Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in stray cats in Sari, northern Iran

Abstract

Cats are important in the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii because they are the only hosts that can excrete environmentally resistant oocysts. T.gondii is a major zoonotic agent which infects up to one-third of the world population. Toxoplasmosis in neonates and immunocompromised patients can lead to severe disease and death. A cross- sectional parasitological and serological survey with latex agglutination test (LAT) to detect anti-T. gondii antibodies was conducted on 100 serum samples collected from stray cats in five urban areas of Sari, Northern Iran, from April to November 2004. Classification by age, sex, weight, season and region was made. Results analyzed according to specific variables. The overall prevalence of T. gondii IgG antibodies (LAT titre > or = 1:1) were found in 40 of 100(40%) of stray cats, with regional variations. Overall 16 of 100(16%) of stray cats had diagnostically significant antibody titres (LAT > or = 1:64). Prevalence was significantly higher in adult cats (1.5-3.0 kg, 54.5% of 66) than in juvenile cats and kittens (< or = 1.4 kg, 11.8% of 34) and higher in female stray cats (44.4% of 72) than in male stray cats (28.6% of 28). Toxoplasma seroprevalence was highest in the season of spring (22.4%). There was a significant difference in the prevalence of infection relative to host age and weight (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found between the prevalence of infection relative to host gender, urban sites and season (P > 0.05). Prevalence of T. gondii oocyst was also analyzed by a routine coprological method in 100 cats. T. gondii oocysts were not found in any faecal samples analyzed. Only 2 out of 100 smear preparations of intestinal mucosa showed trophozoites of T. gondii.

Bartonella and Toxoplasma Infections in Stray Cats from Iraq

“…4 Other recent LAT-based serosurveys for T. gondii antibodies among cats in Middle Eastern and Western Asian countries reported slightly higher prevalence, such as 40% in Iran and 60% in Pakistan. 31,32 However, it is difficult to compare seroprevalence studies because of variations in sample size, age of cats sampled, lifestyle of the cats, and cutoff titers used for serological tests. 19,23 No associations were found between T .gondii seropositivity and age or sex.…”

Molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii in house sparrow (Passer domesticus) by LAMP and PCR methods in Tehran, Iran

“…Interestingly, this result is very similar to our report with 8.5 % infection in sparrows, and confirms that birds are one of the best indicators for environmental contamination of T. gondii oocysts. Anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were also detected a range between 2.7 and 86 % among stray cats in different parts of Iran (Derakhshan and Mousavi 2014;Hooshyar et al 2007;Mosallanejad et al 2011;Raeghi and Sedeghi 2011;Sharif et al 2009;Tehrani-sharif et al 2014). Meat born toxoplasmosis has been considered a major source of T. gondii infection (Kijlstra and Jongert 2009).…”

TOXOPLASMOSIS EN Felis catus: ETIOLOGÍA, EPIDEMIOLOGÍA Y ENFERMEDAD

“…Estos anticuerpos desaparecen a los cuatro meses de edad, de allí que cualquier indicio elevado de anticuerpos a partir de esta edad revela una infección congénita o posterior al nacimiento (Lopes et al, 2008). La mayor seroprevalencia en gatos adultos es debido al mayor riesgo de exposición a la adquisición de T. gondii (Miró et al, 2004;Sharif et al, 2009). …”