Sero-epidemiological and haematological studies on toxoplasmosis in cats, dogs and their owners in Lahore

Study was conducted to find out the epidemiological status of toxoplasmosis in cat, dog and human population in Lahore city and to determine the possibility of transmission of toxoplasmosis from cats and dogs to their owners. For this purpose serum samples from cats (n=25 domestic, n=25 stray) dogs (n=50 domestic, n=50 stray) and human (n= 25 cat owners, n=50 dog owners, n=50 people having no contact with cats and dogs, n=25 UVAS, Employees) were collected and analyzed by using Latex Agglutination Test (LAT) to find out the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in cat, clog and human population. Overall 56% cats were seropositive for anti-toxoplasma antibodies. Stray cats had the high prevalence (64%) followed by domestic cats (48%). Overall, 53%, 25%, 10.7%, 10.7% cats were seropositive at screening dilution of 1:16, 1:64, 1:128 and 1:256, respectively. The highest prevalence (71%) was detected in cat in the 7 year or above age group. Neither of the positive rates was found to be different between male (56.5%) and Female (55.5%). The seropositivity percentage of toxoplasmosis was highest in local breeds of the cats (64%) followed by Himalayan and Persian (50%) and Siamese breed of cat (46%). Furthermore the domestic cats, which had wandering habits, had higher seropositivity (62%) than the cats, which had not these habits (41%). The prevalence of toxoplasmosis was high in the cats receiving raw meat (66%) however the prevalence in the cats receiving commercial cat food and kitchen prepared/left over human food was 40% and 44.4%, respectively. Overall 39% dogs were seropositive for anti-toxoplasma antibodies. Stray dogs had the high prevalence (50%) than the domestic dogs (28%). Overall 46%, 28.2%, 15.3% and 10.2 % dogs were seropositive at screening dilution of 1:16, 1:64, 1:128 and 1:256, respectively. The highest prevalence of toxoplasmosis (45.9%) was recorded in dogs of age group of greater than 1-3 years. Neither of the positive rates was found to be different between male (35.4%) and female (35.4%). The seropositivity percentage was highest in local breeds of dogs (50%), followed by German Shepherd (42%), Bulldog Labrador Retriever and Russian (33%), English Pointer (30010), Alsatian, Bull Terrier and German Pointer (25%) and Greyhound (20%). Dogs having access to house as well as yard has the highest prevalence (40%) following the dogs having access only to yard (25%) and the dogs kept strictly at homes had the lowest prevalence (16%). Dogs fed raw meat had a relatively high prevalence of toxoplasmosis (40%) than the dogs fed commercial dog food and home cooked food had prevalence of 18.7% and 21.4%, A respectively. Overall 22% human were seropositive for anti-toxoplasma antibodies. The highest seropositivity was observed in cat owners (32%) followed by dog owners (26%), UVAS, employees (20%) and the lowest seropositivity (14%) was observed in people having no contact with, dogs and cats. Overall 63.6%, 27.2%, 3.0% and 6.0% human were seropositive at screening dilution of 1:16, 1:64, 1:128 and 1:256, respectively. The highest prevalence of toxoplasmosis (26%) was observed in people of 30-40 years or above age group. Neither of the positive rates was found to be different between male (21.9%) and female (22.2%). There was decrease in haemoglobin level of cats, dogs and human positive for anti-toxoplasma antibodies. There was significant decrease in total leukocytic count of cats, dogs and human positive for anti-toxoplasma antibodies. Nutrophelia, lymphocytopenia, cosinopenia and monocytopenia was observed in cats, dogs and human positive for anti-toxoplasina antibodies.