Department of Clinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran.
Department of Clinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran.
Microb Pathog. 2024 Oct;195:106848. doi: 10.1016/j.micpath.2024.106848. Epub 2024 Aug 14.
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection in dogs is distributed globally. Given the potential impact of T. gondii on human reproductive health and its zoonotic potential, focusing on infected dogs with breeding disorders may provide valuable new insights into the role of toxoplasmosis on reproductive disorders. This study aimed to elucidate the potential role of T. gondii on reproductive disorders by conducting a serosurvey on a kennel with breeding disorders in Kerman, Iran.
Purebred dogs with American Kennel Club-certified Pedigrees were randomly selected in both genders from a breeding kennel with a history of reproductive problems such as neonatal deaths, abortion stillbirths, and male infertility. Blood samples were collected from selected dogs, and serosurvey was done with a Toxo-Screen kit using the modified agglutination test (MAT).
From 46 selected breeding dogs, 20 (43.5 %) were positive in the Toxoplasma MAT test, consisting of 24 samples (52.17 %) with different reproductive disorders and 22 (47.83 %) healthy dogs. However, the presence of reproductive disorder had no significant relationship with seropositivity (p = 0.067). Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis had no significant relationship with sex (p = 0.28) and age (p = 0.18) in the studied population.
Screening with the standard MAT method reduces the risk of transmitting toxoplasmosis by preventing the entry of infected dogs into the kennel, identifying the infected cases to start specific treatments, optimizing the proper nutritional conditions, and ensuring the hygiene of the environment. Fresh/refrigerated raw meat, unpasteurized milk feeding, rodent infestation of grass-covered dog runs, and the main dry food storage facilities were the primary risk factors in kennels.
弓形虫（Toxoplasma gondii，T. gondii）感染在全球范围内分布。鉴于弓形虫对人类生殖健康的潜在影响及其人畜共患的潜力，关注具有繁殖障碍的感染犬可能为弓形虫病对生殖障碍的作用提供有价值的新见解。本研究旨在通过对伊朗克尔曼一个具有繁殖障碍病史的犬舍进行血清学调查，阐明弓形虫在繁殖障碍中的潜在作用。
从一个具有繁殖问题历史的犬舍中，随机选择具有美国养犬俱乐部认证血统的纯种公犬和母犬，这些问题包括新生儿死亡、流产死胎和雄性不育。从选定的犬只中采集血液样本，并使用改良凝集试验（MAT）的 Toxo-Screen 试剂盒进行血清学调查。
从 46 只选定的繁殖犬中，20 只（43.5%）在弓形虫 MAT 试验中呈阳性，其中 24 个样本（52.17%）存在不同的繁殖障碍，22 个（47.83%）健康犬。然而，生殖障碍的存在与血清阳性率之间没有显著关系（p=0.067）。在研究人群中，弓形虫病的血清流行率与性别（p=0.28）和年龄（p=0.18）无显著关系。
使用标准的 MAT 方法进行筛查，可以通过防止感染犬进入犬舍、识别感染病例以开始特定治疗、优化适当的营养条件以及确保环境卫生，来降低传播弓形虫病的风险。新鲜/冷藏生肉、未经巴氏消毒的牛奶喂养、啮齿动物对草地犬舍的侵害以及主要的干粮储存设施是犬舍中的主要风险因素。
