Toxoplasma gondii serosurvey in Golden Jackals from Golestan province, Iran

Abstract

<em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> as an apicomplexan zoonotic parasite is able to infect humans and almost all other warm-blooded animals. Wild and domestic felids are the main definitive hosts. Also, canids such as dogs and jackals have been introduced as mechanical vectors since <em>T. gondii </em>oocysts can pass their intestinal tract and spread by feces in environment. Toxoplasmosis is a common zoonotic disease in Iran especially in North humid regions of Iran with 70% prevalence. The goal of this study was to evaluate the <em>T. gondii</em> antibody in jackals from Golestan province in East-North of Iran in order to analyze wild canids' role in <em>T.gondii's</em> life cycle. Blood samples obtained from 40 killed golden jackals. After separation of serum samples, the presence of <em>T.gondii</em> antibody was evaluated by ELIZA kit. <em>T.gondii</em> antibody has been detected in 31 out of 40 (77.5%) serum samples. Most positive jackals' sera belong to older jackals. The <em>T.</em> <em>gondii</em> seropositivity was the same in male and female jackals.The relatively high prevalence of <em>T. gondii</em> in the samples of golden jackals gives valuable insight to <em>T. gondii</em> epidemiology and is useful for managing practical prevention and control programs.