Prevalence and associated risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in sheep and aborted women in Egypt
2023
Haitham Elaadli | Hussein Abo El-Makarem | Amir H. Abd Elrahma | Raafat M. Shaapan | Mohamed Bessat
Toxoplasmosis has been associated with economic and public health concerns due to abortion in humans and animals. Detection for the presence of anti-<em>Toxoplasma</em> <em>gondii </em>antibodies in sera of 174 healthy sheep (IgG) and sera of 89 aborted women (IgG, IgM, and IgG avidity) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and <em>T. gondii </em>in 59 sheep milk samples identified by PCR. The primary risk factors for sheep and women seropositive samples were also analyzed. Relatively higher seroprevalence of <em>T. gondii, </em>62.6%, was recorded in sheep than 57.3% in aborted women. The IgM/IgG antibody responses in aborted women were 42.7%, 41.6%, 15.7%, and 0% for IgM -ve/IgG -ve (negative toxoplasmosis), IgM -ve/IgG +ve (chronic toxoplasmosis), IgM +ve/IgG +ve (maternal infection) and IgM +ve/IgG -ve (acute infection), respectively. IgM and IgG-positive samples showed a low avidity rate 14.3%, denoting acute maternal infection, while a much higher rate 78.6%, denoting chronic maternal infection. Molecular investigation of <em>T. gondii</em> in sheep milk samples revealed that 28.8% were positive by PCR at 470-bp. The respectable significant association between many risk factors and the seroprevalence of <em>T. gondii</em> in humans and sheep was recorded. The current study indicates elevated toxoplasmosis antibodies in sheep and aborted women from El-Beheira and Alexandria governorates, Egypt. Additionally, it demonstrates a correlation between age, mutton intake, miscarriage, cat exposure, drinking water source, and breeding practices with seropositivity to <em>T. gondii</em>. These results largely confirm the need for greater in-depth toxoplasmosis epidemiological research and public health education initiatives.
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