title: Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild rodents from central coastal California and a review of T. gondii prevalence in rodents.
abstract: Sera from 523 wild rodents were tested for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies using either an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) (rats and mice, with titer >or=80 considered positive) or a latex agglutination test (LAT) (voles, squirrels, and pocket mice, with titer >or=32 considered positive). Seventeen percent (88/523) of the rodents, including 26% (85/328) of the Peromyscus sp. and 8% (3/37) of Spermophilus beecheyi, were seropositive. Fourteen percent (23/161) of rodents captured in trap sites next to Morro Bay (California) and 15% (16/109) of rodents from sites adjacent to riparian habitats had antibodies to T. gondii, compared to 19% (49/253) of rodents captured in habitats not associated with water; this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.32). Significantly fewer rodents were captured <200 m from residential housing compared to locations further away (11% vs. 30%, respectively). Factors associated with an increased risk for T. gondii seropositivity in rodents were capture location >or=200 m from residential housing and adult age.
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Vet Med III-A, Davis, California 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Haydee A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Dabritz
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Ian A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Andrea E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Packham
authors.forename: E Robert
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Atwill
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Conrad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000469:parasitology; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010542:Peromyscus / Q000469:parasitology; D051381:Rats; D012307:Risk Factors; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D012377:Rodentia; D012589:Sciuridae / Q000469:parasitology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D016205:Sigmodontinae / Q000469:parasitology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan