Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in buffaloes in a Mediterranean area
Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide widespread zoonotic infection caused by the intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. This infection is considered one of the most important food-borne parasitic zoonoses globally. In addition to its public health impact, toxoplasmosis also has important veterinary imp...
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Universidad del Zulia
2023-11-01
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Online Access: | https://produccioncientificaluz.org/index.php/cientifica/article/view/43313 |
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author | Giovanna Cappelli Antonio Bosco Alessandra Martucciello Gabriele Di Vuolo Domenico Vecchio Carlo Grassi Maria Serrapica Michele Napoletano Paola Pepe |
author_facet | Giovanna Cappelli Antonio Bosco Alessandra Martucciello Gabriele Di Vuolo Domenico Vecchio Carlo Grassi Maria Serrapica Michele Napoletano Paola Pepe |
author_sort | Giovanna Cappelli |
collection | DOAJ |
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Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide widespread zoonotic infection caused by the intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. This infection is considered one of the most important food-borne parasitic zoonoses globally. In addition to its public health impact, toxoplasmosis also has important veterinary implications, as it causes abortions or congenital malformations with negative economic impacts. Several serological studies on toxoplasmosis in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are fragmentary, dated, consider a low number of animals compared to the present population and do not relate the epidemiological update in an area of the Mediterranean. For this reason, the objectives of this study were to define the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in water buffaloes and to assess the risk factors associated with infection in water buffalo farms. A total of 184 dairy buffalo farms were randomly selected upon arrival of blood samples collected during state prophylaxis and analyzed with an indirect ELISA kit (ID Screen®, Indirect Toxoplasmosis Multi-Species, IDVET, France), according to the manufacturer›s instructions. The random selection of farms allowed us to consider different areas of the Campania region where the highest concentration of buffalo herds exists. For the risk assessment study, a specially designed questionnaire was administered that considered several factors (number of animals, presence of cats and rodent control measures) as well as presence of clinical signs such as abortions in adult buffaloes. Of a total of 13,649 animals analyzed, 2,693 tested positive for T. gondii (19.7%; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 19.7-24.6%), and out of 184 buffalo farms 179 tested positive (97.3%; 95% CI = 93.8- 98.8%). Of the T. gondii positive farms, 97% had cats on the farm and 85% did not implement rodent control measures. These findings indicate that these two risk factors are the most prevalent and need to be monitored for infection control on buffalo farms.
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institution | Kabale University |
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language | English |
publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
publisher | Universidad del Zulia |
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spelling | doaj-art-6c00fa3238d546db8697c4ab04d113062025-01-20T15:36:43ZengUniversidad del ZuliaRevista Científica0798-22592521-97152023-11-0133Suplemento10.52973/rcfcv-wbc029Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in buffaloes in a Mediterranean areaGiovanna Cappelli0Antonio Bosco1Alessandra Martucciello2Gabriele Di Vuolo3Domenico Vecchio 4Carlo Grassi5Maria Serrapica6Michele Napoletano7Paola Pepe 8CReNBuf Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR, Naples, ItalyCReNBuf Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, ItalyCReNBuf Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, ItalyCReNBuf Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, ItalyCReNBuf Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, ItalyCReNBuf Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, ItalyCReNBuf Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR, Naples, Italy Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide widespread zoonotic infection caused by the intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. This infection is considered one of the most important food-borne parasitic zoonoses globally. In addition to its public health impact, toxoplasmosis also has important veterinary implications, as it causes abortions or congenital malformations with negative economic impacts. Several serological studies on toxoplasmosis in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are fragmentary, dated, consider a low number of animals compared to the present population and do not relate the epidemiological update in an area of the Mediterranean. For this reason, the objectives of this study were to define the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in water buffaloes and to assess the risk factors associated with infection in water buffalo farms. A total of 184 dairy buffalo farms were randomly selected upon arrival of blood samples collected during state prophylaxis and analyzed with an indirect ELISA kit (ID Screen®, Indirect Toxoplasmosis Multi-Species, IDVET, France), according to the manufacturer›s instructions. The random selection of farms allowed us to consider different areas of the Campania region where the highest concentration of buffalo herds exists. For the risk assessment study, a specially designed questionnaire was administered that considered several factors (number of animals, presence of cats and rodent control measures) as well as presence of clinical signs such as abortions in adult buffaloes. Of a total of 13,649 animals analyzed, 2,693 tested positive for T. gondii (19.7%; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 19.7-24.6%), and out of 184 buffalo farms 179 tested positive (97.3%; 95% CI = 93.8- 98.8%). Of the T. gondii positive farms, 97% had cats on the farm and 85% did not implement rodent control measures. These findings indicate that these two risk factors are the most prevalent and need to be monitored for infection control on buffalo farms. https://produccioncientificaluz.org/index.php/cientifica/article/view/43313risk factorsToxoplasma gondiiseroprevalencewater buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) |
spellingShingle | Giovanna Cappelli Antonio Bosco Alessandra Martucciello Gabriele Di Vuolo Domenico Vecchio Carlo Grassi Maria Serrapica Michele Napoletano Paola Pepe Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in buffaloes in a Mediterranean area Revista Científica risk factors Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) |
title | Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in buffaloes in a Mediterranean area |
title_full | Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in buffaloes in a Mediterranean area |
title_fullStr | Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in buffaloes in a Mediterranean area |
title_full_unstemmed | Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in buffaloes in a Mediterranean area |
title_short | Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in buffaloes in a Mediterranean area |
title_sort | risk factors for toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in buffaloes in a mediterranean area |
topic | risk factors Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) |
url | https://produccioncientificaluz.org/index.php/cientifica/article/view/43313 |
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