Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Toxoplasma gondii in cats, dogs, and rabbits in Poland
By Turlewicz-Podbielska, Hanna et al.·Published in Veterinary research communications·2023·Department of Preclinical Sciences and Infectious Diseases·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic cats, dogs and rabbits from Poland.
Plain-English summary
A study found that nearly half of the domestic cats and about a quarter of dogs tested in Poland had been exposed to Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that can cause health issues. Specifically, 49.7% of the cats and 28.9% of the dogs had antibodies against this parasite, indicating they had been infected at some point. The research showed that older animals were more likely to test positive. While the risk for rabbits was much lower, with only one rabbit showing exposure, it highlights that cats and dogs in Poland are at risk for this infection. If you're concerned about your pet's health, especially if they show symptoms like lethargy or gastrointestinal issues, it's a good idea to discuss testing with your veterinarian.
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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 on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36645566/