Benlakehal Amar, Miroud Kamel, Djeghim Hanène, Kaidi Rachid
Epidemiological Surveillance Laboratory, Health, Production and Reproduction, Experimentation and Cell Therapy of Domestic and Wild Animals, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Chadli Bendjedid University, 36000, El-Tarf, Algeria.
Department of Natural and Life Sciences, Faculty of Exact Sciences and Natural and Life Sciences, Larbi Tebessi University, 12002, Tebessa, Algeria.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2019 Nov;51(8):2227-2233. doi: 10.1007/s11250-019-01921-2. Epub 2019 May 28.
Although T. gondii is of considerable both public and veterinary importance worldwide, studies on its existence in sheep in Algeria, either through serology and or parasitology is scarce. To this end, a cross-sectional study was carried out in Tébessa, an Algerian eastern province, to, firstly, investigate the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in sheep and, secondly, determine the potential risk factors that may be associated with seropositivity. A total of 376 serum samples from 39 flocks, collected between September 2015 and October 2017, were tested for anti-T.gondii antibodies via the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique (ELISA). A T. gondii seroprevalence of 35.37% (95% CI 30.54-40.21%) was recorded, and 84.61% (95% CI 73.29-95.94%) of the flocks sampled had, at least, one seropositive animal. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that abortion during the latest pregnancy (OR = 1.56; 95% CI 1.02-2.44; p = 0.05), presence of goats in sheep flocks (OR = 1.76; 95% CI 1.04-2.98; p = 0.037), and the sampling period were the variables significantly associated with seropositivity. The present study reports, for the first time in this part of Algeria, the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection and bears out the highly dissemination capacity of the parasite. This is of a great importance for veterinarians in charge of veterinary public health, veterinary practitioners, and breeders in order to improve the control and prophylactic measures of toxoplasmosis. Nevertheless, further study should be conducted to explore the impact of the parasite on public and animal health.
尽管刚地弓形虫在全球范围内具有相当大的公共卫生和兽医重要性，但在阿尔及利亚，关于其在绵羊体内存在情况的研究，无论是通过血清学还是寄生虫学方法，都很匮乏。为此，在阿尔及利亚东部省份泰贝萨进行了一项横断面研究，首先调查绵羊中刚地弓形虫感染的血清阳性率，其次确定可能与血清阳性相关的潜在风险因素。2015年9月至2017年10月期间，从39个羊群中收集了376份血清样本，通过酶联免疫吸附测定技术（ELISA）检测抗刚地弓形虫抗体。记录的刚地弓形虫血清阳性率为35.37%（95%置信区间30.54 - 40.21%），且抽样的羊群中有84.61%（95%置信区间73.29 - 95.94%）至少有一只血清阳性动物。多变量逻辑回归分析表明，最近一次怀孕期间流产（比值比=1.56；95%置信区间1.02 - 2.44；p = 0.05）、羊群中有山羊（比值比=1.76；95%置信区间1.04 - 2.98；p = 0.037）以及采样时间是与血清阳性显著相关的变量。本研究首次报道了阿尔及利亚这一地区刚地弓形虫感染的血清阳性率，并证实了该寄生虫的高传播能力。这对于负责兽医公共卫生的兽医、兽医从业者和养殖者提高弓形虫病的防控和预防措施具有重要意义。然而，应进一步开展研究以探索该寄生虫对公共卫生和动物健康的影响。
