Prevalence and risk factors associated to infection by Toxoplasma gondii in ovine in the State of Alagoas, Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and to identify risk factors associated to the infection in the three meso-regions of the State of Alagoas, Brazil. A total count of 23 towns and 27 meat sheep farms were visited where blood samples were collected in order to perform the indirect immunofluorescence test to evaluate the antibodies presence. Questionnaires exploring the production system and nutritional, sanitary, and reproduction handling were handed out. The prevalence rate was 32.9% and the number of foci was 100%. In the multivariate statistical analysis, there was a significant association for the following variables: age (OR = 4.01; C.I. 2.03-7.94), size of the property (or the farm; OR = 0.48; C.I. 0.26-0.90), semi-intensive rearing system (OR = 3.17; C.I. 1.24-8.13), running water source (OR = 3.13; C.I.-1.66-5.87), and presence of cats (OR = 1.72; C.I. 1.08-2.75). It is concluded that sheep of the three meso-regions of the State of Alagoas are exposed to the infection caused by T. gondii with high prevalence. Control and prophylactic measures must be adopted seeking the improvement of the rearing system and the implantation of health promoting programs in cooperation with sheep farmers in order to elucidate the transmission means of this disease.

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

“…Toxoplasma gondii prevalence found in this study is similar to that described by Ueno et al (2009), in Federal District (38.2%) and by Pinheiro et al (2009), in Pernambuco (32.9%); higher than that found by Soares et al (2009), in Rio Grande do Norte (20.7%) and Langoni et al (2011), in São Paulo (18.61%); and it lower than that found by Lopes et al (2010), in São Paulo (52%) -all Brazilian states. All studies aforementioned used the IFAT for serology investigation.…”

“…Risk factors such as age, contact with cats, breeding system, and water supply can be highlighted and have been previously identified in ovine toxoplasmosis in Brazil (ROMANELLI et al, 2007;PINHEIRO et al, 2009;LOPES et al, 2010;ROSSI et al, 2011). Considering the importance of toxoplasmosis and the lack of epidemiological information in the state of Bahia, the aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of T. gondii infection in sheep flocks from southern Bahia state and identify possible risk factors associated with the infection.…”

Epidemiologic aspects of toxoplasmosis and evaluation of its seroprevalence in pregnant women

“…Similar results were found in other regions of Brazil, e.g., 69.3% in Sergipe 6 , 73.5% in the indigenous Amazonas population 9 , and 59.8% in Porto Alegre 33 .…”

“…For example, the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in women of reproductive age in a suburban community of Maracaibo, Venezuela, was 33% 1 , 12.3% in China 2 , 27.9% in the Palestine 3 , 47% in France 4 , 48.6% in Albania 5 , and 57.6% in Egypt 6 . In Brazil, the seroprevalence was determined to be 50-80%; in Sergipe, its prevalence was 69.3% 7 ; in the indigenous populations of Iauareté, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas, it was 73.5% 8 ; and in Alagoas, it was 43.9% 9 . This is a challenging public health situation with respect to planning and devising a triage strategy for this disease in a practical and comprehensive manner that would improve the treatment of affected pregnant women.…”

Campylobacter fetus subespécie fetus: abortamento e natimortalidade em ovinos

“…No Brasil, da mesma forma, estes são os agentes mais comumente citados como prováveis causas de abortamento e natimortalidade em ovinos, no entanto, a maioria dos relatos está baseada em evidências sorológicas para C. abortus, N. caninum (HELMICK, et al, 2002) e T. gondii (PINHEIRO et al, 2009). Dessa forma, estudos demonstrando a etiologia são escassos, dentre eles, VARGAS et al (2005) relataram o isolamento e identificação de C. jejuni em um feto ovino abortado e MORAES et al (2011), a detecção molecular de T. gondii em tecidos fetais.…”