Abstract
Background and Objective: Toxoplasmosis is one of the widely distributed common disease among human and livestock. In humans utilization of contaminated meat is the main source of the infection. In sheep and goat, the abortion and morbidity by toxoplasmosis had lots of economical lost. Animal husbandry Meshkinshahr is an animal husbandry area in west Azerbyjan and supply most of the meat in north- west of Iran. This study designed to evaluate frequency of toxoplasma infection in ruminant of that city.
Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross sectional study during one year (2004), 320 blood samples were collected by a simple random method from the bovine, sheep and goat. The samples examined for the specific antibody against toxoplasma by immuno fluorescent antibody (IFA) method.
Results: In 120 sheep's serum samples prevalence of T. gondii was 59%. To titers ranged from 1:2 to 1:32. Likewise out of 100 studied bovine samples only 5% were infected and comparing with sheep's had low frequency of infection. In goats the rate of frequency of infection were 36%. The results of our study showed highest frequency of the infection among sheep and goat.
Conclusion: It was concluded that to prevent spread of human infection, the common shepherding area of the region must be managed by hygienic management and public educations and necessary.