Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies, circulating antigens and DNA in stray cats in Shanghai, China.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Toxoplasma gondii is prevalent in most areas of the world and may cause abortions or neonatal complications in humans. As the only definitive host, cats play an important role in the epidemiology of the disease. Infection rates in cats, especially stray or free-living cats, are considered to be the best sentinels of the level of T. gondii in the environment. The T. gondii infection can be diagnosed in different ways with different methods depending on the target. However, little information on T. gondii infection in cats was available in Shanghai, China. Moreover reports on prevalence of circulating antigens, antibodies and DNA of T. gondii in the same study are rare.

Methods

In the present study, the presence of antibodies (Ab), circulating antigens (CA), and/or

SUBMITTER: Wang Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3453520 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature