The prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in horses in Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, northwestern China.
Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii, which can infect warm-blooded animals and humans. The present study was performed to investigate the seroprevalence of T. gondii in horses in Xinjiang, northwestern China. A total of 637 blood samples were collected from seven regions in Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang in 2011 and assayed for T. gondiiantibodies using the modified agglutination test (MAT). Risk factors (age, gender, and region) related to seroprevalence were determined by a multivariate logistic regression analysis. A total of 200 horses (31.4%, 95% CI 27.79-35.00) were seropositive for T. gondii. Age, gender, and region present no association with seroprevalence (p>0.05) in the logistic regression analysis. The results indicated that T. gondii is widely prevalent in horses in Xinjiang, northwestern China, representing a serious threat to animal and human health. Therefore, more careful measures should be performed to control and prevent T. gondii infection in horses from Xinjiang, northwestern China.
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, CN.
Jin-Lei
JL
Wang
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, CN.
Dong-Hui
DH
Zhou
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, CN.
Jia
J
Chen
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, CN.
Guang-Xue
GX
Liu
Changji Prefecture Animal Disease Control and Prevention Center, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, CN.
Wen-Bing
WB
Pu
Changji Prefecture Animal Disease Control and Prevention Center, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, CN.
Ting-Yu
TY
Liu
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, CN.
Si-Yuan
SY
Qin
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, CN.
Ming-Yang
MY
Yin
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, CN.
Xing-Quan
XQ
Zhu
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan