Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Seropositivity for Toxoplasma gondii in cats with clinical signs and living in households with women of childbearing age.
- Journal:
- Veterinary parasitology
- Year:
- 2024
- Authors:
- Traversa, Donato et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Medicine · Italy
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
This study looked at the risk of a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, which can be harmful to pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, in domestic cats living with women of childbearing age. Researchers tested blood samples from 150 cats and found that about 31 of them, or 20.7%, had antibodies indicating they were exposed to the parasite. The study noted that male cats were more likely to test positive, especially if they showed multiple symptoms, neurological issues, or eye problems. It also found that gastrointestinal signs were linked to a different type of antibody. Overall, the findings suggest that cats in these households may be at risk for this infection, and recognizing certain symptoms can help in identifying recent infections.
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoal zoonosis with high sanitary risk for pregnant women and immunocompromised people. Felids, including domestic cats, are the only definitive hosts of T. gondii. They shed oocysts which, in the environment, become infectious for a wide range of animals, including humans, acting as intermediate hosts. This study evaluated the frequency of acute toxoplasmosis in domestic cats with compatible clinical signs and living in households with women of childbearing age. Individual serum samples were collected from 150 cats and analyzed for IgM and IgG against T. gondii. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate associations between seropositivity and potential risk factors. Overall, 31 cats (20.7 %) were seropositive for anti-T. gondii antibodies, i.e. 9 (6.0 %) for IgM, 17 (11.3 %) for IgG and 5 (3.3 %) for both. The cats showed different combinations of clinical pictures. The following statistically significant associations were found: male sex and positivity for IgM and/or IgG (p=0.0248; OR= 0.3537; 95 % CI= 0.1528-0.8675), presence of 2 or more clinical signs and positivity to IgM only (p=0.0003; OR= +infinity; 95 % CI= 3.924 to +infinity), presence of either neurological signs (p=0.0025; OR= 13.30; 95 % CI= 3.409-61.39) or ocular signs (p=0.0228; OR= 5.835; 95 % CI= 1.631-22.37) and positivity to IgM only, presence of gastrointestinal signs and positivity to IgG only (p=0.0083; OR= 5.508; 95 % CI= 1.503-18.54). Male sex also resulted a possible risk factor in the binomial logistic regression (p= 0.011; OR= 3.336; 95 % CI= 1.131-8.44). These results indicate that cats living with women of childbearing age are at risk of infection with T. gondii. The presence of certain clinical signs can be helpful in identifying recent and/or current infections using laboratory analyses. Awareness on toxoplasmosis should be kept high to protect animal and public health.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39278072/