title: Prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in pigeons (Columba livia) in Taiwan.
abstract: Starting from January 2004 to December 2004, 665 blood serum samples from pigeons (Columba livia) were collected from 44 pigeonaries in 11 counties and 20 regions in Taiwan. These samples were examined by latex agglutination test (LAT) for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by using the LAT. Antibodies were found in 4.7% (31/ 665) of pigeons at a LAT titer of 1:32 or higher. The prevalence in Taiwan was highest in the northern areas (6.0%; 13/216) and lowest in the eastern areas (1.8%; 2/111).
authors.affiliation: Taipei Municipal Institute for Animal Health-109, Wu-Xin Street, Taipei, Taiwan 110.
authors.forename: Yu-Jen
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Wen-Cheng
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Hsien Hsien
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Ying-Iing
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010856:Columbidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan