Detection of IgG antibodies against T. gondii and associated risk factors in domestic and stray cats in Lusaka, Zambia
.
Keywords:
Toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, Seropositivity, seropositive, antibodies, zoonotic, transmission.
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a nearly ubiquitous organism that infects humans, wildlife, birds, and domestic, as well as food animals. T. gondii has been reported in pigs, chickens, sheep, goats and cattle (1). However, only members of the cat family (Felidae) are the definitive host and shed the environmentally resistant oocyst form of the organism in their faeces. Transmission to humans usually occurs by ingestion of cysts in undercooked meat and exposure to soil and water contaminated by oocysts (2). Feline infections are typically subclinical; congenitally infected kittens are the most likely to have clinical signs of infection, but previously clinically healthy adult cats may also be affected (3). Despite the disease’s public health significance, there are still very few studies that have been done on T. gondii here in Zambia. This study was a cross-sectional survey carried out to investigate the seroprevalence and risk factors of toxoplasmosis. A survey was carried out using a questionnaire which was distributed to cat owners as they attended the veterinary clinics. The questionnaire had demographic data for the cats, questions related to the risk factors of toxoplasmosis in cats and practices surrounding the cat owners, like how they handle cat litter, whether their cat was indoor or outdoor, contact of the cat with other cats, and straying behavior of their cat. A total of 178 blood samples were collected from both stray and domestic cats in this study. Of the 178 samples tested for T. gondii IgG antibodies, 88 were from domestic cats and 90 from stray cats. Thirty out of 178 samples were positive for antibodies indicating an overall seroprevalence of 16.85%. From the 30 seropositive samples that tested positive, 60% (18) came from domestic cats and 40% (12) from stray cats. The seroprevalence for domestic cats was found to be 20.4% and that of strays 13.3%. The two risk factors found to be associated with toxoplasma Seropositivity include sex (p=0.007, 95%,CI 0.071,0.976) and diet (p=0.038, 95%,CI 1.395,95.418) It has been concluded that Toxoplasma gondii is widely spread in the study population and the presence of the antibodies is an indication that at one point in their lives, these cats were actively infected and shedding oocyst in the environment thereby posing a risk to humans and other species like sheep and chickens.References
REFERENCES
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4. DUBEY, J. 1995. Duration of immunity to shedding of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts by cats. The Journal of parasitology, 410-415.
5. DUBEY, J. 2001. Oocyst shedding by cats fed isolated bradyzoites and comparison of infectivity of bradyzoites of the VEG strain Toxoplasma gondii to cats and mice. Journal of Parasitology, 87, 215-219.
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9. PETERSON, J., WILLARD, M., LEES, G., LAPPIN, M., DIERINGER, T. & FLOYD, E. 1991. Toxoplasmosis in two cats with inflammatory intestinal disease. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 199, 473-476.
10. COHEN, T. M., BLOIS, S. & VINCE, A. R. 2016. Fatal extraintestinal toxoplasmosis in a young male cat with enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 57, 483.
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12. DE TOMMASI, A. S., MORINI, M., TURBA, M. E., OTRANTO, D. & BETTINI, G. 2014. Hyperplastic cholangitis in a naturally Toxoplasma gondii-infected cat. Veterinary Quarterly, 34, 229-231.
13. CASTILLO-MORALES, V. J., ACOSTA VIANA, K. Y., GUZMÁN-MARÍN, E. D. S., JIMÉNEZ-COELLO, M., SEGURA-CORREA, J. C., AGUILAR-CABALLERO, A. & ORTEGA-PACHECO, A. 2012. Prevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic cats from the tropics of Mexico using serological and molecular tests. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases, 2012.
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19. LAPPIN, M. R., GREENE, C. E., WINSTON, S., TOLL, S. L. & EPSTEIN, M. E. 1989. Clinical feline Toxoplasmosis: serologic diagnosis and therapeutic management of 15 cases. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 3, 139-143.
20. HAMMOND-ARYEE, K., ESSER, M., VAN HELDEN, L. & VAN HELDEN, P. 2015. A high seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in a population of feral cats in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases,30,141-144.
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22. AL-KAPPANY, Y., RAJENDRAN, C., FERREIRA, L., KWOK, O., ABU-ELWAFA, S., HILALI, M. & DUBEY, J. High prevalence of toxoplasmosis in cats from Egypt: isolation of viable Toxoplasma gondii, tissue distribution, and isolate designation. Journal of Parasitology, 96, 1115-1118.
23. TAGWIREYI, W. M. 2016. Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic animals in the OR Tambo District, South Africa. University of Pretoria.
