Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in cattle, horses, pigs and chickens in Japan.
The presence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in livestock and poultry was investigated by latex agglutination tests; samples that agglutinated at dilutions of 1:64 or higher were regarded as positive. Sera were collected from fattening beef cattle (102 Japanese black, 105 crossbreeds and 114 castrated Holstein), culled dairy cattle (101 Holstein), 100 horses, 115 fattening pigs and 235 chickens (163 free-range and 72 broilers) at abattoirs in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, from August 2012 to August 2013. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 7.3% (31/422) in cattle, 5.2% (8/155) in pigs, but not in horses or chickens. These results suggest that toxoplasmosis may be transmitted to humans via consumption of T. gondii-infected raw beef in Japan.
Gifu Prefectural Meat Inspection Office, 3-167-1 Hayashimachi, Oogaki, Gifu 503-0015, Japan; Department of Veterinary Parasitological Diseases, Faculty of Applied Biological Science, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan. Electronic address: alaeuris@violin.ocn.ne.jp.
Kayoko
K
Matsuo
Gifu Prefectural Meat Inspection Office, 3-167-1 Hayashimachi, Oogaki, Gifu 503-0015, Japan.
Rika
R
Kamai
Gifu Prefectural Meat Inspection Office, 3-167-1 Hayashimachi, Oogaki, Gifu 503-0015, Japan.
Hirona
H
Uetsu
Gifu Prefectural Meat Inspection Office, 3-167-1 Hayashimachi, Oogaki, Gifu 503-0015, Japan.
Hanyu
H
Goto
Department of Veterinary Parasitological Diseases, Faculty of Applied Biological Science, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
Yasuhiro
Y
Takashima
Division of Protozoology, Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
Kisaburo
K
Nagamune
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002645:Chickens; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006736:Horses; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
Japan; Latex agglutination test (LAT); Livestock; Poultry; Seroprevalence; Toxoplasma gondii