Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Toxoplasma infection rates and risks in dogs from Aguascalientes
By Cruz-Vázquez, Carlos et al.·Published in Acta parasitologica·2023·Tecnoló·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Associated Risk Factors in Different Populations of Dogs from Aguascalientes, Mexico.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that 59% of dogs in Aguascalientes, Mexico, tested positive for Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that can cause health issues. The highest rates were in rural dogs (74%), followed by strays (60%) and pet dogs (32%). Risk factors for infection included rural dogs guarding property and pet dogs living with cats or sharing water bowls. This suggests that pet owners should be aware of potential exposure to this parasite, especially if they have cats or live in rural areas.
People also search for: dog Toxoplasma infection symptoms · how to prevent Toxoplasma in dogs · pet dog living with cats risks
Abstract
CONTEXT AND PURPOSE: This work aimed to study the seroprevalence of natural infection by T. gondii in different population segments of dogs from Aguascalientes, Mexico as well as its possible association with some risk factors. METHODS: The study included 210 clinically healthy dogs from three population segments: rural, stray and pet. A blood serum sample was collected on a single occasion and processed by indirect immunofluorescence considering a dilution of 1:16 as a positive reaction; the association between the presence of antibodies and the potential risk factors was estimated with logistic regression. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in the studied population was 59% (123/210; CI 95% 51-65) being different between population segments, in rural dogs 74% (59/80; CI 95% 62-82), in stray dogs 60% (48/80; CI 95% 48-70) and in pet dogs 32% (16/50; CI 95% 19-46), the titers of the positive sera were in a range of 1:16-1:128. In rural dogs the seroprevalence according to the municipality was in a range of 55% to 100% finding positive dogs in all the studied municipalities. The zootechnical function of guarding the property in rural dogs was identified as a risk factor (OR 2.4), while in pet dogs it was living with cats (OR 7) as well as sharing the drinking water container (OR 4); in stray dogs it was not possible to identify any risk factor. CONCLUSIONS: This study documents the wide presence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in the population groups examined, this being more important in rural dogs.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37531010/