Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Cats (Felis catus, Linnaeus 1758) Living in San Carlos (Chile)

There are few studies about seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in Chile; therefore, this article aims to determine seroprevalence in cats in the district of San Carlos, by ELISA Immuno- Comb® serological technique, and, at the same time, to examine association with variables of sex, age, diet, and habitat. To the effect, 60 cats over 2 months old were randomly sampled. Sera were analyzed using the ELISA ImmunoComb® Biogal Toxo & Chlamydia test kit, which detects specific immunoglobulin G-type antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii with a sensitivity of 92.3% and a specificity of 100%. The study evidenced that 29 individuals were positive (48.3% seroprevalence); when broken down by gender this corresponded to 9 males and 20 females (39.1% and 54%, respectively). By age, seropositivity was higher in the “Adult” group (76.7%), followed by groups “Over 7 years” (50%) and “Young” (25%). With respect to diet, higher seropositivity was obtained in animals fed on mixed diet, as opposed to commercial diet (60% vs. 47.2%). By variable habitat, 16 indoor and 13 outdoor cats were positive (45.7% and 52%), showing statistically significant difference only for the variable age (p < 0.05). Finally, through relating age with seropositivity, a negative correlation was evidenced (r = –0.3), indicating that older individuals had lower seroprevalence. The results show the presence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in domestic cats