title: Seroprevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in the Pennsylvania bobcat (Lynx rufus rufus).
abstract: From 2000 to 2002 bobcat blood samples were collected, in association with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, during the recently reactivated bobcat hunting and trapping season. Sex, age, and county/township data were recorded for each animal. Blood was tested for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii using the modified agglutination test. In the 2-yr study, 131 bobcat samples were collected in 14 Pennsylvania counties and 109 (83%) of these had antibodies to T. gondii (titer>or=25). A two-way Chi-Square test (95% confidence interval) yielded no significance differences in antibody prevalence between males (83%) and females (88%) or adults (83%) and juveniles (77%). All 14 counties had at least one bobcat with antibodies to T. gondii.
authors.affiliation: Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Department of Biology, Weyandt Hall, Indiana, Pennsylvania 15705, USA. Eric.Mucker@det.amedd.army.mil
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Mucker
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lovallo
authors.forename: Jan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Humphreys
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000469:parasitology; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D046008:Lynx / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan