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Home » Archive » 2015 » Veterinary Session

Veterinary session

Serological survey of Toxoplasma gondii infection of pigs in Hungary
Czuck Anna - year 5
SzIU, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Department of Parasitology and Zoology
Supervisor: Róbert Farkas DVM

Abstract:

Toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide distributed protozoan species. The infection of domesticated meat animal species, including pigs, has been detected in many countries. The Toxoplasma cysts occurring in slaughtered animals can infect humans, if the meat is raw or undercooked. The pregnant women are especially at risk due to the infection of foetus. Up-to-now no methods have been available to detect the microscopic sized cysts during the meat inspection. For this reason the infected live or slaughtered animals are detected with serological methods worldwide. The aim of this study was to carry out serological surveys of toxoplasmosis in pig farms.

During the last four years 1031 blood samples of pigs (sows, porkling, fattening) were collected in 23 farms (16-90 samples/farm). The anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were detected in the sera samples with PrioCHECK Toxoplasma Ab porcine, Toxoplasma antibody test kit, ELISA (Prionics Lelystand B. V., the Netherlands). The seroprevalence was calculated with taking into account the sensitivity and specificity of the kit.

Two hundred ninety-three (28.7%) out of 1031 pigs were seropositive. The seroprevalence of the examined animals of each infected farm ranged between 4.7 and 73.6%. No infected animals were found in 6 farms, and only one seropositive pig was detected in 3 other places. The highest and the lowest seroprevalence was found in sows (213/388, 55.8%) and in fattening pigs (29/489, 5.6%), respectively. From 154 porklings 51 (33.5%) had anti-Toxoplasma antibody.

This is the first report about the occurrence of Toxoplasma infection in Hungarian pig farms. Based on these data prevention measures should be improved, the customers can be informed about the risk of this pork-borne infection and reliable method should be invented for meat inspection.



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