Seroprevalence of Toxoplasmosis in Sheep in Southern
Punjab,
Pakistan
Mushtaq H. Lashari* and Zahida Tasawar
Institute of Pure and Applied Biology,
Bahauddin
Zakariya
University,
Multan,
Pakistan
*Corresponding author:
mushtaqlashary@gmail.com
Abstract
The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of
Toxoplasma gondii in sheep in
Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Blood samples were collected from 518 sheep of nine
localities of three districts (Dera Ghazi Khan,
Multan
and Khanewal). The samples were tested by using latex agglutination test (LAT)
and commercial ELISA method. The overall prevalence of
T. gondii infection in sheep was
19.88%. In male sheep, the prevalence was higher (30.15%) than in female sheep
(18.46%), the difference was significant (P<0.05). The relationship between age
and sheep toxoplasmosis showed
that the prevalence was the highest (38.88%) in age group of 16-28 months and
lowest (8.51%) in age group of 68-80 months. Significant differences in
prevalence were observed between age groups (P<0.05). The relationship between
body weight and sheep toxoplasmosisrevealed that the prevalence of T.
gondii was highest (20.85%) in weight group of 26-36 Kg and lowest (10.71%)
in weight group of >47 Kg, the difference was non significant. The infection of
T. gondii was significantly higher
(P<0.05) in Kacchi breed compared to Lohi breed of sheep (22.72% versus 15.7%).
The results of the present investigation suggest that the
T. gondii parasite is widely spread
and may be the cause of sheep abortion in Southern Punjab, Pakistan.
Key words:
Age,
Body weight,
Prevalence,
Sex,
Sheep breed,
T. gondii