title: Prevalence and risk factors for anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in goats of the Seridó Oriental microregion, Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeast region of Brazil.
abstract: The prevalence and risk factors for anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies were investigated in goats of the Seridó Oriental microregion, Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeast region of Brazil. Three hundred and sixty-six blood samples from goats collected by jugular venopuncture were used. For the serologic diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection, the indirect fluorescent-antibody test (IFAT) with cut-off value 1:64 was carried out. The prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies was 30.6% [95% CI=25.9-35.6%] with titers ranging from 1:64 to 1:16,384. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk factors associated to anti-T. gondii antibodies were presence of cats in the herd, extensive/semi-intensive management systems and lack of mineral supplementation.
authors.affiliation: Unidade Acadêmica de Medicina Veterinária, Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Av. Universitária, Bairro Santa Cecília, CEP 58700-970, Caixa Postal 64, Patos, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: José O Araújo
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: Sérgio S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.forename: Solange M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gennari
authors.forename: Mikaela R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Funada
authors.forename: Hilda F J
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Pena
authors.forename: Ana Raquel C P
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Carolina S A
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: Maria L C R
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Albério A B
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Rosa Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Piatti
authors.forename: Clebert J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Alves
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006041:Goats; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan