Survey of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies by modified agglutination test in chickens slaughtered for consumption in Belém city, Northern Brazil

Abstract

The toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the obligatory intracellular parasitic protozoa Toxoplasma gondii, that affects the man and domestic animals all over the world. T. gondii infects mammals and birds and has the felidae as its definitive host. T. gondii infection in birds can be asymptomatic, the most probable form of contamination through the ingestion of oocysts from soil, polluted water and contaminated animals rations. Chicken’s meat is the one of the main transmission roads for man. Because serologic diagnostic currently methods of the disease are laborious, hazard or costly the modified agglutination test (MAT) is being employed as a simply and efficient alternative diagnosis method in birds and other animals. With the objective of surveying the occurrence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in cut chickens abated for consumption in the metropolitan area of Belém city, 300 serum samples coming from industrial and clandestine slaughtering, were submitted to MAT. Anti-T. gondii antibodies were detected in one (1/300, 0,33%) sample coming from clandestine abbatoir and none from industrial slaughter house. Although the chicken’s meat coming from industrial slaughter house apparently wouldn’t offer risk for human contamination by T. gondii through ingestion, the adoption of the serologic research is recommended in any type of slaughtering and in the consumption level, as a preventive measure against human risk. Further studies are necessary to determine the importance of free chickens breeding as a step in the epidemiology of the toxoplasmosis in regional environment.