Frequency of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dogs and cats from the metropolitan region of Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil

Authors

  • Kamila Cunha Covre Department of Pathology, Federal University of Espírito Santo - UFES, Vitória, ES, Brazil
  • Priscila Camargo Granadeiro Farias Postgraduate Program in Infectious Diseases, Federal University of Espírito Santo - UFES, Vitória, ES, Brazil
  • Rosângela Aparecida Müller Postgraduate Program in Infectious Diseases, Federal University of Espírito Santo - UFES, Vitória, ES, Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5924-8789
  • Vanessa Gobbi Amorim Department of Pathology, Federal University of Espírito Santo - UFES, Vitória, ES, Brazil
  • Rosalida Estevan Nazar Lopes Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
  • Luciane Bresciani Salaroli Postgraduate Program in Nutrition and Health, Federal University of Espírito Santo - UFES, Vitória, ES, Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1881-0306
  • Ricardo Wagner de Almeida Vitor Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8599-0474
  • Blima Fux Department of Pathology, Federal University of Espírito Santo - UFES, Vitória, ES, Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5038-3551

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/avs.v27i3.85851

Keywords:

brazilian pets, sentinels, seroepidemiology, toxoplasmosis

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis, an infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is widely distributed. Seroprevalence in pets is a reliable tool to determine environmental parasite presence and human risk of infection due to proximity to these animals. The frequency of anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies in sera of dogs and cats from Espírito Santo, Brazil and risk factors associated with the infection (sex, age, allocation, and breed) were assessed. Antibodies against T. gondii were detected in 39.4% (149/378) and 38.1% (142/373) of the dogs by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), respectively. In cats, antibodies were detected in 15.2% (12/79) by ELISA and 7.6% (6/79) by IFAT. Canine infection was associated with stray origin and older ages. There was an agreement between techniques in the detection of antibodies in dogs (0.82) and cats ( 0.63). These results indicate the parasite presence in the urban environment, suggesting the possibility of infection to humans and other animals. However, this risk is lower considering pet domiciled animals with control diet and better hygiene conditions.

Author Biographies

Kamila Cunha Covre, Department of Pathology, Federal University of Espírito Santo - UFES, Vitória, ES, Brazil

Degree in Pharmacy with qualification in Biochemistry (2011) and Master's Degree in Infectious Diseases (2014), both from the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES). She currently works as a Pharmacist-Biochemist at the Transfusion Agency of the Nossa Senhora da Glória State Children's Hospital (HEINSG), in Vitória-ES.

Priscila Camargo Granadeiro Farias, Postgraduate Program in Infectious Diseases, Federal University of Espírito Santo - UFES, Vitória, ES, Brazil

Graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro in 2006. Master in Infectious Diseases from the Postgraduate Program in Infectious Diseases of the Federal University of Espírito Santo. Professor of Infectious Diseases and Small Animal Clinic I and II at Universidade Vila Velha.

Rosângela Aparecida Müller, Postgraduate Program in Infectious Diseases, Federal University of Espírito Santo - UFES, Vitória, ES, Brazil.

Graduated in Biological Sciences from the Federal University of Mato Grosso (2010), Master's in Immunology and Parasitology (2013) from the Federal University of Mato Grosso and is currently a PhD student at the PPG in Infectious Diseases at the Federal University of Espírito Santo. She worked as a higher education professor at Faculdades Doctum de Serra from 2016 to 2020. She has experience in the field of Ornithology (ringing, hematology) with an emphasis on ecological immunology, working mainly in the study of the immune response against environmental stressors, determination of stress biomarkers in wild birds. She is currently working on research related to the effects of environmental fragmentation on the health of wild birds in the Atlantic Forest, analyzing the prevalence and diversity of infectious and parasitic agents.

Vanessa Gobbi Amorim, Department of Pathology, Federal University of Espírito Santo - UFES, Vitória, ES, Brazil

Bachelor and Licentiate in Biological Sciences from UFES. She worked during most of her academic training as a scientific initiation at the Parasitology Laboratory at UFES. She has expertise in parasitology, cell biology, immunology and toxoplasmosis. She participated in PIBIC and PIBID during her training. Specialist in Science Education and Dissemination.

Rosalida Estevan Nazar Lopes, Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.

Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.

Luciane Bresciani Salaroli, Postgraduate Program in Nutrition and Health, Federal University of Espírito Santo - UFES, Vitória, ES, Brazil.

Nutritionist from the Federal University of Ouro Preto, PhD in Physiological Sciences (PPGCF-UFES) and Master in Public Health (PPGSC-UFES). She is currently an Associate Professor at the Federal University of Espírito Santo, permanent professor at the Postgraduate Program in Collective Health - PPGSC and Coordinator and Permanent Professor at the Postgraduate Program in Nutrition and Health -PPGNS. Since 2010, he coordinates the Research Group/CNPq in Epidemiology, Health and Nutrition (GEMNUT) of the Federal University of Espírito Santo, in which he develops research in the different life cycles with an emphasis on Epidemiology of Diseases that configure problems of Public Health, Occupational Health , Multimorbidity, Consumption and Dietary Patterns of Populations, working mainly in descriptive studies and research on risk factors and prognostic factors.

Ricardo Wagner de Almeida Vitor, Department of Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.

Graduated in Pharmacy from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (1980), Master's (1985) and Doctorate (1992) in Parasitology from the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Retired Full Professor at the Department of Parasitology of the Institute of Biological Sciences of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, where he continues to act as a Volunteer Professor contributing to the training of undergraduate and graduate students. Has experience in Parasitology, with emphasis on Human and Animal Parasitic Protozoology, working mainly on the following topics: Toxoplasma gondii: diagnosis, isolation and characterization of strains, virulence and PCR-RFLP typing, experimental models of toxoplasmosis, seroepidemiology, toxoplasmosis in small ruminants. Leader of the Toxoplasma gondii and toxoplasmosis research group at CNPq.

Blima Fux, Department of Pathology, Federal University of Espírito Santo - UFES, Vitória, ES, Brazil.

Graduated in Biology from Faculdades Metodistas Integradas Izabela Hendrix (1994), Master's in Parasitology from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (1998) and PhD in Parasitology from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (2003). Recent doctor by the Rene Rachou Research Center (2004). Postdoctoral fellow at the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis (2007), in the area of toxoplasmosis. Postdoctoral fellow at UFMG in the area of molecular biology and immunology in the study of visceral leishmaniasis (2009). She is currently Associate Professor II at the Department of Pathology at the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES). Permanent professor at the Postgraduate Program in Infectious Diseases. She has experience in the field of parasitology, with an emphasis on protozoology (Toxoplasmosis, Malaria, Chagas Disease, Leishmaniasis, Malaria).

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Published

2022-09-13

How to Cite

Covre, K. C., Farias, P. C. G., Müller, R. A., Amorim, V. G., Lopes, R. E. N., Salaroli, L. B., … Fux, B. (2022). Frequency of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dogs and cats from the metropolitan region of Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Archives of Veterinary Science, 27(3). https://doi.org/10.5380/avs.v27i3.85851

Issue

Vol. 27 No. 3 (2022)

Section

Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases

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