Toxoplasma gondii is a major neglected parasitic infection occurring in settings of extreme poverty in Africa. Apart from causing reproductive failure in animals it is also a significant zoonotic concern. The objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence and associated risk factors of T. gondii infection in cats, chickens, goats, sheep and pigs in the southeast of South Africa, of which little is known. Sera was obtained from 601 domestic animals including 109 cats, 137 chickens, 128 goats, 121 sheep and 106 pigs managed under different production systems in different agro-ecological regions and evaluated by the Toxoreagent, a latex agglutination test for T. gondii antibody detection. Household-level and animal-level data were collected by interviewing animal owners and/or herders using a closed-ended questionnaire. The study revealed an overall farm seroprevalence of 83.33% (125/150 farms) with the highest rate of infection for the parasite found in sheep with 64.46% (78/121), followed by goats with 53.91% (69/128), pigs with 33.96% (36/106), cats with 32.11% (35/109 cats) and chickens with 33.58% (46/137). The risk factors that were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05) to different species of seropositivites were age, location, climate, animal production system, rodent control, seropositive cat, cat-feed access and cat faecal disposal. The relatively high seroprevalence of T. gondii detected in this region suggests that domestic animals may pose a substantial public health risk through the consumption of T. gondii-infected raw meat as well as via contact with cat faeces.

A dead stray cat was necropsied for zoonotic feline disease monitoring. Grossly, there were no specific lesions. Major microscopic lesions included lymphocytic meningoencephalitis, malacia, and tissue cysts in the cerebral and cerebellar cortex. The size and shape of tissue cysts were identical to those of Apicomplexa including Toxoplasma (T.) gondii. Bradyzoites in the tissue cyst were strongly positive for T. gondii by immunohistochemistry. Electron microscopy revealed that bradyzoites within the tissue cyst were similar to the morphological features of T. gondii. Fresh tissue samples were examined by a polymerase chain reaction assay and resulted in a specific band of T. gondii only in the brain. Based on the results, this case was diagnosed as toxoplasmosis. This is the first case of toxoplasmic meningoencephalitis in a cat in Korea.

This study was conducted to evaluate the possibility of application of a micro-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (micro-ELISA) for the serodiagnosis of specific toxoplasma antibodies in swine sera and this test was performed as a microplate system by coating the polystyrene plates with toxoplasma soluble antigen, incubated serially diluted sera, then added horse radish peroxidase labelled goat anti-swine IgG(r) conjugate followed by o-phenylenediamine as substrate. The color development by enzyme-substrate reaction was determined by the photometric reading [ELISA reader at 490nm (OD)] and visual reading. The soluble antigen was prepared from the tachyzoites in mouse peritoneal cavity. A total of 1,200 swine sera from pig slaughter-house and a total of 116 swine sera from pig breeding station (S-C farm) were tested for the detection of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. The optimal reactions of indirect ELISA for the test sera were determined by the dilution of antigen 1:256 and 1:3,200 of horse radish peroxidase conjugate [anti-swine IgG (r)]. The specific toxoplasma antibody (IgG) in pigs infected with Tp artifically were detected as the serum titers of 1:64 or 1:128 at one week postinfection. Of a total of 1,200 swine sera from pig slaughter-house 505 samples of sera were detected as positive (42.1 %) and of a total of 116 swine sera from S-C pig breeding station 68 samples of sera as positive (58.6 %). The specific antibody (IgG) detection rates against a total of 1,200 test sea from pig slaughter-house were not significant between male (43.1 %) and female (40.7 %). The indirect ELISA was proved to be a sensitive and specific procedure for the serodiagnosis of swine toxoplasmosis and also evaluated as an effective screening test for the large scale of test samples in laboratory

