title: Prevalence of agglutinating antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), opossums (Didelphis virginiana), and raccoons (Procyon lotor) from Connecticut.
abstract: The prevalence of agglutinating antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii was examined in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), opossums (Didelphis virginiana), and raccoons (Procyon lotor) from 8 cities in Connecticut. Ten (42%) of the 24 striped skunks, 2 of 7 (29%) opossums, and 12 of 12 (100%) raccoons were positive at dilutions of 1:50 or greater. These results suggest that T. gondii is prevalent in the environment, or prey items, or both, of these omnivores in Connecticut.
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg 24061-0342, USA.
authors.forename: Sheila M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Dennis J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lindsay
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012889:Mephitidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D009893:Opossums / Q000469:parasitology*; D011821:Raccoons / Q000469:parasitology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan