Prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in goat from Sao Paulo State, Brazil

Serum samples from 394 goats bred in 19 farms from Sao Paulo State, southeastern region of Brazil, were tested to determine the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum using the indirect fluorescent antibody test. Sera that reacted to dilutions greater than or equal to1:64 and greater than or equal to1:50, respectively were considered positive. To analyse the effect of age on prevalence, the goats were divided in three groups: less than or equal to1, 1-4, and greater than or equal to4 years. T gondii prevalence was 28.7%, with titers ranging from 64 to 32,768, and N. caninum the prevalence was 6.4% with titers ranging from 50 to 12,800. Only 3.2% of the goats were positive to both agents. In all farms, at least one goat was positive to T gondii and in eight farms, there was at least one positive animal to N. caninum. There was an association between seroprevalence to T gondii and age (P = 0.001), with higher prevalence values in older animals (greater than or equal to4 years). With N. caninum an association between age and prevalence was not observed (P = 0.277). It was not possible to associate the seroprevalence to T gondii and the presence of domestic or feral cats, because in all farms there was at least one positive goat. There was no association between seropositivity to N. caninum and presence of domestic and feral dogs (P = 0.550). (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.