Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan with wide geographical distribution and minimal parasitic specificity that affects many species of wild and domestic animals. In livestock, especially in small ruminants like goats, toxoplasmosis can cause abortion and the birth of weak animals, leading to economic losses to farmers, and is a major source of human infection. This is a seroepidemiological study of toxoplasmosis in goats in the state of Paraná, Brazil. Sera from 405 goats from the metropolitan mesoregion of Curitiba, eastern state, were tested by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT). Information on properties and goat characteristics was also collected using questionnaires. The prevalence of toxoplasmosis was 39.41 and 35.96% by ELISA and IFAT, respectively. T. gondii antibody prevalence increased with age. The risk factors for T. gondii infection in goats were: age over one year; exposure to cats, type of management and purpose of breeding. Other epidemiological factors and relevant control measures are discussed in the current study.
Highlights
Toxoplasma gondii is a coccid parasite for which cats are the definitive host and warm blood animals act as intermediate hosts (FRENKEL et al, 1970)
24.6% of bucks and 38.4% of does were seropositive by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) (χ2 = 4.69; p < 0.05) while 23.1% of bucks and 42.9% of does were positive for toxoplasmosis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (χ2 = 9.26; p < 0.05); the differences were statistically significant in both methods (Table 2)
As for age, by IFAT, 16% of goats younger than 1 year old, 34.1% of those 1 to 3 years old and 48.5% of those older than 3 years old were positive for toxoplasmosis (χ2 = 28.4; p < 0.05) while by ELISA 20.2, 34.1, and 54.3 of goats, respectively, were positive (χ2 = 32.3; p < 0.05) (Figure 2); again, the differences were statistically significant in both methods
Summary
Toxoplasma gondii is a coccid parasite for which cats are the definitive host and warm blood animals act as intermediate hosts (FRENKEL et al, 1970). It is present almost worldwide and is of medical and veterinary importance because it can cause miscarriages and birth defects in intermediate hosts (TENTER et al, 2000). Studies conducted in Uruguay showed that toxoplasmosis is an important problem in sheep, causing annual losses of US$ 1.4 to 4.7 million (FREYRE et al, 1999). Munday and Mason (1979) were the first to describe toxoplasmosis as an important cause of reproductive losses in goats. Despite less documented in goats, it seems to cause much more damage in these animals and adult goats are clinically affected (DUBEY, 1987)
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