Seroprevalence of in goats and sheep in Qatar.

BACKGROUND

Toxoplasmosis, caused by , is a zoonotic infection with significant implications for animal and human health. Congenital transmission leads to reproductive issues affecting livestock productivity. This study aims to assess the prevalence of antibodies in goats and sheep using the Modified Agglutination Test (MAT).

METHODS

Blood samples were collected from 799 small ruminants (537 sheep and 262 goats) across seven municipalities in Qatar between November 2019 and November 2021. The samples were analyzed using MAT to detect IgG antibodies. Seroprevalence was determined, and statistical analysis was performed to assess risk factors such as age, gender, location, and season.

RESULTS

Of the 799 samples, statistically, 23.0 % tested positive for antibodies, with 18.4 % of sheep and 32.4 % of goats recorded seropositive. Age was identified as a significant risk factor for sheep, with older sheep showing higher seroprevalence, while no significant risk factors were found for goats. Other variables, such as sex, location, and season, showed no significant association.

CONCLUSIONS

This study, the first targeting small ruminants in the country, reveals notable differences in prevalence between sheep and goats in Qatar. Age is a key risk factor in sheep, but further research is needed to explore other factors, especially in goats.