title: Risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in goats in the State of Paraíba, Brazil.
abstract: A cross-sectional study based on planned sampling was carried out to determine flock-level risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii antibody prevalence in dairy goat flocks in a semiarid region of northeastern Brazil. Serum samples from 975 adult dairy goats from 110 flocks were examined by indirect immonufluorescent antibody test (IFAT), using cut-off point at 1:64 dilution. From the 110 flocks, 77 presented at least one seropositive animal, corresponding to a prevalence of 70% (95% CI: 60.5-78.4%). Out of the 975 animals, 177 (18.1%; 95% CI = 15.8-20.7%) tested positive. The presence of toxic plants (OR = 5.11; P = 0.045) and the fact that goat breeding is not the main activity on the farm (OR = 3.34; P = 0.014) were identified as risk factors. The results of the present study showed evidence of the presence of T. gondii infection in dairy goats from a semiarid region of northeastern Brazil using planned sampling. Further studies are needed to elucidate the importance of the identified risk factors in the epidemiology of the infection.
authors.affiliation: Department, College of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina de Sousa Américo Batista
authors.initials: Cde S
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Sérgio Santos
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: de Azevedo
authors.forename: Herbert Sousa
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Severino Silvano Dos Santos
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Higino
authors.forename: Hilda Fátima de Jesus
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Pena
authors.forename: Clebert José
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Solange Maria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gennari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006041:Goats; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan