Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Toxoplasma infection rates and risks in pet cats in Norway
By Sævik, Bente Kristin et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2015·Norwegian University of Life Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in pet cats in Norway and risk factors for seropositivity.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that 41% of pet cats in Norway tested positive for Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that can cause health issues. Male cats and older cats were more likely to be infected, while pedigree cats had a lower risk compared to domestic breeds. Interestingly, cats living in Oslo had a reduced risk of exposure compared to those in other parts of Norway. While many cats were exposed to this parasite, the study did not find a direct link between health status and infection. If you're concerned about your cat's health, it's a good idea to discuss testing and prevention with your veterinarian.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study were to estimate Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in pet cats in Norway and to evaluate risk factors for seropositivity. Additionally, serum biochemistry and haematological variables for T gondii seropositive and seronegative cats were compared. METHODS: A convenience sample of surplus sera submitted to the Central Laboratory, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, was collected. The samples were from healthy cats and cats with a variety of diseases. Analyses for IgG antibodies to T gondii were performed with a commercial direct agglutination test, with 1:40 as the threshold value. For risk factor analysis a logistic regression model of the relationship between predictors and the outcome was applied. RESULTS: One hundred and ninety-six of 478 cats were seropositive for T gondii, and the estimated seroprevalence in the study sample was 41.0% (95% confidence interval 36.6-45.4). Compared with domestic cats, pedigree cats had reduced risk for Toxoplasma seropositivity (odds ratio [OR] 0.42). Males had increased risk (OR 1.63) compared with females. The effect of age was highly significant, and an increase in the cats' age across the interquartile range (IQR; 52-160 months/4-13 years of age) doubled the risk of Toxoplasma seropositivity (OR 2.11). The risk for Toxoplasma seropositivity among cats living in Oslo was significantly reduced (OR 0.51) when compared with the rest of Norway. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Pet cats in Norway appear to be commonly exposed to T gondii. Signalment and geographical region influenced the odds of Toxoplasma seropositivity, whereas health status did not.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25666851/