Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum Antibodies in Dogs and Cats from Egypt and Risk Factor Analysis

Abstract

Background: Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are major protozoan parasites of worldwide distribution and significance in veterinary medicine and, for T. gondii, in public health. Cats and dogs, as final hosts for T. gondii and N. caninum, respectively, have a key function in environmental contamination with oocysts and, thus, in parasite transmission. Very little is known about the prevalence of T. gondii infections in dogs and cats in Egypt, and even less about the prevalence of N. caninum in the same hosts. Methods: In the current study, 223 serum samples of both dogs (n = 172) and cats (n = 51) were investigated for specific antibodies to T. gondii and N. caninum using commercially available ELISAs. A risk factor analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with seropositivity. Results & discussion: Exposure to T. gondii was reported in 23.3% of the dogs and in 9.8% of the cats, respectively. In addition, N. caninum-specific antibodies were recorded in 5.8% of dogs and in 3.4% of cats. A mixed infection was found in two dogs (1.2%) and in one cat (2%). Antibodies to T. gondii in dogs were significantly more frequent in dogs aged 3 years or more and in male German Shepherds. As this breed is often used as watchdogs and was the most sampled breed in Alexandria governorate, the purpose “watchdog” (compared to “stray” or “companion”), the male sex, and the governorate “Alexandria” also had a significantly higher seroprevalence for T. gondii. No factors associated with antibodies to N. caninum could be identified in dogs, and no significant factors were determined in cats for either T. gondii or N. caninum infection. Our study substantially adds to the knowledge of T. gondii infection in dogs and cats and presents data on N. caninum infection in cats for the first and in dogs in Egypt for the second time.