%0 Journal Article
%T Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among horses in Tunisia
%A Sonia Boughattas
%A Ramzi Bergaoui
%A Rym Essid
%A Karim Aoun
%A Aida Bouratbine
%J Parasites & Vectors
%D 2011
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1756-3305-4-218
%X A total of 158 serum samples were obtained from clinically healthy horses which consisted of 111 (32 female, 79 male) 2-10 years old and 47 (11 female, 36 male) older than 10 years. All of the horses were tested for antibodies to T. gondii using the Modified Agglutination Test (MAT).According to MAT results, antibodies to T. gondii were found in 28 (17.7%) of 158 sera with the titers of 1:20 in 20 horses, 1:40 in 1 horse, 1:80 in 2 horses, 1:160 in 2 horses, 1:320 in 1 horse and ¡Ý1:640 in 2 horses. Anti-T. gondii antibodies were found in 18 (16.2%) of 111 horses (2-10 years old) and 10 (21.2%) of 47 horses (older than 10 years old). Six (13.9%) out of 43 female had anti-toxoplasma antibodies and 22 (19.1%) from 115 males remained positive.Statistically significant differences in age groups and genders were observed between the seropositive and seronegative horses using the Chi square X(2) test. Other statistical correlation was also reported concerning horse breed.Toxoplasmosis is a globally distributed zoonosis with a clinical impact in the unborn fetus and in the immunosuppressed individual. Consumption of undercooked meat has been well established as a major risk factor for human Toxoplasma gondii infection worldwide. All warm blood animals are receptive to the parasite but with different rates between the species [1]. With few exceptions horses are considered one of the less sensitive species to the pathogenic effect of Toxoplasma gondii [2], however, when infected the parasite is considered to be associated with encephalomyelitis in horses. Moreover, traditionally in Tunisia, the undercooked meat of horse is recommended for pregnant women leading thus to infection of mothers [3]. No data are available on the prevalence of the parasite in horses in our country that is why we investigated the determination of its serological survey with different correlations between the geographic location, the gender, the age and the breed of the animal.Blood samples were obtai
%K Toxoplasma
%K horse
%K antibodies
%K seroprevalence
%K MAT
%K Tunisia
%U http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/content/4/1/218