Detection of anti-Toxoplasma gondiiantibodies in carthorses in the metropolitan region of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

Toxoplasma gondii, the agent for toxoplasmosis, has worldwide distribution. Horses normally play a secondary role in its life cycle, but movement around urban areas, feeding on grass and the increasing use of carthorses for gathering recyclable material in some urban areas of Brazil may increase their exposure to T. gondii infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the frequency of anti-T. gondii antibodies in carthorses in the metropolitan region of Curitiba, PR. IgG antibodies against T. gondii were detected using the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) (titers ≥ 64). Seventeen (17.0%) of the 100 horses sampled were seropositive. There were no statistical differences in relation to sex (p = 0.28) or age (p = 0.15). Our findings suggest that carthorses are exposed to T. gondii infections and that no associations with age or sex exist.

刚地弓形虫（Toxoplasma gondii）是弓形虫病（toxoplasmosis）的病原体，呈全球分布态势。马通常在其生命周期中仅扮演次要宿主角色，但在巴西部分城区，拉车役马的城市区域活动、草料采食行为，以及其用于收集可回收物料的场景日益增多，这些因素均可能提升它们感染刚地弓形虫的风险。本研究旨在调查巴西巴拉那州库里蒂巴都会区拉车役马血清中抗刚地弓形虫抗体的流行率。本研究采用间接荧光抗体试验（indirect fluorescence antibody test, IFAT）检测抗刚地弓形虫IgG抗体，判定滴度阈值为≥64。在100份受检马血清样本中，17份（17.0%）呈血清学阳性。性别（p=0.28）与年龄（p=0.15）方面均未观察到统计学差异。本研究结果表明，拉车役马存在刚地弓形虫感染暴露风险，且该感染与年龄、性别无显著关联。