Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum seropositivity in buffaloes in Paraiba State, Brazil

Abstract The aims of this survey were to determine the frequency of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora caninum antibodies and to identify the risk factors associated with seropositivity among buffaloes in the state of Paraíba, Brazil. This survey included 136 buffaloes belonging to 14 herds. To detect anti-T. gondii and anti-N. caninum antibodies, the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) was used. Among the 136 samples analyzed, 17 (12.5%) were positive for anti-T. gondii antibodies with titers ranging from 64 to 1,024, and 26 (19.1%) for anti-N. caninum with titers from 200 to 1,600. Animals seropositive for both T. gondii and N. caninum were found in 10 of the 14 herds (71.4%). Semi-intensive management systems (odds ratio = 2.99) and presence of pigs (odds ratio = 4.33) were identified as risk factors for T. gondii and N. caninum, respectively. It can be suggested that T. gondii and N. caninum are widespread in buffaloes in Paraíba, and that additional surveys are needed in order to ascertain the importance of these agents for this species and for pigs, and the influence of the farming type on occurrences of seropositive animals.

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Risk factor analysis associated with Neospora caninum in dairy cattle in Western Brazilian Amazon

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ◽

10.1590/s1984-296120201088 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Poliana de Jesus Souza Venturoso ◽

Osvaldo Juliatti Venturoso ◽

Gisele Glomba Silva ◽

Maerle Oliveira Maia ◽

Rute Witter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Dairy Cattle ◽

Neospora Caninum ◽

Fluorescent Antibody ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Present Survey ◽

Caninum Infection ◽

Factors Associated ◽

And Control

Abstract Neospora caninum is considered to be one of the main causes of abortion among cattle. The present survey was conducted in the municipality of Rolim de Moura, Rondônia State, Brazil. A questionnaire that investigates the epidemiological aspects of neosporosis was used in the analysis of risk factors associated with the animal-level and herd-level prevalence in dairy cattle. A total of 416 bovine blood samples were collected from 30 farms, and N. caninum antibody levels were measured by Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT). Analysis of dairy cattle serum samples revealed the presence of anti-N. caninum antibodies to be 47.36% (n = 197). Risk factors associated with N. caninum infection were the management system and access locations of dogs. The results of the present survey indicated that infection of dairy cattle with N. caninum is widespread in the studied region of Western Amazon, which has implications for prevention and control of neosporosis in this region. Therefore, integrated control strategies and measures are recommended to prevent and control N. caninum infection in dairy cattle. In addition, direct contact between dairy cattle, dogs and wild animals, which can influence the epidemiology of neosporosis, should be investigated further.

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Occurrence of anti-Neospora caninum and anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis

Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira ◽

10.1590/s0100-736x2011000600012 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 31 (6) ◽

pp. 527-532 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Raul R. Ribeiro ◽

Manoel E. Silva ◽

Sydnei M. Silva ◽

Gustavo O. Fulgêncio ◽

Hilda F.J. Pena ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test ◽

Neospora Caninum ◽

Fluorescent Antibody ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Canine Leishmaniasis ◽

Leishmania Chagasi ◽

Clinical Forms ◽

Antibody Titers

Uninfected dogs and those naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi exhibiting different clinical forms of disease were evaluated for the presence of anti-Neospora caninum and anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. Blood samples were collected from 110 mongrel dogs. Sera were tested using the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), and the animals with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) (n=60) were classified clinically. Out of the 110 sera investigated, 5 (4.5%) were positive for N. caninum (IFAT>50) and 36 (32.7%) for T. gondii (IFAT>16). Anti-L. chagasi antibody titers in asymptomatic dogs (n=10) were found to be significantly lower (P<0.05) than those in oligosymptomatic ones (n=22), which were in turn significantly lower (P<0.05) than those in symptomatic ones (n=28). No association between Leishmania and N. caninum infections was observed. Among dogs infected with L. chagasi, a tendency (P=0.053) towards an association between the infection with T. gondii and the appearance of VL symptoms was observed, suggesting that the clinical manifestation of VL in dogs may enhance their susceptibility to T. gondii. The possible influence of the immunosuppressive status of canine leishmaniasis in the different clinical forms of the disease is discussed.

