Toxoplasmosis is a widespread zoonosis, which causes abortions and other developmental fetal abnormalities in infected mothers. Prevalence and associated risk factors with toxoplasmosis in human population were ascertained in the present study in northeastern parts of Pakistan where no such work previously existed. A total of 1659 human serum samples were collected and randomly screened for anti-Toxoplasma IgG and anti-Toxoplasma IgM antibodies by using ELISA. Risk factors were evaluated by questionnaire interview. The persons having livestock and pets were included in the study and their animals were also screened. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were calculated for the association of Toxoplasma gondii infection with possible risk factors. The overall infection rate was 20.37% (338/1659) in the human population. IgG and IgM antibodies were found in 302 (18.20%) and 47 (2.83%) individuals, respectively. The infection rate was higher in females as compared to males and older age groups. Low education, use of surface water, high frequency of eating meat, use of undercooked meat, presence of cats in the vicinity, soil exposure and ownership of seropositive animals showed higher odds of seropositivity. Study results indicate that T. gondii infection is widely present in the human population in Pakistan and requires preventive measures to reduce the abortion risks and fetal developmental abnormalities.

To Cite This Article: Ahmad N, Khan IA, Iqbal Z, Naseem AA, Kayani AR, Afshan K and Qayyum M, 2019. Seroepidemiology of toxoplasmosis in human population with reference to its zoonotic potential in sub-tropical areas of Pakistan. Pak Vet J, 39(2): 211-215. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2019.017