title: Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii in dogs in Trinidad and Tobago.
abstract: A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii agglutinins and to investigate the relationship between various risk factors and occurrence of toxoplasmosis in dogs in Trinidad. Of a total 250 dogs, comprising domestic, hunting and stray dogs, 80 (32.0%) were positive for T. gondii agglutinins at a titre of > or =1:32 using a latex agglutination test. Stray dogs (60.5%) had statistically significantly higher (P<0.001) seroprevalence for toxoplasmosis than hunting dogs (30.5%) and domestic dogs (25.5%). Amongst dogs whose ages were known, the prevalence of toxoplasmosis was significantly highest (P=0.037) in dogs in the >2-3 years age group compared with other age groups. Dogs that consumed home-cooked foods had a seroprevalence of 32.9% compared with those fed commercial dog foods (17.2%) and dogs fed both home-cooked and commercial foods (21.0%). However, the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05; chi(2)). The rather high prevalence of toxoplasmosis in stray dogs is a good indication of the extent of the infection in the environment.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. abiodunadesiyun@hotmail.com
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Adesiyun
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000373:Agglutinins / Q000097:blood; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000469:parasitology; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000373:Agglutinins