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Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in slaughtered pigs in the Czech Republic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 August 2011

E. BÁRTOVÁ*
Affiliation:
Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
K. SEDLÁK
Affiliation:
Department of Virology and Serology, State Veterinary Institute Prague, Sídlištní 136/24, 165 03 Prague 6, Czech Republic
*
*Corresponding author: Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic. Tel: +420 541562633. E-mail: bartovae@vfu.cz

Summary

In the Czech Republic, sera from 551 clinically healthy adult slaughtered pigs (females, 6–8 months old) were collected during the first half of June in 2010. Sera were tested for Toxoplasma gondii-specific IgG antibodies by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; samples with more than 50% S/P were considered as positive. The same samples were also analysed for Neospora caninum antibodies using a commercial competitive-inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; samples with more than 30% inhibition were considered as positive. Antibodies against T. gondii were found in 198 pigs (36%) in all districts with prevalences ranging from 18% to 75%. Antibodies against N. caninum were found in 16 pigs (3%); positive animals were found in 4 districts with prevalences ranging from 1% to 20%. Indication of mixed infections (concurrent presence of both N. caninum and T. gondii antibodies) was found in 8 (1·5%) pigs. The results of our study indicate that pigs in the Czech Republic have a relatively high seroprevalence for T. gondii, while they have only a low seroprevalence for N. caninum. Therefore, natural infection with T. gondii seems to be very common in Czech pigs. It is the first evidence of N. caninum antibodies in pigs in the Czech Republic. These results complete data about N. caninum infection in pigs in Europe.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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