Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in stray and owned dogs of Grenada, West Indies

Abstract

Aim: This serological survey was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in two populations of dogs (stray and owned dogs) in Grenada. Dogs get infected with oocysts voided from cats, definitive hosts of T. gondii. In dogs, T. gondii causes subclinical to clinical disease. Earlier studies conducted in Grenada on a small population of owned dogs showed evidence of exposure to T. gondii. Materials and Methods: Antibodies to T. gondii were determined in serum samples from 625 dogs (368 stray and 257 owned dogs) from around all six parishes in Grenada, West Indies, using an indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 123 (33.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 28.58-38.22%) of stray dogs and in 64 (25%; 95% CI: 19.71-30.29%) of the owned dogs. Seropositivity was higher in stray dogs than in pet dogs (p=0.026). Whereas, there was no sex predisposition to seropositivity in owned dogs (p=1.0), female stray dogs showed a higher prevalence than male stray dogs (p=0.04). Conclusion: These results support previous findings that T. gondii is prevalent in Grenada. In this study, overall seropositivity for T. gondii in dogs in Grenada is lower than noted in 2008, but is still higher in stray dogs than in owned dogs.