Toxoplasma gondii and Intestinal Helminth Infections among Owned and Strayed Cats in Sokoto, Nigeria

Abstract

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii was determined on sera obtained from 200 (125 owned and 75 strayed) cats, within Sokoto, North west Nigeria. The sera were tested by Toxo-latex slide agglutination test (Toxo-LSAT) and antitoxoplasma antibodies titres (Toxo-LSAT>1.8) were found in 14 (7.0%) of the strayed cats while none of the owned cats was positive for T. gondii infection. Out of the 14 positive cats, 9 (64.3%) were male, none of the kittens less than 6 months old was positive while infection occurred in 6 (42.9%) young cats (6 months-1 year old) and 8 (57.1%) adults. There were no significant differences in infection, gender and age (p>0.01). No T. gondii cysts was detected in any of the fecal samples examined but 92 (46.0%) had the following helminth ova as single or mixed infection: Taenia taeniaeformis (16.5%), Toxocara cati (10.9%), Dipylidium caninum (8.0%) and Ancylostoma tubaeforme (11.5%). The presence of T. gondii antibodies in strayed cats in this study is of concern as such cats have maximum interaction with their environment shedding faeces indiscriminately and this can precipitate transfer of infection to susceptible animals including man.