The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among horses in Northwest Iran

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is an important health concern for people and farm animals, leading to many studies on its effects on these populations. Despite this, there is a lack of research on the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among horses in Iran. This study aims to determine the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis using the Modified Agglutination Test (MAT) in northwest Iran horses. In this study, blood samples were taken from 385 horses in Ardabil, East Azerbaijan, and West Azerbaijan provinces. Data regarding the age, gender, and location of each horse was documented to assess their impact on the prevalence of toxoplasmosis. The data was analyzed using the chi-square test, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Of the 385 samples, 34 (8.8%) were positive for Toxoplasma gondii. Among the 271 male and 114 female horses, 24 (8.9%) and 10 (8.8%) were seropositive, respectively. Of the 116 horses under and 269 over five years old, 15 (12.9%) and 19 (7.1%) were seropositive, respectively. The prevalence rates in Ardabil, East Azerbaijan, and West Azerbaijan were 11.7% (18 out of 154), 5.1% (7 out of 136), and 9.5% (9 out of 95), respectively. According to the statistical analysis, there were no significant differences in the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection based on age, gender, or sampling location. This study is the first extensive report on the toxoplasmosis seroprevalence among horses in northwest Iran. The results provide important information that can help control and prevent the spread of toxoplasmosis.

Keywords

• horse
• modified agglutination test (mat)
• seroprevalence
• toxoplasma gondii