Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Toxoplasma infection in cats with symptoms living with women
By Traversa, Donato et al.Ā·Published in Veterinary parasitologyĀ·2024Ā·Department of Veterinary Medicine, ItalyĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Seropositivity for Toxoplasma gondii in cats with clinical signs and living in households with women of childbearing age.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of domestic cats living in homes with women of childbearing age showed signs of illness and were tested for Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that can pose health risks to pregnant women. Out of 150 cats, 31 tested positive for antibodies against the parasite, with some showing symptoms like neurological or gastrointestinal issues. The study found that male cats and those with multiple clinical signs were more likely to be infected. Identifying these symptoms can help veterinarians diagnose and manage toxoplasmosis effectively, ensuring the safety of both pets and their owners.
People also search for: cat toxoplasmosis symptoms Ā· male cat illness signs Ā· how to protect pregnant women from cat parasites
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 āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39278072/