title: Seroprevalence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging mammals in Iowa.
abstract: Serum samples from raccoons (Procyon lotor), striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), and free-ranging house cats trapped in Iowa between 1984 and 1988 were tested for antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii using the modified direct agglutination test (MAT). Antibody titers > or = 1:32 were considered indicative of infection. Prevalence rates by species were estimated for raccoons at 134/885 (15%), skunks at 38/81 (47%), opossums at 12/53 (23%), and cats at 16/20 (80%).
authors.affiliation: National Veterinary Services Laboratories, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA. rick.e.hill@usda.gov
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Wills
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patton
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012889:Mephitidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D009893:Opossums / Q000469:parasitology*; D011821:Raccoons / Q000469:parasitology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan