title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic sheep in Belgium.
abstract: Even though infected sheep are a potential source of Toxoplasma gondii infection in humans, information is lacking concerning the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in sheep in Belgium. We examined 3170 serum samples for anti-Toxoplasma IgG in sheep by total lysate antigen (TLA) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IgG to T. gondii was demonstrated in 87.4% of the tested sheep and in 96.2% of the 209 tested flocks. The seroprevalences in Antwerp (65.2%) and Wallonia (68.6%) are statistically lower than in the other regions in Belgium (96.7-97.8%) (P<0.05). The present study is the first report that analyzed the prevalence of T. gondii infection in sheep in Belgium and confirms the high prevalence of Toxoplasma-specific IgG antibodies in the sheep population.
authors: Laboratory of Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Delfien.verhelst@ugent.be.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Verhelst
authors: National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Operational Direction Communicable and Infectious Diseases, Scientific Institute of Public Health, Federal Public Service Public Health, Security of the Food chain and Environment, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: De Craeye
authors: Animal Health Care Flanders, Torhout, Belgium.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Vanrobaeys
authors: Animal Health Care Wallonia, Cine, Belgium.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Czaplicki
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Dorny
authors: Laboratory of Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Cox
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014122:Toxoplasma; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: Belgium; Seroprevalence; Sheep; Toxoplasma gondii