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25. FRIMPONG, C., MAKASA, M., SITALI, L. & MICHELO, C. 2017. Seroprevalence and determinants of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the university teaching hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. BMC infectious diseases, 17, 1-8.
26. MUST, K., LASSEN, B. & JOKELAINEN, P. 2015. Seroprevalence of and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in cats in Estonia. Vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, 15, 597-601.
27. LEE, S.-E., KIM, J.-Y., KIM, Y.-A., CHO, S.-H., AHN, H.-J., WOO, H.-M., LEE, W.-J. & NAM, H.-W. 2010. Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in stray and household cats in regions of Seoul, Korea. The Korean journal of parasitology, 48, 267.
28. LOPES, A. P., CARDOSO, L. & RODRIGUES, M. 2008. Serological survey of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic cats from northeastern Portugal. Veterinary parasitology, 155, 184-189.
29. OPSTEEGH, M., HAVEMAN, R., SWART, A., MENSINK-BEEREPOOT, M., HOFHUIS, A., LANGELAAR, M. & VAN DER GIESSEN, J. 2012. Seroprevalence and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic cats in The Netherlands. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 104, 317-326.
30. DEKSNE, G., PETRUSĒVIČA, A. & KIRJUŠINA, M. 2013. Seroprevalence and factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic cats from urban areas in Latvia. The Journal of Parasitology, 99, 48-50.
1. CHIKWETO, A., KUMTHEKAR, S., TIWARI, K., NYACK, B., DEOKAR, M. S., STRATTON, G., MACPHERSON, C. N. L., SHARMA, R. N. & DUBEY, J. P. 2011. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Pigs, Sheep, Goats, and Cattle from Grenada and Carriacou, West Indies. Journal of Parasitology, 97, 950-951.
2. ELMORE, S. A., JONES, J. L., CONRAD, P. A., PATTON, S., LINDSAY, D. S. & DUBEY, J. 2010. Toxoplasma gondii: epidemiology, feline clinical aspects, and prevention. Trends in parasitology, 26, 190-196.
3. VOLLAIRE, M. R., RADECKI, S. V. & LAPPIN, M. R. 2005. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in clinically ill cats in the United States. American journal of veterinary research, 66, 874-877.
4. DUBEY, J. 1995. Duration of immunity to shedding of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts by cats. The Journal of parasitology, 410-415.
5. DUBEY, J. 2001. Oocyst shedding by cats fed isolated bradyzoites and comparison of infectivity of bradyzoites of the VEG strain Toxoplasma gondii to cats and mice. Journal of Parasitology, 87, 215-219.
6. ALVARADO-ESQUIVEL, C., LIESENFELD, O., MÁRQUEZ-CONDE, J., ESTRADA-MARTÍNEZ, S. & DUBEY, J. 2010. Seroepidemiology of infection with Toxoplasma gondii in workers occupationally exposed to water, sewage, and soil in Durango, Mexico. Journal of Parasitology, 96, 847-850.
7. DUBEY, J. & CARPENTER, J. 1993. Histologically confirmed clinical toxoplasmosis in cats: 100 cases (1952-1990). Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 203, 1556-1566.
8. BRENNAN, A., DONAHOE, S. L., BEATTY, J. A., BELOV, K., LINDSAY, S., BRISCOE, K. A., ŠLAPETA, J. & BARRS, V. R. 2016. Comparison of genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic cats from Australia with latent infection or clinical toxoplasmosis. Veterinary Parasitology, 228, 13-16.
9. PETERSON, J., WILLARD, M., LEES, G., LAPPIN, M., DIERINGER, T. & FLOYD, E. 1991. Toxoplasmosis in two cats with inflammatory intestinal disease. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 199, 473-476.
10. COHEN, T. M., BLOIS, S. & VINCE, A. R. 2016. Fatal extraintestinal toxoplasmosis in a young male cat with enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 57, 483.
11. MCCONNELL, J. F., SPARKES, A. H., BLUNDEN, A. S., NEATH, P. J. & SANSOM, J. 2007. Eosinophilic fibrosing gastritis and toxoplasmosis in a cat. Journal of feline medicine and surgery, 9, 82-88.
12. DE TOMMASI, A. S., MORINI, M., TURBA, M. E., OTRANTO, D. & BETTINI, G. 2014. Hyperplastic cholangitis in a naturally Toxoplasma gondii-infected cat. Veterinary Quarterly, 34, 229-231.
