ELISA-BASED DETECTION AND PREVALENCE OF ANTI-TOXOPLASMA GONDII ANTIBODIES IN CLINICALLY HEALTHY PET DOGS FROM SOUTHERN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular zoonotic parasite capable of infecting all warm-blooded animals, including humans, dogs and birds. Its infectivity may result in serious health problems, particularly in immunocompromised patients and pregnant women. Dogs may serve as intermediate hosts, potentially reflecting environmental exposure to T. gondii. The present cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii and identify associated risk factors in 184 clinically healthy pet dogs from southern Punjab, Pakistan. Serum samples were screened for anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies using a commercial ELISA ID Screen® Toxoplasmosis Indirect Multi-Specie (TOXO-MS, ID Vet, Grables, France). The overall seroprevalence was 16.84% (31/184). Female dogs exhibited a higher seropositivity rate 18.55% that of male pet dogs 14.94%, with a non-significant (P ≥ 0.05) difference of prevalence rate among two genders. Statistically, no significant (P ≥ 0.05) difference of seropositivity was found between age groups and seropositivity as dogs. However, animals aged >2 years were more seropositive than those aged 1–2 years and 1 month–11 months of age. Among the different breeds, Bulldogs have had the highest seroprevalence 23.07% (6/26), followed by Bully dogs 22.22% (2/9) Katha 20%, Labrador 17.85%, Gultair 15.78%, German Shepherd 15.38%, Bull Terrier 12.5% and Rottweiler 11.11%, while none of the beauty dog was detected as positive to T. gondii. However, the differences in prevalence were not statistically significant (P ≥ 0.05). Feeding practices and housing type were found to be significantly (P ≤ 0.05) associated with Toxoplasma gondii positivity while vaccination status, gender of the owner, and exposure to other pets were not significantly (P ≥ 0.05) associated with positivity. These findings demonstrate the distribution of T. gondii among pet dogs from southern Punjab, Pakistan and highlight the importance of canine exposure in understanding the epidemiology and environmental transmission of this zoonotic pathogen.