Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Toxoplasma infection rate and risks in household cats in Seoul Korea
By Hong, Sung-Hee et al.·Published in The Korean journal of parasitology·2013·Korea National Institute of Health, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in household cats in Korea and risk factors.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that only 2.2% of household cats in Seoul, Korea, tested positive for Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that can cause health issues in both pets and humans. The researchers collected blood samples from 474 healthy cats and discovered that those adopted from shelters had a higher risk of infection. Keeping cats indoors and avoiding raw food were linked to the low infection rates. This suggests that responsible pet ownership, including knowing where your cat comes from and what they eat, can help prevent Toxoplasma infections.
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Abstract
Several epidemiological surveys have reported the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in stray cats in Korea, but little information is available on T. gondii infection in household cats. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors of T. gondii infection among household cats reared in Seoul, Korea. A total of 474 blood samples were collected from clinically healthy household cats. All samples were tested using ELISA and PCR. The risk factor analysis was based on a questionnaire filled out by the owners. The overall positive rate for ELISA and PCR assays was 2.2% (10/437) and 2.1% (10/474), respectively. With regard to the origin of cats, the positive rates among cats adopted from the animal shelter and veterinary clinic for stray cats were significantly different (P<0.05). Our study demonstrated that the positive rate of T. gondii infection in household cats was low and that this low prevalence was assumed to be associated with keeping the cats indoors and restriction of eating raw food and uncooked meat. Therefore, we suggest that the owners check the origin of the cats prior to adoption to prevent infection of other animals, including humans.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23864749/