13. CASTILLO-MORALES, V. J., ACOSTA VIANA, K. Y., GUZMÁN-MARÍN, E. D. S., JIMÉNEZ-COELLO, M., SEGURA-CORREA, J. C., AGUILAR-CABALLERO, A. & ORTEGA-PACHECO, A. 2012. Prevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic cats from the tropics of Mexico using serological and molecular tests. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases, 2012.
14. BESNÉ-MÉRIDA, A., FIGUEROA-CASTILLO, J. A., MARTÍNEZ-MAYA, J. J., LUNA-PASTÉN, H., CALDERÓN-SEGURA, E. & CORREA, D. 2008. Prevalence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in domestic cats from Mexico City. Veterinary parasitology, 157, 310-313.
15. GALVÁN RAMÍREZ, M. D. L. L., SÁNCHEZ VARGAS, G., VIELMA SANDOVAL, M. & SOTO MANCILLA, J. L. 1999. Presence of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies in humans and their cats in the urban zone of Guadalajara. Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical, 32, 483-488.
16. DABRITZ, H. & CONRAD, P. 2010. Cats and Toxoplasma: implications for public health. Zoonoses and public health, 57, 34-52.
17. ROBERTS, T., MURRELL, K. D. & MARKS, S. 1994. Economic losses caused by foodborne parasitic diseases. Parasitology today, 10, 419-423.
18. ROBERTS, T. & FRENKEL, J. 1990. Estimating income losses and other preventable costs caused by congenital toxoplasmosis in people in the United States. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 196, 249-256.
19. LAPPIN, M. R., GREENE, C. E., WINSTON, S., TOLL, S. L. & EPSTEIN, M. E. 1989. Clinical feline Toxoplasmosis: serologic diagnosis and therapeutic management of 15 cases. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 3, 139-143.
20. HAMMOND-ARYEE, K., ESSER, M., VAN HELDEN, L. & VAN HELDEN, P. 2015. A high seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in a population of feral cats in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases,30,141-144.
21. THIANGTUM, K., NIMSUPHUN, B., PINYOPANUWAT, N., CHIMNOI, W., TUNWATTANA, W., TONGTHAINAN, D., JITTAPALAPONG, S., RUKKWAMSUK, T. & MARUYAMA, S. 2006. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in captive felids in Thailand. Veterinary parasitology, 136, 351-355.
22. AL-KAPPANY, Y., RAJENDRAN, C., FERREIRA, L., KWOK, O., ABU-ELWAFA, S., HILALI, M. & DUBEY, J. High prevalence of toxoplasmosis in cats from Egypt: isolation of viable Toxoplasma gondii, tissue distribution, and isolate designation. Journal of Parasitology, 96, 1115-1118.
23. TAGWIREYI, W. M. 2016. Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic animals in the OR Tambo District, South Africa. University of Pretoria.
24. ROCHLITZ, I. 2000. 11 Feline welfare issues. The domestic cat: the biology of its behaviour, 207.
25. FRIMPONG, C., MAKASA, M., SITALI, L. & MICHELO, C. 2017. Seroprevalence and determinants of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the university teaching hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. BMC infectious diseases, 17, 1-8.
26. MUST, K., LASSEN, B. & JOKELAINEN, P. 2015. Seroprevalence of and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in cats in Estonia. Vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, 15, 597-601.
27. LEE, S.-E., KIM, J.-Y., KIM, Y.-A., CHO, S.-H., AHN, H.-J., WOO, H.-M., LEE, W.-J. & NAM, H.-W. 2010. Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in stray and household cats in regions of Seoul, Korea. The Korean journal of parasitology, 48, 267.
28. LOPES, A. P., CARDOSO, L. & RODRIGUES, M. 2008. Serological survey of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic cats from northeastern Portugal. Veterinary parasitology, 155, 184-189.
29. OPSTEEGH, M., HAVEMAN, R., SWART, A., MENSINK-BEEREPOOT, M., HOFHUIS, A., LANGELAAR, M. & VAN DER GIESSEN, J. 2012. Seroprevalence and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic cats in The Netherlands. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 104, 317-326.
30. DEKSNE, G., PETRUSĒVIČA, A. & KIRJUŠINA, M. 2013. Seroprevalence and factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic cats from urban areas in Latvia. The Journal of Parasitology, 99, 48-50.
Published
2024-07-16
How to Cite
1.
Phiri F, Hankanga C, Mudenda N, Saasa N, Mukubesa A. Detection of IgG antibodies against T. gondii and associated risk factors in domestic and stray cats in Lusaka, Zambia. Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences [Internet]. 16Jul.2024 [cited 4Jun.2025];7(4). Available from: https://journals.unza.zm/index.php/JABS/article/view/1225
Section
Veterinary Medicine
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