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SEROLOGIC INQUIRY OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII IN SHEEP IN NORTHERN BRAZIL

ABSTRACT

Toxoplasmosis is a serious zoonosis and widespread parasitic disease. A serologic inquiry in Santo Antonio do Tauá and Santa Izabel do Pará counties in the Castanhal Microregion, state of Pará, Northern Brazil, demonstratedahighfrequency,(44.29%) ofanti-Toxoplasmagondii antibodies detected by indirect hemaglutination test, with a distribution at titers 1:64, 1:128, 1:256, 1:512, 1:1024 and 1:2048 of, respectively, 50 (32.26%), 42 (27.10%), 29 (18.70%), 11 (7.10%), 12 (7.74%) and 11(7.10%). A statistically significant difference was observed between the 0 up to 2 and > 2 age groups in both sexes (?2 = 13.42, p = 0.0002) with a greater frequency in the > 2 years age group, (58.71%), and between the sexes (?2 = 23.51, p = 0.0001) with a greater frequency in females, (72.26%). Although the two counties presented similar frequencies (49.33% and 40.50% for Santa Izabel do Pará and Santo Antonio do Tauá, respectively) no association was observed between them. Sanitary surveillance measures are recommended to prevent health risks to humans and animals.

KEY WORDS
Toxoplasma gondii ; serology; sheep; zoonosis

Instituto Biológico Av. Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves, 1252 - Vila Mariana - São Paulo - SP, 04014-002 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: arquivos@biologico.sp.gov.br