Authors : Meriem Essayagh, Touria Essayagh, Khalid Khallayoune, Sanah Essayagh and Badreeddine Lmimouni
Abstract: Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis of increasing concern in both human and veterinary medicine which is due to an obligate intracellular, protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Seroprevalence of T. gondii in animals intended for human consumption in the city of Meknes in Morocco has never been established. The aim of our study was to determine the seroprevalence in sheep, cattle and goats slaughtered in Meknes. We collected blood samples from 133 bovines, 81 ovines and 45 goats in Meknes slaughterhouses. We used a modified version of the direct agglutination test to detect anti T. gondii Igg antibodies in collected sera. Bovine T. gondii seroprevalence values were stablishing at 7.5%, ovine T. gondii seroprevalence values were 7.4% while goat seroprevalence were 2.2%. This study showed seroprevalence of bovine, ovine and goat T. gondii infection in Meknes. More comprehensive studies on livestock toxoplasmosis are required for further analysis of the parasite reservoir for human infection.
Meriem Essayagh, Touria Essayagh, Khalid Khallayoune, Sanah Essayagh and Badreeddine Lmimouni, 2017. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Ruminants: First Experienc in Meknes, Morocco. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 16: 1-4.