Risk Factors Associated with Sero-positivity to Toxoplasma Gondii in Captive Neotropical Felids from Brazil.
From: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, Brazil. jcramos@dmv.ufrpe.br
Preventive veterinary medicine
- Publish Date: Mar 2007
- ISSN: 0167-5877
- Volume: 78
- Issue: 3-4
- Pages: 286-95
- Medium: Print
- Language: English
- Citation (JAMA): Ramos Silva Jean Carlos, Marvulo Maria Fernanda Vianna, Dias Ricardo Augusto, et al. Risk Factors Associated with Sero-positivity to Toxoplasma Gondii in Captive Neotropical Felids from Brazil.. Prev. Vet. Med. Mar 2007;78:286-95
Abstract
From September 1995 to February 2001, blood samples were collected from 865 neotropical felids belonging to 8 different species. These animals were housed in 86 institutions located in 78 cities of 20 Brazilian states. Our goal was to identify the risk factors associated with sero-positivity to Toxoplasma gondii in captive neotropical felids from Brazil. All serum samples were tested by the modified agglutination test (MAT), using formalin-fixed whole tachyzoites and mercaptoethanol. For each animal an individual questionnaire was filled with questions about tattoo number, felid species, age, sex, origin, number of animals in the group, introduction of new animals in the group, time in the institution, eating meat previously frozen for a period <7 days in the last 6 months, eating meat of run-over or euthanized animals in the last 6 months, predation of rodents or birds in the last 6 months and presence of domestic cats near the enclosures in the last 6 months. The total sero-prevalence was 55% (95% CI: 52%, 57%). We estimated a prevalence of 46% (95% CI: 40%, 54%) for jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi); 58% (95% CI: 53%, 63%) for ocelot (Leopardus pardalis); 50% (95% CI: 45%, 56%) for oncilla (L. tigrinus); 54% (95% CI: 46%, 62%) for margay (L. wiedii); 12% (95% CI: 4%, 31%) for Pampas-cat (L. colocolo); 83% (95% CI: 65%, 93%) for Geoffroy’s-cat (L. geoffroyi); 64% (95% CI: 50%, 68%) for jaguar (Panthera onca) and 48% (95% CI: 42%, 54%) for puma (Puma concolor). Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between the variables in the questionnaire and sero-positivity to T. gondii. We concluded that the independent risk factors for toxoplasmosis were: age >3 years (OR=4.75 [2.75; 8.2]), eating meat previously frozen for a period <7 days (OR=2.23 [1.24; 4.01]), and consumption of animals that were run-over or euthanized (OR=1.64; [1.14; 2.37]).
Mesh Headings (Keywords): Agglutination Tests, Animal Feed, Animals, Animals, Zoo, Antibodies, Protozoan, Brazil, Carnivora, Cats, Felidae, Female, Food Contamination, Logistic Models, Male, Risk Factors, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Toxoplasma, Toxoplasmosis, Animal
Check for Full Text / PubMed Unique Identifier (PMID): 17140683
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