Risk Factors Analysis Associated with Seropositivity to Toxoplasma gondii in Sheep and Goats in Southeastern Iran Using Modified Agglutination Test (MAT)

Background: Toxoplasma gondii infection is widely prevalent in many species of warm-blooded animals including human. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of antibodies to T. gondii from slaughtered sleep and goats by mod­ified agglutination test (MAT) in Kerman region, southeastern Iran. Methods: Altogether 1340 blood samples were collected from 562 sheep and 778 goats from April to September 2005 in Kerman slaughterhouse. The sera were examined for T. gondii antibodies by MAT using an antibody titer of 1:20 or higher considered positive. The statistical analysis was performed by chi-square test and logistic regressions to analyze the influ­ence of all examined factor (age, sex and type of animals) on seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis.Results: Antibodies were found in sera of 262 out of 1340 (19.6%) samples. of 262 seropositive sera, 139 sheep (24.7%) and 123 goats (15.8%) were infected. Seropositive animals more than one year were 1.6 times more likely to be seropositive than the others were. Sheep were 1.5 times more likely to be infected than goats were (OR=1.53, 95% CI=1.15-2.04, p=0.004).Conclusion: Serological results indicated a widespread exposure to T. gondii among sheep and goats slaughtered in Kerman region and suggest that consumption of raw and undercooked meat of these animals can be a probable source of human tox­oplasmosis.