Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pet dogs in Lanzhou, Northwest China

Song-Ming Wu,Mu-Xin Chen,Zi-Guo Yuan,De-He Ye,Jia-Xu Chen,Guang-Yuan Liu,Ya-Biao Weng,Dong-Hui Zhou,Xing-Quan Zhu,Si-Yang Huang,Bao-Quan Fu

doi:10.1186/1756-3305-4-64

Abstract

BackgroundIn recent years, surveys of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs have been reported worldwide, including China. However, little is known about the prevalence of T. gondii in pet dogs in Northwest China. In the present study, the prevalence of T. gondii in pet dogs in Lanzhou, China was investigated using the modified agglutination test (MAT).ResultsIn this survey, antibodies to T. gondii were found in 28 of 259 (10.81%) pet dogs, with MAT titers of 1:20 in 14 dogs, 1:40 in nine, 1:80 in four, and 1:160 or higher in one dog. The prevalence ranged from 6.67% to 16.67% among dogs of different ages, with low rates in young pet dogs, and high rates in older pet dogs. The seroprevalence in dogs >3 years old was higher than that in dogs ≤1 years old, but the difference was not statistically significant (P >0.05). The seroprevalence in male dogs was 12.50% (17 of 136), and in female dogs it was 8.94% (11 of 123), but the difference was not statistically significant (P >0.05).ConclusionsA high prevalence of T. gondii infection was found in pet dogs in Lanzhou, Northwest China, which has implications for public health in this region. In order to reduce the risk of exposure to T. gondii, further measures and essential control strategies should be carried out rationally in this region.

Highlights

In recent years, surveys of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs have been reported worldwide, including China
There have been various surveys of T. gondii infection in dogs in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) [Table 1, [15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26]], but in Northwest China only one such investigation of pet dogs has been reported in Inner Mongolia [16]
In the present study, a total of 259 pet dogs (123 females and 136 males) from Lanzhou were examined by modified agglutination test (MAT)

Summary

Introduction

Surveys of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs have been reported worldwide, including China. Little is known about the prevalence of T. gondii in pet dogs in Northwest China. There have been various surveys of T. gondii infection in dogs in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) [Table 1, [15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26]], but in Northwest China only one such investigation of pet dogs has been reported in Inner Mongolia [16]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion