title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in cats (Felis catus, Linnaeus 1758) living in Lima, Peru.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of infection by T. gondii in cats, by examining serum and fecal samples from animals attended at veterinary clinics in the Metropolitan Region of Lima, Peru. We collected and analyzed 154 cat serum samples and 50 fecal samples, regardless of the age, gender or breed. In parallel with the sample collections, the owners answered an epidemiological questionnaire that investigated the following variables: age group, gender, lifestyle (confined, semi-confined or free-living animals), feeding and hunting habits. The serum and fecal samples were analyzed using indirect hemagglutination (IHA) and coproparasitological tests, respectively. IHA showed that the frequency of cat exposure to T. gondii was 11%. Age and gender showed no association with exposure to the parasite. Exposure among the cats was associated with hunting (x2 = 4.98, p = 0.016) and feeding habits (x2 = 13.34, p = 0.001): those fed with raw meat were more exposed than those fed with commercial cat food (x2 = 9.50, p = 0.004) or with homemade food (x2 = 4.1, p = 0.027). The frequency of cats diagnosed in the chronic phase of T. gondii infection was 88% (15/17). No T. gondii oocysts were found in any of the 50 fecal samples examined.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense ? UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cerro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patología Clínica, Universidad Científica del Sur ? UCSur, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rubio
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pinedo
authors.affiliation: Curso de Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense ? UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Flavya
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mendes-de-Almeida
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense ? UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brener
authors.affiliation: Programa Biodiversidade & Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz ? Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Norma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Labarthe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan