PAKISTAN VETERINARY JOURNAL

Pak Vet J, 2026, 46(8) 1995-2003

One Health Epidemiology, Associated Risk Factors and Molecular Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii at the Human–Small Ruminants–Cat Interface in Lahore, Pakistan

Taha Majid Mahmood Sheikh¹, Mian Abdul Hafeez^2*, Muntazir Mehdi³, Abdur Rauf Khalid⁴, Faiza Aslam⁵, Adeel Sattar⁶, Zeb Akhtar⁷, Rabia Suleman⁸, Farwa Saghir⁹, Rimsha Farooq¹⁰ and Adil Shahzad^5,11

¹School of Medical Sciences, Shandong Xiehe University, Jinan, 250109, P. R. China; ²Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; ³Department of Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Unit Animal and Human (A2H), Laboratory of Host Pathogen Interaction (HPI), KU Leuven (Arenberg) 3000 Leuven, Belgium; ⁴Department of Livestock and Poultry Production, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Pakistan; ⁵Department of Livestock & Dairy Development, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; ⁶Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; ⁷Scientiﬁc Direction Chemical and Physical Health Risks, Service of Medicines and Health; Products, Sciensano, Rue Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; ⁸Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, Mechelen, Belgium; ⁹Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary and Animal Science Lahore Pakistan; ¹⁰Department of Veterinary and Animal sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen Denmark; ¹¹Institute of Microbiology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan

*Corresponding author: abdul.hafeez@uvas.edu.pk

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a food-borne and zoonotic parasite that causes human and animal diseases worldwide. In this study, the epidemiology, factors associated with seropositivity, and molecular characteristics of T. gondii at the human–small ruminants–cat interface have been explored in Lahore, Pakistan, using the One Health perspective. Blood samples were taken from sheep (n=1000), goats (n=1000), and humans (n=200) and tested for anti-T. gondii IgG antibody levels using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate the potential risk factors, and selected biochemical parameters were analyzed to evaluate the physiological effects of infection. The presence of the parasite was assessed using microscopy, followed by PCR, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of positive samples from 200 cat fecal specimens. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii was 23.0%, 28.0%, and 27.0% in sheep, goats, and human participants, respectively. Sex, age, reproductive status, and grazing system were associated with seropositivity in small ruminants; cat access to feed was associated with seropositivity in goats, while cat ownership was associated with seropositivity in humans. Biochemical changes in the serum were noted in seropositive small ruminants and humans. Microscopic examination detected T. gondii-like oocysts in 7 (3.5%) of feline fecal samples, with six confirmed via PCR and further analyzed by partial SAG2 gene sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis suggested limited genetic variation among the analysed feline-derived isolates. The results indicate that T. gondii is a ubiquitous parasite in humans, animals, and cats and highlight the importance of the human–small ruminants–cat interface in disease transmission. The present study contributes to the implementation of integrated One Health surveillance and control strategies to minimize the impact of toxoplasmosis and safeguard public and animal health.

To Cite This Article: Sheikh TMM, Hafeez MA, Mehdi M, Khalid AR, Aslam F, Sattar A, Akhtar Z, Suleman R, Saghir F, Farooq R and Shahzad A, 2026. One health epidemiology, associated risk factors and molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii at the human–small ruminants–cat interface in Lahore, Pakistan. Pak Vet J, 46(8): 1995-2003. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2026.206

Abstract

ISSN 0253-8318 (Print)ISSN 2074-7764 (Online)

ISSN 0253-8318 (Print)
ISSN 2074-7764 (Online)