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标题：Toxoplasma gondii in small ruminants in Northern Italy - prevalence and risk factors
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作者：Alessia Libera Gazzonis ; Fabrizia Veronesi ; Anna Rita Di Cerbo 等
期刊名称：Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine
印刷版ISSN：1232-1966
电子版ISSN：1898-2263
出版年度：2015
卷号：22
期号：1
页码：62-68
DOI：10.5604/12321966.1141370
出版社：Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Lublin
摘要：Objective. The aim of the survey was to evaluate Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in small ruminants and possible riskfactors associated with the infection.Materials and methods. Sera from 474 goats and 502 sheep reared on 42 farms in northern Italy were collected and testedfor IgG antibodies to T. gondii by IFAT (indirect immunofluorescence antibody test). To identify risk factors, a binary logisticregression analysis of the variables was performed. An audit form about farm management was used.Results. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 96.6% of goat farms and in 87.5% of sheep farms; 41.7% goats and 59.3%sheep resulted positive. Seroprevalence was significantly higher in sheep than in goats. Seroprevalence values were similarin goats from eastern and western areas, whereas goats from the southern area were at lower risk of infection. Saanen goatspresented the lowest seroprevalence (30.7 %), whereas cross-breed exhibited the highest rate (48.7%). Goats from farmshousing both sheep and goats had an infection risk 1.39 times higher than goats from farms that did not house sheep.Animals bred on intensive farms showed lower prevalence (22.1%) in comparison with those from extensive (45.6%) or semiintensivefarms (60%). Sampling area was one of the strongest predictors of T. gondii infection in sheep flocks. Transhumantflocks showed a higher risk of infection by T. gondii compared with semi-intensive farms (66.8% vs. 38.4%).Conclusions. The highest T. gondii seroprevalence values were registered in transhumant flocks of sheep and in familybusinesses rearing goats. As these traditional activities represent an important resource for the conservation of the territoryand its economy, management practices for a better control of the disease should be improved
关键词：Toxoplasma gondii; goat; sheep; Italy; IFAT; risk factors