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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #295363
Title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dairy goats in Michoacan, Mexico

Author
item ALVARADO-ESQUIVE, COSME - Juarez University Of The State Of Durango
item SILVA-AGUILAR, DAVID - Non ARS Employee
item VILLENA, ISABELLE - Hopital Maison Blanche
item Dubey, Jitender

Submitted to: Journal of Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/22/2013
Publication Date: 6/1/2013
Citation: Alvarado-Esquive, C., Silva-Aguilar, D., Villena, I., Dubey, J.P. 2013. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dairy goats in Michoacan, Mexico. Journal of Parasitology. 99:540-542.

Interpretive Summary: Toxoplasma gondii is a single celled parasite. It causes infections in domestic goats worldwide. Infection with T. gondii represents an important cause of caprine abortions. In addition, the ingestion of undercooked meat and unpasteurized milk from infected goats could be a source of infection in humans. Feeding of goat whey is also a source of T. gondii infection in pigs.In the present study scientists found T. gondii antibodies in 52 (15.2%) of 341 dairy goats in Mexico. These results will be of interest to parasitologists and veterinarians.

Technical Abstract: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in goats in Michoacán, Mexico is largely unknown. Antibodies to T. gondii were determined in 341 dairy goats in Michoacán, Mexico using the modified agglutination test. Goats were raised in 9 farms in 6 municipalities. Overall, antibodies to Toxoplasma were found in 52 (15.2%) of 341 goats, with titers of 1:25 in 16, 1:50 in 9, 1:100 in 4, 1:200 in 4, 1:400 in 4, 1:800 in 9, 1:1,600 in 3, and 1:3,200 or higher in 3. Seropositive goats were found in all 9 farms sampled and seroprevalence varied significantly among farms (1.9%-90%). Seroprevalence of T. gondii varied with age, municipality, altitude, and climate but not with breed. Increased seroprevalence was found in goats aged 13-24 and 49-86 mo old (25% and 22.9%, respectively). Goats raised in farms in a municipality with semi-warm humid climate at 1.700 m of altitude have the highest seroprevalence (62.1%). This is the first report of T. gondii infection in goats in Michoacán State, Mexico, and of an association of seropositivity to T. gondii and semi-warm humid climate. Results indicate that infected goats are likely an important source of infection with T. gondii in humans in Michoacán State.