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Risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection in free-range chickens in the semiarid region of Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ◽

10.1590/s1984-29612017033 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 221-225 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Silvio Gomes de Sá ◽

Müller Ribeiro-Andrade ◽

Luana Thamires Rapôso Silva ◽

Orestes Luiz de Souza Neto ◽

Débora Costa Viegas Lima ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Management Practices ◽

Fluorescent Antibody ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Human Infection ◽

Semiarid Region ◽

Family Farms ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii Infection

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the frequency of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in serum from 629 chickens on 39 family farms in seven municipalities in the semiarid region, Pernambuco, Brazil, and to identify risk factors associated with T. gondii infection. The risk factors were studied in 421 samples from 29 farms. Anti-T. gondii antibodies were investigated by indirect fluorescent antibody test with a 1:16 cutoff. The frequency of positive chickens was 27.9% (176/629) and 94.8% of the farms studied had chickens infected by T. gondii. Multivariate analysis showed variables significantly associated with anti-T. gondii antibodies in serum: slaughter of animals on the farm, reproductive disorders in sheep, consumption of fetal adnexa and placentas by chickens, presence of sheep in the property and birth of sheep the property. The results suggest that there is a complex relationship between general management practices for different animal species raised on the same farm and the prevalence of T. gondii infection in chickens. In addition, the results draw attention to the risk of human infection by T. gondii via consumption of infected chicken meat, because the farming conditions and the low human development indices observed in the region studied result in inappropriate meat preparation practices.

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Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infection of cats in Hungary

Acta Veterinaria Hungarica ◽

10.1556/avet.56.2008.1.8 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 56 (1) ◽

pp. 81-88 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Sándor Hornok ◽

Renate Edelhofer ◽

Anja Joachim ◽

Róbert Farkas ◽

Krisztián Berta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test ◽

Neospora Caninum ◽

Fluorescent Antibody ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Concurrent Infection ◽

Indirect Fluorescent Antibody ◽

Caninum Infection ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Feline Infectious Peritonitis

Blood samples were collected from 330 cats in Hungary in order to evaluate their seroconversion to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum using the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). The overall prevalence of toxoplasmosis was 47.6%, the prevalence being 22.4% among urban, 50% among suburban and 61.3% among rural animals. Significantly more cats had high IFAT titres (1:640 to 1:5120) in the countryside. Female cats were more frequently infected with T. gondii than males (53.3% vs. 39.3%), and seropositivity increased with the age of animals. The prevalence (0.6%) and titre (1:40) of antibodies to N. caninum was low. Sixty-two cats were also screened for seroconversion to feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) virus. Higher titres to T. gondii were more frequently detected among FIP-positive cats, but this difference was non-significant due to the small number of cats with concurrent infection.

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Occurrence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in pigs in the State of Pará, Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ◽

10.1590/s1984-296120201085 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Leonardo Machado Lopes ◽

Antonio Humberto Hamad Minervino ◽

Suellen da Gama Barbosa Monger ◽

Herbert Sousa Soares ◽

Juliana Machado Portela ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test ◽

Neospora Caninum ◽

Fluorescent Antibody ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Brazilian Amazon ◽

State Inspection ◽

Serological Analysis ◽

Probabilistic Sampling ◽

Potential Source

Abstract We investigated the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum antibodies in pigs raised in the Northeast of Pará, Brazil. At Study I, convenience sampled 151 pigs at two slaughterhouses, with and without state inspection; and Study II, which assessed 159 pigs with probabilistic sampling from nine pig farms. Serological analysis was performed using indirect fluorescent antibody test for T. gondii and N. caninum with a cutoff of 64 and 50, respectively. Overall, 6.77% pigs were seropositive for T. gondii and 5.16% for N. caninum. In Study I, pigs slaughtered with and without state inspection presented similar occurrence for both coccidia (p>0.05). Study II found an association between N. caninum seropositivity and sludge discarded into the soil, feeding pigs with animal-based protein, subsistence system, and absence of nipple drinkers. No association was found for T. gondii. Pigs from Pará are a potential source of T. gondii infection to humans. To our best knowledge, this is the first study to report anti-N. caninum antibodies in the serum of pigs in Pará State, Brazilian Amazon.

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Prevalence and risk factors associated with anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in sheep from Bahia state, Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ◽

10.1590/s1984-29612013000200041 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 220-224 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Luciana Afonso Guimarães ◽

Rodrigo Alves Bezerra ◽

Daniele de Santana Rocha ◽

George Rêgo Albuquerque

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Production System ◽

Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test ◽

Fluorescent Antibody ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Water Source ◽

Stocking Rate ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Fresh Food ◽

System P

In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence ofToxoplasma gondii antibodies and identify risk factors associated with this infection in sheep from the southern region of Bahia state. Between February and December 2010, 795 sheep from 31 farms located in nine municipalities were tested. We found seroprevalence of 30.2% (240/795), with titers of 64 (38.3%), 256 (34.2%), 1,024 (18.3%), and 4,096 (9.2%) by Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT). Seropositive sheep were detected in all farms sampled. Univariate statistical analysis detected association between T. gondii seropositivity and the variables age, use of fresh food mainly, water source, stocking rate, production system, presence and number of cats on the farm, and transit of cats (p < 0.05). In the logistic regression model, transit of cats (p = 0.001), production system (p = 0.007), and age (p = 0.027) were identified as risk factors associated with T. gondiiinfection.

