Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in Sera of Domestic Cats From Guarulhos and São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii were determined in serum samples of 502 domestic cats from Brazil by the modified agglutination test (MAT), using formalin-fixed whole tachyzoites and mercaptoethanol. Antibodies (MAT > or = 1:20) were found in 132 (26.3%) of 502 cats. With respect to origin, antibodies were found in 26.7% of 430 stray cats from São Paulo, 10% of 40 stray cats from Guarulhos, and 40.6% of 32 cats from a cat breeder in São Paulo. Antibody titers were: 1:20 in 10 cats, 1:25 in 40 cats, 1:50 in 73 cats, and > or = 1:500 in 9 cats. Exposure rates of T. gondii in cats from São Paulo, Brazil are similar to that in domestic cats in North America.

Zoonosis in dogs and cats attended by the Birth Control Project: Toxoplasma gondii, Leishmania spp. and Leptospira spp., serodiagnosis and epidemiology

“…Of these animals, 53 were subjected to a bioassay and 37 (69.8%) were positive. In São Paulo state, 25.3% (119/470) and 40.0% (80/200) prevalence were found among stray cats (SILVA et al, 2002;MEIRELES et al, 2004) and 17.7% (44/248) and 19.4% (37/191) among house cats (LUCAS et al, 1999;LANGONI et al, 2001), similar to the 20.9% prevalence in this study. Domiciled cats with free access to the external environment have the opportunity to hunt small prey, making them more susceptible to T. gondii infection (ROBERTSON, 1998).…”

Prevalence of Antibodies to Neospora caninum and Sarcocystis neurona in Sera of Domestic Cats from Brazil

“…The NAT antibodies found in cats in the present study were not due to cross reactivity to T. gondii because antibodies to T. gondii were found in 26.3% of the same 502 cats tested in the T. gondii agglutination test (Silva et al, 2002).…”

Serological detection of Toxoplasma gondii, Leishmania infantum and Neospora caninum in cats from an area endemic for leishmaniasis in Brazil

“…On the other hand, the definitive hosts of N. caninum are domestic dogs, coyotes and Australian dingoes, which shed oocysts (DUBEY & Schares, 2011). Due to the importance of these parasites to public health, many surveys have been conducted worldwide showing the seroprevalence of T. gondii in felines (GARCIA et al, 1999;LANGONI et al, 2001;SILVA et al, 2002;DUBEY et al, 2004;PENA et al, 2006;LOPES et al, 2008;ESTEVES et al, 2014). However, there a few reports about the seroprevalence of N. caninum in cats (DUBEY et al, 2002;BRESCIANI et al, 2007;BRAGA et al, 2012).…”