title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild pigs (Sus scrofa) from Spain.
abstract: Sera collected from 507 hunter-killed wild pigs (Sus scrofa) between 1993 and 2004 from five geographic regions in northern Spain and seven regions in southern Spain were assayed for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by the modified agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 185 (38.4%) of 507 pigs with titers of 1:25 in 71, 1:50 in 111 and > or =1:500 in 3; seroprevalence was significantly higher (P<0.05) in pigs from southern regions. Seroprevalence was density dependent; it was higher in pigs from high stocking per hectare and availability of forage. Statistically significant differences were not observed between T. gondii seroprevalence and hunting estates (open versus fenced), sex or age. Serological results indicate a widespread exposure to T. gondii among Spanish wild boars, suggesting that this population could represent a public health risk for persons that handle or consume raw or undercooked infected wild pig meat.
authors.affiliation: Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Anatomy and Animal Health Department, Veterinary School, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: C B L
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Gauss
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vicente
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marco
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lavin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gortazar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Almería
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan