Risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in goats in the State of Paraíba, Brazil

Carolina De Sousa Américo Batista Santos,Solange Maria Gennari,Sérgio Santos De Azevedo,Herbert Sousa Soares,Severino Silvano Dos Santos Higino,Clebert José Alves,Hilda Fátima De Jesus Pena

doi:10.1590/s1984-29612012005000002

Abstract

A cross-sectional study based on planned sampling was carried out to determine flock-level risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii antibody prevalence in dairy goat flocks in a semiarid region of northeastern Brazil. Serum samples from 975 adult dairy goats from 110 flocks were examined by indirect immonufluorescent antibody test (IFAT), using cut-off point at 1:64 dilution. From the 110 flocks, 77 presented at least one seropositive animal, corresponding to a prevalence of 70% (95% CI: 60.5-78.4%). Out of the 975 animals, 177 (18.1%; 95% CI = 15.8-20.7%) tested positive. The presence of toxic plants (OR = 5.11; P = 0.045) and the fact that goat breeding is not the main activity on the farm (OR = 3.34; P = 0.014) were identified as risk factors. The results of the present study showed evidence of the presence of T. gondii infection in dairy goats from a semiarid region of northeastern Brazil using planned sampling. Further studies are needed to elucidate the importance of the identified risk factors in the epidemiology of the infection.

Highlights

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite found worldwide and it can infect a wide range of animal species, including goats; it has an indirect life cycle with felids as definitive hosts (DUBEY, 2010)
A cross-sectional study based on planned sampling was carried out to determine flock-level risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii antibody prevalence in dairy goat flocks in a semiarid region of northeastern Brazil
Further studies are needed to elucidate the importance of the identified risk factors in the epidemiology of the infection

Summary

Introduction

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite found worldwide and it can infect a wide range of animal species, including goats; it has an indirect life cycle with felids as definitive hosts (DUBEY, 2010). Not normally a significant problem for healthy individuals, T. gondii infection can be life threatening to infants infected congenitally and pharmacologically immunosuppressed patients (CHINTANA et al, 1998). T. gondii infection results in significant reproduction and, economic losses, and has implications on public health, since the consumption of infected meat or milk can facilitate zoonotic transmission. T. gondii tachyzoites have been detected in milk of goats and some occurrences of human toxoplasmosis have been attributed to the consumption of non-pasteurized goat milk (SACKS et al, 1982; CHIARI; NEVES, 1984; SKINNER et al, 1990)

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