Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii in sheep of southern Brazil

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Comparative Clinical Pathology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is responsible for reproductive failure in sheep, and it is considered a zoonotic parasite. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of toxoplasmosis and its risk factors at the farm level. For that, 314 sheep from 18 farms of 7 municipalities of the West part of Santa Catarina State, Southern Brazil were used. To identify possible risk factors associated to the disease, a survey was applied to farmers with questions regarding farm characteristics, type of management, and history of animal reproductive problems. Out of 314 sera samples, 118 (37%, CI 95% 32.3–43.3) were positives for T. gondii. Multivariate analyses showed that allowing cats to have access to sheep feed was significantly associated to toxoplasmosis, with an odds ratio of 2.42. Similarly, keeping cats in the farm increased 1.67 times the chances of T. gondii infection by sheep. Therefore, we concluded that sheep infection by T. gondii in the West of Santa Catarina state is distributed very similarly to other regions of Brazil, and the presence of cats in the property is strongly correlated to the occurrence of the disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Braga EF, Braga E, Braga KLM, Braga AIS (2011) Serological diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii by indirect hemagglutination test in sheep reared in two counties of northeast Paraense. Rev Cient Elet de Med Vet, Garça 17:1–19

  • Dubey JP (2010) Toxoplasmosis of animals and humans. 2ª ed. Maryland: Boca Raton

  • Camargo ME (1964) Improvided technique of indirect immunofluorescence for serological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. Rev Inst Med Trop 6:117–118

  • Goulart PRM, Brener B, Amendoeira MRR (2013) Production of mammals and their role in jail of epidemiological Toxoplasma gondii—review. Vet Not 19:109–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Klauck V, Pazinato R, Radavelli WM, Custodio E, Bianchi AE, Camillo G, Cezar AS, Vogel FF, Tonin AA, Ferreira R, Stefani LM, Da Silva AS (2016) Toxoplasma gondii infection in dairy ewes: vertical transmission and influence on milk production and reproductive performance. Microb Pathog 99:101–105

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moura AB, Silva MO, Trevisani N, Souza AP, Sartor AA, Quadros RM (2015) Toxoplasma gondii: seroprevalence and risk factors in ewes in the mountainous plateau of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Rev do Inst Adolfo Lutz 74:200–206

    Google Scholar 

  • Neto JOA, Azevedo SS, Gennari SM, Funada MR, Pena HFJ, Araujo ARCP, Batista CSA, Silva MLCR, Gomes AAB, Piatti RM, Alves CJ (2008) Prevalence and risk factors for anti-toxoplasma gondii antibodies in goats of the Seridó Oriental microregion, Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeast region of Brazil. Vet Parasitol 156:329–332

  • Oliveira FC, Oliveira PA, Cunha Filho NA, Aguiar CLG, Pappen FG, Ruas JL, Farias NAR (2016) The incidence and productive significance of ovine toxoplasmosis in southern Brazil. Cienc Rural 46:1618–1621

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pereira MF, Peixoto RM, Langoni H, Greca Junior H, Azevedo SS, Porto WJN, Medeiros ES, Mota RA (2012) Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in sheep and goats in Pernambuco, Brazil. Pesq Vet Bras 32:140–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pimentel JL, Lúcio ÉC, Clemente SMS, Oliveira JMB, Albuquerque PPF, Júnior JLS, Júnior KWP (2013) Fatores de Risco e Análise Espacial da Infecção por Toxoplasma gondii em ovinos no Agreste e Sertão do Estado de Pernambuco. In: Jornada de ensino, pesquisa e extensão, XIII. Recife. Jepex. Recife: Ufrpe

  • Ragozo AMA (2007) Isolation and biological and genotypic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in sheep and goats. 2007. 114 f. Tese (Doutorado) - Curso de Medicina Veterinária, Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo

  • Rossi GF, Cabral DD, Ribeiro DP, Pajuaba ACAM, Corrêa RR, Moreira RQ, Mineo TWP, Mineo JR, Silva DAO (2011) Evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infections in sheep from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, by different serological methods. Vet Parasitol 175:252–259

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Silva R, Ullmann L, Guimaraes F, Greca H, Gaio F, Rosa E, Amorim R, Langoni H (2009) Occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in sheep from Sao Paulo State, Brazil. XIV International Congress of the International Society for Animal Hygiene (ISAH).Sustainable animal husbandry: prevention is better than cure, Volume 2; July. Vechta: Proceedings. p. 793–6. 19

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Science, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Chapeco, SC, Brazil

    Gabriela Campigotto, Aleksandro S. da Silva, Patrícia Glombowsky, Gabriela M. Galli & Lenita M. Stefani

  2. Graduate Program in Biological Science: Biochemistry and Toxicology, UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil

    Aleksandro S. da Silva & Vanessa S. Machado

  3. Graduate Program in Animal Science, UDESC, Chapecó, SC, Brazil

    Aleksandro S. da Silva, Andréia Volpato, Juscivete F. Fávero & Lenita M. Stefani

  4. Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil

    Luiza P. Portella & Fernanda F. Vogel

  5. Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, USA

    Gustavo Machado

Authors
  1. Gabriela Campigotto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Aleksandro S. da Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Andréia Volpato
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Juscivete F. Fávero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Patrícia Glombowsky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Gabriela M. Galli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Vanessa S. Machado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Luiza P. Portella
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Fernanda F. Vogel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Lenita M. Stefani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Gustavo Machado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aleksandro S. da Silva.

Ethics declarations

Experimental protocol was approved by the Animal Welfare Committee of the State University of Santa Catarina (UDESC) under number 1.37.15.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Campigotto, G., da Silva, A.S., Volpato, A. et al. Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii in sheep of southern Brazil. Comp Clin Pathol 26, 631–635 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-017-2432-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-017-2432-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation