Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Toxoplasma infection found in 10.8% of pet dogs in Lanzhou China
By Wu, Song-Ming et al.Ā·Published in Parasites & vectorsĀ·2011Ā·Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, ChinaĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pet dogs in Lanzhou, Northwest China.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A survey found that about 11% of pet dogs in Lanzhou, China, tested positive for Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that can cause health issues. The study showed that older dogs were more likely to have the infection compared to younger ones. While there was a slight difference between male and female dogs, it wasn't significant. This finding highlights the need for pet owners to be aware of the potential risks associated with T. gondii and consider preventive measures to protect their pets and themselves.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: In recent years, surveys of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs have been reported worldwide, including China. However, little is known about the prevalence of T. gondii in pet dogs in Northwest China. In the present study, the prevalence of T. gondii in pet dogs in Lanzhou, China was investigated using the modified agglutination test (MAT). RESULTS: In this survey, antibodies to T. gondii were found in 28 of 259 (10.81%) pet dogs, with MAT titers of 1:20 in 14 dogs, 1:40 in nine, 1:80 in four, and 1:160 or higher in one dog. The prevalence ranged from 6.67% to 16.67% among dogs of different ages, with low rates in young pet dogs, and high rates in older pet dogs. The seroprevalence in dogs >3 years old was higher than that in dogs ≤1 years old, but the difference was not statistically significant (P >0.05). The seroprevalence in male dogs was 12.50% (17 of 136), and in female dogs it was 8.94% (11 of 123), but the difference was not statistically significant (P >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of T. gondii infection was found in pet dogs in Lanzhou, Northwest China, which has implications for public health in this region. In order to reduce the risk of exposure to T. gondii, further measures and essential control strategies should be carried out rationally in this region.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21542918/