SEROPREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF TOXOPLASMOSIS IN BEETAL GOATS IN DISTRICT FAISALABAD AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH REPRODUCTIVE PROBLEMS

Toxoplasmosis, due to its zoonotic importance, is a serious threat to human being and has severe consequences for livestock productivity due to abortion. In the current study, serological screening of caprine toxoplasmosis was carried out in a population of goats from five tehsils (Faisalabad, Tandlianwala, Samundri, Jaranwala and Jhumra) of Faisalabad district through random selection from October 2016 to March 2017. A total of 384 blood samples from goats were tested by using Latex Agglutination Test Kit with a cut- off value 1:32 dilution. Association of possible risk factors including age, sex, body condition scoring, lactation number, grazing management, water supply and housing management was also documented. A total of 129 (33.59%) goats were found positive serologically for Toxoplasma (T.) gondii. The highest seroprevalence (44.44%) was observed in Faisalabad Tehsil, followed by Jaranwala (38.04%), Jhumra (31.5%), Samundri (28.39%) and Tandlanwala (24.24%). Among the risk factors, the prevalence of Toxoplasmosis was significantly higher (p<0.05) in different age groups (39.24%) water supply from canal (38.24%) and presence of definitive host (37.75%). The prevalence of T. gondi observed in goats was 41.55%, 38.77,35.00% and 32.35% with history of abortion, repeat breeding, fetal mummification and still birth, respectively, the difference was non-significant (p>0.05). Among the other factors, the prevalence observed was numerically high as 35.38%,39.24%, 43.28%, 38.51% and 34.40% in goats having body condition score less than 2.5, age >5 years, lactation number >4, grazing and semi-intensive housing system, respectively However, the difference was non-significant (p>0.05) The results revealed a baseline data for the exposure of goat population in different tehsils of Faisalabad district. It is recommended that feral cats which are potential reservoirs should be investigated for exploration of risk associated with human population.