Sessions

As part of a 2024 TDK project, cats (N=123) living in the Budapest area were tested for Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) seropositivity, and a prevalence of 31.7% was detected using ID Screen® Toxoplasmosis Indirect Multi-species ELISA kits. Of the cats tested, 24.4% (30/123) had been fed raw meat with varying regularity. Raw feeding (BARF diet) is becoming increasingly popular among cat owners because it is closest to the animals' natural diet, but raw feed is a major source of numerous infections, including toxoplasmosis.

My TDK work focuses on testing raw meat samples for T. gondii infection. I used an online questionnaire (N=116) to survey cat owners who feed their cats raw meat about the types of meat they regularly purchase and their sources of supply, and I obtained samples from the same sources. Of the cats included in the survey, 99 were fed raw chicken, 27 were fed raw beef, and 26 were fed raw pork. The frequency of other meat types (fish, turkey, duck, rabbit, sheep, goat, deer, etc.) lagged significantly behind these.

Raw meat samples from pigs (N=54) and cattle (N=13) were tested using ID Screen ® Toxoplasmosis Indirect Multi-species ELISA kits, while raw meat samples from chickens (N=37) were tested with modified versions of the same kits to assess the prevalence of T. gondii infection. Of the 54 pig samples, 8 (14.81%) were positive. All of the 13 cattle samples were negative. Of the 37 chicken samples, 1 (2.7%) was positive.

The meat samples examined were sourced from commercial supplies (butcher shops, Lidl, Spar, Tesco, backyard farms) and are suitable for human consumption. Due to the zoonotic nature of toxoplasmosis, the results are relevant not only to animal health but also to public health. Consuming raw meat for the first time also poses a risk of infection, and repeated consumption greatly increases the chance of infection. In my work, I summarize the relevant knowledge about toxoplasmosis, present general hygiene rules and the basics of safe meat handling in the kitchen, so that by following them, we can minimize the chance of infection for both humans and cats.