Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Acta Parasitologica https://doi.org/10.2478/s11686-019-00081-5 SHORT COMMUNICATION Epidemiological Investigation of Toxoplasma gondii Infections in Commercial Sheep Flock in an Endemic Area for Ocular Toxoplasmosis in Southern Brazil Angélica Consalter 1  · Edwards Frazão‑Teixeira 2  · Jitender P. Dubey 3  · Eraldo L. Zanella 4  · Andressa F. da Silva 5  · Guilherme N. de Souza 6  · Ana M. R. Ferreira 1,7 Received: 14 November 2018 / Accepted: 24 April 2019 © Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences 2019 Abstract Introduction Toxoplasma gondii is a widely distributed parasite and of great importance to human and animal health. Methods The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies and risk factors associated with the infection in sheep in the Northwest region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; this region has a very high rate of human ocular toxoplasmosis. Ovine sera were tested by the modifed agglutination test (cut-of 1:25). Results T. gondii antibodies were detected in 70.2% (224 of 319). According to the logistic regression, the most signifcant factors associated were age and cat access to food stock facility. Conclusion Preventive measures are discussed to reduce the risk of transmission of this zoonosis. Keywords Toxoplasmosis · Sheep · Risk factors · MAT Introduction Toxoplasma gondii is a coccidian parasite that causes toxo- plasmosis, one of the most prevalent parasitic infections of humans and animals [8]. The Northwest mesoregion of Rio Grande do Sul has a known epidemiological importance for human toxoplasmosis due to the high occurrence of acquired ocular toxoplasmosis [3, 11, 13, 17]. The ingestion of raw or undercooked infected meat is one the main modes of transmission, especially in Southern Brazil. Furthermore, toxoplasmosis causes abortion in sheep [8]. Rio Grande do Sul state is the biggest producer of sheep in Brazil [18] and these animals are used for the produc- tion of meat, milk and genetic material. A research on the occurrence of the disease in sheep from another mesoregion of this state suggested a production decrease equivalent to 1.87% per year, with decreased number of lambs per ewe [24]. These numbers warn on the necessity to monitor the infection and to fnd means to improve production efciency [24]. Although there are many reports of serological surveys for T. gondii in sheep in Brazil, little is known of risk factors. Serological surveys until 2012 were summarized by Dubey et al. [11]. Since then, few additional reports were published * Angélica Consalter angelicaconsalter@hotmail.com 1 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária (Clínica e Reprodução Animal), Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ 24230-340, Brazil 2 Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, IOC/Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil 3 Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA 4 Laboratório de Reprodução e Melhoramento Genético Animal, Universidade de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil 5 Departamento de Medicina e Cirurgia Veterinaria, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil 6 Embrapa Gado de Leite, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil 7 Departamento de Patologia e Clínica Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil