DANTAS, S. B. A.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/7333928115943316; DANTAS, Sabrina Barros Araujo.
Résumé:
The aim of this survey was to determine the frequency of anti-Toxoplasma
gondii and anti-Neospora caninum antibodies, as well as to identify risk factors in dogs
from the county of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeastern Brazil. Blood
samples were collected from 476 dogs attended at veterinary clinics from March 2011
to May 2012. For the serological diagnosis of the infections the indirect fluorescent
antibody test (IFAT) adopting the dilutions 1:64 (T. gondii) and 1:50 (N. caninum) as
cut-off points, was used. Of the 476 samples 55 (11.5%, 95% CI = 8.8% - 14.8%) were
seropositive to T. gondii, and 31 (6.5%, 95% CI = 4.5% - 9.1%) to N. caninum. The
variables age > 48 months (OR = 4.68) and access to street (OR = 4.91) were identified
as risk factors for T. gondii, while for N. caninum, risk factors were
weekly/fortnightly/monthly cleaning of the environment where the animal stay (OR =
2.77) and presence of rodents (OR = 2.34). It is concluded that infections due to T.
gondii and N. caninum detected by serology are present in dogs attended at veterinary
clinics in the county of Natal, as well as it is recommended the correction of the risk
factors identified.
