title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in small ruminants from four Caribbean islands.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite capable of infecting all warm-blooded animals including livestock. In these animals, the parasite forms cysts in the tissues which may pose a risk to public health if infected meat is consumed undercooked or raw. Little is known of the epidemiology of T. gondii in the Caribbean; therefore, the aim of this study was to determine T. gondii exposure in small ruminants from four Caribbean island nations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sera from 305 sheep and 442 goats from Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat and St. Kitts and Nevis were examined for T. gondii antibodies using an in house ELISA. Reactive antibodies were detected in sheep and goats, respectively, from Dominica (67%, 37/55; 58%, 79/136), Grenada (48%, 40/84; 57%, 54/94), Montserrat (89%, 25/28; 80%, 25/31) and St. Kitts and Nevis (57%, 78/138; 42%, 76/181).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest widespread environmental contamination with T. gondii oocysts and that small ruminants could be a potentially important source of T. gondii infection if their infected meat is consumed undercooked.
authors.forename: Clare M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Katzer
authors.forename: Elisabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Innes
authors.affiliation: Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 334, Basseterre, St, Kitts, West Indies. pkelly@rossvet.edu.kn.
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D006041:Goats; D012418:Ruminants / Q000469:parasitology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D014900:West Indies / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan