title: Toxoplasmosis and neosporosis among beef cattle slaughtered for food in Western Thailand.
abstract: Beef is a main type of meat consumed by Thais. The prevalences of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora caninum antibodies were investigated among beef cattle slaughtered for food in western Thailand. A total of 389 blood samples obtained from beef cattle from 24 herds were collected at 3 slaughterhouses in 3 western provinces of Thailand: Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Nakhon Pathom. An indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) was performed using cut-off values of 1:128 for T. gondii and 1:200 for N. caninum. The antibodies to T. gondii were found in 100 samples (25.7%) and antibodies to N. caninum were found in 23 samples (5.9%) a significant difference (p < 0.001) in prevalences, indicating the cattle tested had a greater exposure to T. gondii than N. caninum, and they should be regarded as a potential source of T. gondii infection to humans. The low prevalence of neosporosis in this study is still a risk for morbidity among cattle, including abortions. This is the first study in Thailand finding both T. gondii and N. caninum antibodies among beef cattle.
authors: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mahanakorn University of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand. jitbanjo@yahoo.com
authors: Jitbanjong
authors: J
authors: Wiengcharoen
authors: Chowalit
authors: C
authors: Nakthong
authors: Jumlong
authors: J
authors: Mitchaothai
authors: Ruenruthai
authors: R
authors: Udonsom
authors: Yaowalark
authors: Y
authors: Sukthana
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002417:Cattle; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018688:Neospora / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000469:parasitology; D015995:Prevalence; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan