Seroprevalence and risk factors influenced transmission of Toxoplasma gondii in dogs and cats in dairy farms in Western Thailand

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs and cats in dairy farms of the western provinces of Thailand, and to evaluate the risk factors for the infection. Dogs and cats from positive dairy farms were collected as case and pets from neighboring farms were randomly selected as control; 40 herds in total. 114 dogs and 36 cats sera sample was tested in the Western provinces, and examined for antibodies against T. gondii infections by latex agglutination test. Seven sera samples from dogs (6.1%, 6/114) and 3 sera samples from cats (8.3%, 3/36) were found to have titer of T. gondii ranging from 1:64 to 1:256 in dogs and from 1:256 to 1:2048 in cats. A toxoplasmosis-positive herd with the presence of a pet was tended to have a 4.6 times (OR = 4.6, 95%CI: 0.95, 22.5; P = 0.06) higher chance of fecal contamination of T. gondii infections compared to a herd without the presence of pets. In herds with positive pets on the farm, the prevalence was 6.9 times (OR = 6.9, 95% CI; 1.06-50.8; P = 0.01) more likely to have positive cows in the herd. Key words: Toxoplasma gondii, seroprevalence, risk factors, dogs, cats.