Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pet Dogs in Anhui Province, China

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite, which can infect all nucleated cells in a variety of vertebrate animals, including human, causing toxoplasmosis. Although a number of studies have reported on the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in dogs in China, however, information about T. gondii infection in pet dogs in Anhui, China is not available. METHODS: The modified agglutination test (MAT) was used to detect antibodies in sera samples from 468 pet dogs at Anhui Province in China from November 2013 to April 2017. RESULTS: 18.6% animals were T. gondii seropositive, indicating a slightly higher prevalence of T. gondii infection in pet dogs in Anhui, China in comparison with other provinces in China. CONCLUSION: Our present study provided epidemiological data on T. gondii seroprevalence in pet dogs in Anhui, China for the effective prevention and control of the parasite prevalence in this area.