title: Investigation of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in cats of the Ankara region of Turkey Using the Sabin-Feldman dye test and an indirect fluorescent antibody test.
abstract: Blood samples from 99 cats from the Ankara province of Turkey were examined for the presence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody with the use of both the Sabin-Feldman dye test (DT) and an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Forty of the 99 sera (40.3%) were positive for antibodies against T. gondii with the DT, whereas the IFAT assay detected antibodies in 34 (34.3%). The study also evaluated 3 factors for their potential association with the presence of T. gondii antibody: age (<1 yr, 1-2 yr, and >2 yr), gender (female vs. male), and outdoor access (stray, owned with outdoor access, or indoor only). The DT detected antibodies in 3 cats under 1 yr of age, 22 cats between 1 and 2 yr, and 15 cats older than 2 yr, whereas the IFAT found 1, 18, and 15 cats positive for antibodies, respectively, in each of these categories. Of 61 female cats, 27 (44.2%) were positive by the DT; and of 38 male cats, 13 (34%) were positive by the DT. For the IFAT, 24 female cats (39.3%) and 10 male cats (26.3%) were positive. The percent seropositivity in indoor cats was 30.8% by the DT and 23.1% by the IFAT. In stray cats, the percent seropositivity was 52.8% by the DT and 41.7% by the IFAT. Antibody presence was significantly associated with age, but not with outdoor access.
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Laboratory, Communicable Diseases Research Department, Refik Saydam National Hygiene Center, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayşegül Taylan
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.forename: Bekir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Celebi
authors.forename: Cahit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Babür
authors.forename: Araceli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucio-Forster
authors.forename: Dwight D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Bowman
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lindsay
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D002415:Cats; D004395:Dye Dilution Technique; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan