, the prevalence was significantly higher in Medina (48.67%) than Gueule Tapée (16.7%) (p=0.001), but non-significant variation was noted according to animal age.Conclusion:The study showed that sheep reared in households have carried antibodies of T. gondii and N. caninum. The prevalence was high and it means that consumption of meat from these animals is risky if the meat is eaten undercooked.
Highlights
Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are intracellular protozoa with worldwide distribution and high economic impact in husbandry system and public health importance [1]
Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in sheep breeding in a particular husbandry system called “Elevage en case” in Dakar, Senegal
This study showed that 29.4±6.8% of sheep carried both T. gondii and N. caninum antibodies
Summary
Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are intracellular protozoa with worldwide distribution and high economic impact in husbandry system and public health importance [1]. They are responsible for zoonosis toxoplasmosis and neosporosis. Cats act as definitive host of T. gondii, and this parasite causes abortions, neonatal mortality or birth of stillborn in sheep [2]. It is a major cause of abortions and encephalitis in immunocompromised patients and can cause congenital defects in fetuses [3]. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated
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