Epidemiological and Diagnostic study of Toxoplasma gondii in Cats and Humans Using Microscopic and Serological Methods in Shahat City
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58987/x8ws0t34Keywords:
Toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, IgM, IgG, Shahat CityAbstract
Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, represents a significant public health concern due to its wide distribution and zoonotic potential between cats and humans. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of T. gondii in cat feces and human blood within the same study area (Shahat City). Cat fecal samples examined using Sheather's Sugar Flotation Technique, and human blood samples analyzed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. The overall prevalence of T. gondii infection in Shahat City was 65%. The infection rate among female cats (84.6%) was significantly higher than that of male cats (15.3%). Regarding lifestyle, free-roaming cats showed the highest prevalence (41.0%), followed by semi-confined cats (38.4%), and while indoor confined cats had the lowest rate (20.5%). By age, cats older than two years up to more than four years exhibited the highest infection rate (46.1%), whereas the lowest rate was in the 12–24 month age group (20.5%). Seasonally, prevalence was highest in summer (80.0%), followed by spring (69.3%), autumn (54.6%), and lowest in winter (23.0%). Furthermore, serological analysis of human blood samples demonstrated that 32.2% of individuals were positive for IgM, while 78.9% were positive for IgG. These findings highlight the urgent need for strategies to minimize and control the prevalence of toxoplasmosis.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Amal S. Hamd, Juma Ahmed Mohamed Ali (Author)
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