[Toxoplasma gondii infections and oocyst shedding in domestic cats and the significance of this for the epidemiology and epizootiology of toxoplasmosis].
Because of the dissemination of oocysts the cat and other felines have a central position within Toxoplasma gondii epidemiology and epizootiology. From 1984 to 1986, 267 cats between 2 months and 15 years old were serologically examined (SFT) for Toxoplasma antibodies. The rate of infection was 59.9 per cent. The infection rate of stray cats (72.5%) was significantly higher than that of domestic cats (40%). The high infection rate of herbivores results from behaviour of stray cats. In faeces of 264 animals Toxoplasma oocysts could not be proved by flotation technique. But in 39 samples of faeces Toxocara mystax eggs were found, in one sample Toxascaris leonina eggs. Coproscopical examinations did not reflect the real degree of parasitization of cats. The rate of disseminators of oocysts is drainable by Toxoplasma gondii infection found serologically. About 40% of the animals at the age of up to one year were found to excrete Toxoplasma oocysts.
Bezirkshygiene-Institut Cottbus, DDR.
B U
BU
Knaus
K
K
Fehler
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D005859:Germany, East; D008297:Male; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*
Toxoplasma gondii-Infektionen und Oozystenausscheidung bei Hauskatzen und ihre Bedeutung für die Epidemiologie und Epizootiologie der Toxoplasmose.