Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic cats, dogs and rabbits from Poland.
- Journal:
- Veterinary research communications
- Year:
- 2023
- Authors:
- Turlewicz-Podbielska, Hanna et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Infectious Diseases
Plain-English summary
A study in Poland looked at how common the Toxoplasma gondii parasite is in domestic cats, dogs, and rabbits. Researchers tested blood samples from 193 cats, 204 dogs, and 71 rabbits collected from various veterinary clinics. They found that nearly half of the cats (about 50%) and almost 29% of the dogs had antibodies against T. gondii, indicating they had been exposed to the parasite. In contrast, only one rabbit tested positive, showing a very low rate of exposure. The results suggest that cats and dogs in Poland frequently come into contact with this parasite, while rabbits do not.
Abstract
The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic cats, dogs and rabbits was evaluated. Samples from cats and dogs were collected from five veterinary practices from various parts of Poland - Poznan (wielkopolskie voivodeship), Przemysl (podkarpackie voivodeship), Kluczbork (opolskie voivodeship), Lublin (lubelskie voivodeship) and Deblin (lubelskie voivodeship). Moreover, the samples from rabbits were collected in Poznan. In total, serum samples from 193 cats, 204 dogs and 71 rabbits were randomly selected and tested for specific antibodies against T. gondii using a commercial ELISA test. Pathogen seroprevalence among cats and dogs was calculated at a 95% confidence interval (CI) for each sex and age category (up to 12 months, 1-3 years, 4-7 years and over 8 years) and compared with a chi-squared test. The highest seroprevalence of T. gondii was noted in cats - 49.74% (96/193; 95% CI: 42.76-56.73). In dogs, it reached 28.92% (59/204; 95% CI: 23.13-35.49). Only 1 rabbit (3-year-old male) was seropositive, and the seroprevalence in rabbits was 1.41% (1/71; 95% CI: 0.25-7.56). A statistically significant correlation between seropositivity and age (p < 0.05) was observed in cats and dogs. No statistically significant difference in seroprevalence concerning gender or location was found in cats and dogs. Our findings indicate that cat and dog serum samples had a high frequency of anti-T. gondii antibodies, while rabbit serum samples had low frequency and that these species are exposed to T. gondii in Poland and develop humoral response due to infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36645566/