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Prevalence and risk factors associated to ovine toxoplasmosis in northeastern Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ◽

10.1590/s1984-29612013000200042 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 230-234 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Carlos Eduardo D'Alencar Mendonça ◽

Sílvia Letícia Bomfim Barros ◽

Vitor Andrade Accioly Guimarães ◽

Antonio Sergio Ferraudo ◽

Alexandre Dias Munhoz

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Fluorescent Antibody ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Control Measures ◽

Northeastern Brazil ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Deep Well ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii Infection

In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated to Toxoplasma gondii infection in sheep from northeastern Brazil. A total of 932 ovine serum samples from 54 properties in 19 municipalities of the state of Sergipe were collected and assayed using indirect fluorescent antibody test. The assay used antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii (IFAT-IgG) with a cutoff point of 1:64. We observed that 28.22% (263/932) of the ovine samples were serum-reactive. In a logistic regression, factors such as consumption of water directly from the source, consumption of water from a deep well, and age below 12 months were associated with protection; whereas factors such as presence of cats on the property, presence of slatted floor, and use of exchanged or borrowed breeding males were associated with infection. The studied area can be considered endemic for toxoplasmosis, so it is necessary to adopt preventive and control measures because this zoonotic infection poses risks to public health.

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Neospora spp. and Toxoplasma gondii infection in sheep flocks from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Semina Ciências Agrárias ◽

10.5433/1679-0359.2016v37n3p1397 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

pp. 1397 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Maiara Sanitá Tafner Ferreira ◽

Fernanda Silveira Flores Vogel ◽

Luis Antonio Sangioni ◽

Alfredo Skrebsky Cezar ◽

Fernanda Rezer de Menezes

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Neospora Caninum ◽

Fluorescent Antibody ◽

Rio Grande ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Rio Grande Do Sul ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Potential Damage ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii Infection

Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii are coccidian parasites (protozoa: Apicomplexa) that cause reproductive losses in ruminants. Although, in sheep, abortion is generally related to T. gondii, potential damage caused by N. caninum must be considered. The aims of this study were to evaluate the frequencies of antibodies against Neospora spp. and T. gondii, and to identify the risk factors related to neosporosis and toxoplasmosis in sheep from ten flocks located in Central-Western, Northwestern, Southwestern, and Southeastern mesoregions of the Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 300 sheep (30 per flock) and an epidemiological questionnaire was completed by the farmers. The presence of canids, felids, and rodents, the sources of water for the animals, and their reproductive history were investigated as potential epidemiological factors related to the studied infections. Serum samples were tested by the indirect fluorescent antibody test for the presence of antibodies against Neospora spp. (cutoff 1:50) and T. gondii (cutoff 1:64), with respective frequencies detected being 16.3% (49/300) and 41.3% (124/300). Seropositivity to both parasites was observed in 8% (24/300) of the animals. Neospora spp. and T. gondii were present in 90% (9/10) and 100% (10/10) of the flocks, respectively. The presence of cats in the pastures, pens, and barns was significantly associated (p=0.047) with high frequencies (53.3% to 70%) of antibodies against T. gondii in the flocks. However, no associations were detected (p>0.05) between each of the other risk factors and the frequency of antibodies against Neospora spp. or T. gondii. Results of this study showed a broad distribution of both protozoa in evaluated sheep flocks.

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Occurrence of antibodies against Neospora caninum and/or Toxoplasma gondii in dogs with neurological signs

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ◽

10.1590/s1984-29612011000300004 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 202-206 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Nicolle Fridlund Plugge ◽

Fabiano Montiani Ferreira ◽

Rosária Regina Tesoni de Barros Richartz ◽

Adriana de Siqueira ◽

Rosangela Locatelli Dittrich

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Neospora Caninum ◽

Neurological Diseases ◽

Fluorescent Antibody ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Metropolitan Region ◽

Serological Tests ◽

Stray Dogs ◽

Neurological Signs ◽

Significant Difference

This study aimed to evaluate occurrences of antibodies against Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in dogs with neurological signs. Blood samples from 147 dogs were collected: 127 from owned dogs (attended at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Federal University of Paraná (HV-UFPR) and at private veterinary clinics in the city of Curitiba), and 20 from stray dogs found in Curitiba's metropolitan region. The dogs presented one or more of the following neurological signs: seizures, paresis or paralysis, ataxia, behavioral abnormalities, sensory and somatic disorders and chorioretinitis. The samples were analyzed by means of the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), at a cutoff dilution of 1:50. Out of the 147 samples obtained, 17 (11.56%) were seropositive for N. caninum, 31 (21.08%) for T. gondii and four (2.72%) for both protozoa. Serum titration on the positive animals showed that 54.83% (17/31) and 41.18% (7/17) had titers > 1:200 against T. gondii and N. caninum, respectively. A significant difference in seropositivity for T. gondii (P = 0.021; OR = 2.87; CI = 1.1 > 2.8 > 7.4) was observed between owned dogs (18.11%) and stray dogs (40%). Inclusion of serological tests for neosporosis and toxoplasmosis is recommended in diagnosing neurological diseases in dogs.

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