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Toxoplasma gondii antibody in domestic cats in Melbourne
1Deakin University, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Victoria.
Objectives:
To determine the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in a population of domestic cats in Melbourne.
Design:
An ELISA assay was used to measure T gondii antibody titres in 103 cats from north-eastern Melbourne. Cats were obtained from outer suburban areas (less than 30 km from the Melbourne GPO) and from rural areas (more than 30 km from the Melbourne GPO).
Results:
Thirty-nine percent of cats were positive for T gondii IgG. Older cats tended to have higher antibody titres. There was no significant difference in the T gondii antibody titres between males and females, or between cats living in urban areas and cats from rural areas.
Conclusions:
A significant proportion of cats from Melbourne have been exposed to Toxoplasma. This may have implications for the health of wildlife and humans.