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Submitted to: Society of Protozoologists Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 8/26/1994 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Among food animals T. gondii seroprevalence is highest in sheep, then pigs, followed by cattle, and poultry. Viable T. gondii has not been yet isolated from edible tissues of naturally infected cattle although it can persist for more than 1 year in edible tissues of experimentally infected cattle. There are no data on prevalence of T. gondii infection in commercially raised poultry. Although more than half of adult sheep have antibodies to T. gondii, mutton is usually not consumed by humans in the U.S. Prevalence of T. gondii in lambs is unknown. In a nationwide survey 23.9% of 11,842 pigs killed in 1983-1984 had T. gondii antibodies. In a recent survey viable T. gondii was found in 17% of 1,000 sows killed in 1989-1992 from Iowa. Epidemiological surveys of T. gondii infection in Illinois in progress indicate that the prevalence of T. gondii in pigs is decreasing. 20.8% of 5,080 breeder sows and 3.1% of 1,885 market pigs surveyed in 1992 had T. gondii antibodies. Cats appear to be the main source of T. gondii infection for farm animals in the U.S. |