Na ultima década, pesquisas em animais silvestres no mundo todo, tem demonstrado aspectos importantes na epidemiologia do ciclo silvestre de Toxoplasma gondii. No entanto, apesar do papel conhecido dos felinos silvestres como hospedeiros definitivos na transmissão e manutenção desse parasita, há poucos estudos sobre o envolvimento desses animais. O Brasil possui a maior quantidade de espécies de felinos silvestres do continente americano, todas em estado crítico de conservação. Porém, a detecção sorológica, pesquisas epidemiológicas e algumas caracterizações moleculares do T. gondii nestas espécies, utilizaram principalmente populações de felinos neotropicais mantidos em cativeiro, o que não reflete o comportamento da doença em condições de vida livre.Uma revisão sistemática da literatura cientifica mundial foi realizada focando a toxoplasmose em pequenos felinos neotropicais, abrangendo aspectos como o estado da pesquisa cientifica, transmissão do parasita na vida silvestre, características genéticas dos isolados e sua relação com a patogenicidade, além dos fatores de risco ligados aos conflitos com o homem. Esta revisão mostra a importância do estudo dessas populações de felinos, em função das frequentes interações com o homem em áreas peri-urbanas e a necessidade de estudos mais  abrangentes, que estabeleçam a real importância do T. gondii no tangente á saúde pública e saúde animal nas regiões tropicais e temperadas.

In this work we analyzed 74 (seventy-four) samples of rhea serum from ten different breeders located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The serologic exam accomplished was indirect hemaglutination test, in agreement with the norms extolled by the manufacturer of the used Kit, for detection and quantification of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii. The considered minimum titration was the larger dilution or same to the 1/8 (one-eight). The analysis of the results demonstrated that a small amount (8,10%) of these animals were infected with the parasite, however 40% of the properties where the samples were obtained presented reacting animals. Those results point out the importance of a study more deepened on the immunological susceptibility of these ratites to the agent of the toxoplasmosis. | Neste trabalho foram analisados 74 amostras de soro de emas provenientes de dez criatórios diferentes localizados no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. O exame sorológico realizado foi hemaglutinação indireta, de acordo com as normas preconizadas pelo fabricante do Kit utilizado, para detecção e quantificação de anticorpos contra Toxoplasma gondii. A titulação mínima considerada foi a diluição maior ou igual a 1/8. A análise dos resultados demonstrou que uma pequena quantidade (8,10%) destes animais estava infectada pelo parasita, no entanto 40% das propriedades onde as amostras foram obtidas apresentaram animais reagentes. Esses resultados salientam a importância de um estudo mais aprofundado sobre a susceptibilidade imunológica destas ratitas ao agente da toxoplasmose.

Serum samples of 191 cats from 3 cities of São Paulo State and 1 of Paraná State were tested by indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFAT) for anti-toxoplasma IgG antibodies. Of the total, 56 (29.3%) were pure breed cats and 135 (70.7%) were mongrel cats, 88 (46.1%) and 103 (53.9%) were females and males, respectively, with ages ranging from two months to eighteen years. 37 (19.4%) samples reacted positively to IFAT, with 1/16 (n=10; 27.0%), 1/64 (n=18; 48.6%) and 1/256 (n=9; 24.3%) titres. No significant correlation was observed between sex, breed, origin or age (p &gt;; 0.05), however the infection rate was higher in old animals, with 13.2% in animals between two months and three years old, 23.5% between three and six years old, 17.6% between six and nine years old, 25% between nine and 12 years old, 20% between 12 and 15 years old and 50% between 15 and 18 years old. | Foram avaliados pela reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI) para detecção de anticorpos-IgG anti-Toxoplasma, soros de 191 gatos de 3 diferentes municípios do Estado de São Paulo e um município do Estado do Paraná, enviados ao Serviço de Diagnóstico de Zoonoses, da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, UNESP, Campus de Botucatu. Destes animais, 56 (29,3%) possuíam raça definida e 135 (70,7%) sem raça definida (SRD), sendo 88 (46,1%) fêmeas e 103 (53,9%) machos, com idades variando de dois meses a dezoito anos. Obtiveram-se 37 (19,4%) animais reagentes à RIFI, com títulos de 1/16 (n = 10;27,0%), 1/64 (n = 18;48,6%) e 1/256 (n = 9;24,3%). Não houve associação significativa entre sexo, raça, procedência ou idade (p &gt;; 0,05), entretanto, a taxa de infecção foi maior em animais mais velhos, com 13,2% dos animais entre dois meses e três anos de idade, 23,5% entre três e seis anos, 17,6% entre seis e nove anos, 25% entre nove e doze anos, 20% entre doze e quinze anos e 50% entre quinze e dezoito anos de idade.