title: High prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dogs in Veracruz, Mexico.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known concerning the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs in Mexico. Here, we investigated antibodies to T. gondii and associated risk factors in 101 dogs from an animal shelter in Veracruz State, Mexico. Canine sera were assayed for T. gondii IgG antibodies by using the modified agglutination test (MAT, cut off 1:25).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty eight (67.3%) of 101 dogs were seropositive with titers of 1:25 in 16, 1:50 in 8, 1:100 in 9, 1:200 in 10, 1:400 in 10, 1:800 in 10, 1:1600 in 3, and 1:3200 or higher in 2. None of the dogs' characteristics studied including age, sex, breed, and history of deworming, rabies vaccination and contact with cats was associated with seroprevalence of T. gondii infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using the dogs as sentinel animals, the results indicate high contamination with T. gondii of the environment in Veracruz, Mexico. Results have public health implications, and further studies in Veracruz should be conducted to establish the sources of environmental contamination with T. gondii and to determine optimal preventive measures against T. gondii infection in humans.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, Durango, 34000, Mexico. alvaradocosme@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Cosme
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alvarado-Esquivel
authors.forename: Dora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Romero-Salas
authors.forename: Anabel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cruz-Romero
authors.forename: Zeferino
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: García-Vázquez
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peniche-Cardeña
authors.forename: Nelly
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ibarra-Priego
authors.forename: Concepción
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ahuja-Aguirre
authors.forename: Adalberto A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Pérez-de-León
authors.forename: Jitender P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*