Infection dynamic of Toxoplasma gondii in two fattening pig farms exposed to high and low cat density in an endemic region

The presence of cats in the farms is considered a risk factor for the infection of pigs with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Cats eliminate oocysts that contaminate food, water and promote the infection of host reservoir such as rodents and birds among others that are also involved in the infection o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Veterinary parasitology 2011-02, Vol.175 (3-4), p.367-371
Main Authors: Ortega-Pacheco, A., Acosta-Viana, K.Y., Guzman-Marin, E., Uitzil-Álvarez, B., Rodríguez-Buenfil, J.C., Jimenez-Coello, M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antibodies, Protozoan - blood
Cat density
Cat Diseases - epidemiology
Cat Diseases - parasitology
Cat Diseases - transmission
Cats
Cohort Studies
Endemic region
IgG
Incidence
Mexico - epidemiology
Pigs
Risk Factors
Rodentia
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Swine
Swine Diseases - epidemiology
Swine Diseases - parasitology
Swine Diseases - transmission
Toxoplasma - immunology
Toxoplasma - pathogenicity
Toxoplasma gondii
Toxoplasmosis, Animal - epidemiology
Toxoplasmosis, Animal - parasitology
Toxoplasmosis, Animal - transmission
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Summary:The presence of cats in the farms is considered a risk factor for the infection of pigs with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Cats eliminate oocysts that contaminate food, water and promote the infection of host reservoir such as rodents and birds among others that are also involved in the infection of pigs. The objective of this study was to assess the dynamic of infection of T. gondii in seronegative weaned pigs from weaning to 20 weeks of age from two farms from an endemic region, one with high and low density of cats. A cohort study was performed in 64 pigs, 31 newly weaned pigs on a farm with a high density of cats (FA) and 33 newly-weaned pigs on a farm with a low density of cats (FB). Blood samples were collected every 14 days to determine the presence of IgG antibodies against T. gondii in the serum using an indirect ELISA test. True incidence rate (TIV), cumulative incidence (AI) and relative risk (RR) was calculated. The age of seroconversion was determined by using survival tables; both farms were compared with Long-Rank test. In FA 97.5% of the pigs seroconverted at the second sampling and 100% at the third sampling, while in the FB all pigs seroconverted to the fourth sampling. The TIV was 0.67 and 0.43 for FA and FB respectively, during the first four weeks at risk. A RR of 1.5 (1.04–2.39) was obtained (p
ISSN:0304-4017
1873-2550
DOI:10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.10.018