Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Belgian house cats.
Five hundred and sixty seven sera of healthy house cats aged 3 months to 7 years, were examined for the presence of anti-toxoplasma antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence assay and compared to SAG1 and TLA enzyme linked immunosorbent assays as alternative test. Twenty-five percent of cats tested positive for IgG and/or IgM. Seroprevalence increased with age from 2% below 12 months of age up to 44% at age 7. Sensitivities of SAG1 and TLA ELISA were 84.1% and 88.6%, respectively. Peak levels in seroprevalence were correlated to increased IgG titers in TLA ELISA. Our results suggest that T. gondii infections are common in house cats and that there is a high chance for a negative cat to seroconvert in its second life-year.
De Craeye
Stéphane
S
Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Pasteur Institute of Brussels, Scientific Institute of Public Health, Brussels, Belgium.
Francart
Aurelie
A
Chabauty
Julie
J
De Vriendt
Veerle
V
Van Gucht
Steven
S
Leroux
Ingrid
I
Jongert
Erik
E
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002415:Cats; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D015995:Prevalence; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C072098:aginactin protein, Dictyostelium