Risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection in free-range chickens in the semiarid region of Brazil

This study aimed to investigate the frequency of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in serum from 629 chickens on 39 family farms in seven municipalities in the semiarid region, Pernambuco, Brazil, and to identify risk factors associated with T. gondii infection. The risk factors were studied in 421...

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Published in:Revista brasileira de parasitologia veterinaria 2017-04, Vol.26 (2), p.221-225
Main Authors: Sá, Silvio Gomes de, Ribeiro-Andrade, Müller, Silva, Luana Thamires Rapôso, Souza, Neto, Orestes Luiz de, Lima, Débora Costa Viegas, Pedrosa, Camila de Moraes, Bezerra, Mauro José Gonçalves, Mota, Rinaldo Aparecido
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antibodies, Protozoan - blood
Brazil
Chickens - blood
Chickens - immunology
criação familiar
fatores de risco
galinhas
Humans
PARASITOLOGY
Poultry Diseases - blood
Poultry Diseases - etiology
Poultry Diseases - transmission
Risk Factors
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Sheep - parasitology
Toxoplasma
Toxoplasmose
Toxoplasmosis, Animal - blood
Toxoplasmosis, Animal - etiology
Toxoplasmosis, Animal - transmission
VETERINARY SCIENCES
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Summary:This study aimed to investigate the frequency of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in serum from 629 chickens on 39 family farms in seven municipalities in the semiarid region, Pernambuco, Brazil, and to identify risk factors associated with T. gondii infection. The risk factors were studied in 421 samples from 29 farms. Anti-T. gondii antibodies were investigated by indirect fluorescent antibody test with a 1:16 cutoff. The frequency of positive chickens was 27.9% (176/629) and 94.8% of the farms studied had chickens infected by T. gondii. Multivariate analysis showed variables significantly associated with anti-T. gondii antibodies in serum: slaughter of animals on the farm, reproductive disorders in sheep, consumption of fetal adnexa and placentas by chickens, presence of sheep in the property and birth of sheep the property. The results suggest that there is a complex relationship between general management practices for different animal species raised on the same farm and the prevalence of T. gondii infection in chickens. In addition, the results draw attention to the risk of human infection by T. gondii via consumption of infected chicken meat, because the farming conditions and the low human development indices observed in the region studied result in inappropriate meat preparation practices.
ISSN:0103-846X
1984-2961
1984-2961
DOI:10.1590/S1984-29612017033