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Title: PREVALENCE OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII ANTIBODIES IN SERA OF TURKEYS, CHICKENS AND DUCKS FROM EGYPT

Author
item EL-MASSRY, A - CAIRO UNIV, EGYPT
item MAHDY, O - CAIRO UNIV, EGYPT
item EL-GHAYSH, A - CAIRO UNIV, EGYPT
item Dubey, Jitender

Submitted to: Journal of Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/30/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Infection by the single-celled parasite Toxoplasma gondii is widely prevalent in man and animals. It causes abortion in livestock and loss of vision and mental retardation in congenitally infected children. Humans become infected by eating uncooked infected meat or by ingesting food or water contaminated with the oocysts excreted in feces of cats. Little is known of the prevalence of this parasite in Egypt. Scientists at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and Cairo University, Egypt have found antibodies to T. gondii in sera of 59% of 17 turkeys, 47.2% of 108 chickens and 50% of 48 ducks slaughtered for food. These findings will be of interest to veterinarians and parasitologists.

Technical Abstract: Sera from 173 turkeys, 108 chickens, and 48 ducks from Giza, Egypt, were tested for the presence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies by means of the modified agglutination test using mercaptoethanol and formalin-fixed tachyzoites. The prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies (>1:25) among turkeys, chickens and ducks was 59.5%, 47.2%, and 50% , respectively.