Abstract
BackgroundAs an obligate intracellular parasite, Toxoplasma gondii can infect humans and almost all warm-blooded animals. The consumption of raw or undercooked beef and milk is considered a risk for T. gondii infection in humans. However, little is known of T. gondii infection in dairy cattle in metropolitan Guangzhou, southern China. This study was performed to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii in dairy cattle in Guangzhou, southern China.FindingsSerum samples were collected from 350 dairy cattle on five farms in Guangzhou, China from 2009 to 2010, and all of the 350 serum samples were examined for specific antibodies to T. gondii by indirect hemagglutination antibody test (IHA). The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii in dairy cattle was 5.7% (20/350). Among these examined dairy cattle, dairy cattle which were < 6 year old or ≥ 5 year old had the highest seroprevalence of 12.5% followed by those dairy cattle which were < 5 year old or ≥ 4 year old (8%); dairy cattle with 3 pregnancies had the highest seroprevalence (11.5%), among the examined dairy cattle, although these differences were not statistically significant.ConclusionsThe results of the present survey indicate that T. gondii infection is prevalent in dairy cattle of all age ranges in Guangzhou, southern China, which may be a risk factor for human infection with T. gondii in this region.Dong-Hui Zhou and Fu-Rong Zhao contributed equally.
Highlights
As an obligate intracellular parasite, Toxoplasma gondii can infect humans and almost all warmblooded animals
The results of the present survey indicate that T. gondii infection is prevalent in dairy cattle of all age ranges in Guangzhou, southern China, which may be a risk factor for human infection with T. gondii in this region
A total of 350 dairy cattle from 5 farms in Guangzhou, Southern China were examined by indirect hemagglutination antibody test (IHA) for T. gondii antibodies. 20 of the 350 (5.7%) examined dairy cattle were seropositive for T. gondii infection by IHA at the cut-off of 1:64 (Table 1)
Summary
As an obligate intracellular parasite, Toxoplasma gondii can infect humans and almost all warmblooded animals. The consumption of raw or undercooked beef and milk is considered a risk for T. gondii infection in humans. Little is known of T. gondii infection in dairy cattle in metropolitan Guangzhou, southern China. This study was performed to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii in dairy cattle in Guangzhou, southern China. Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, infecting humans and almost all warm-blooded animals and causing serious zoonotic toxoplasmosis, with a worldwide distribution [1,2,3,4,5]. Studies have indicated that the consumption of raw or undercooked beef and milk may be a risk for T. gondii infection in humans [8]. The results of the survey will provide base-line data for the implementation of effective strategies and measures for the control and prevention of T. gondii infection in dairy cattle in this southern city
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