engleski

Traditionally Reared domestic pigs exposure to protozoon Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by invasion of feline intestinal protozoon T. gondii. Other warm – blooded animals can serve as intermediary hosts. Beside oocist oral invasion and diaplacental transfer, insufficient heat-treated meat from domestic and wild animals contaminated by the bradyzoites pose the greatest threat to human health. It is assumed that human exposure to this protozoon is especially large in traditionally pig breading areas in Croatia, where the traditional way of preparing of meat products is still maintained. The European Food Safety Authority has indicated the risk of toxoplasmosis in its report of 2009 when 1253 human cases were reported, while in Croatia 22 cases has been reported. There is not enough data to determine the incidence both in humans and animals. This is especially true when it comes to domestic pigs reared in traditional manner and thus exposed to possible sources of invasion. This article aims to contribute to the knowledge of the frequency of toxoplasmosis in pigs on the basis of the antibody IgG blood presence results. 400 blood samples, approximately 80 per county were collected on a randomly selected pig population on the family farms. Blood samples were examined with commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Prionics, Switzerland). At the same time, family farm owners were interviewed in order to collect data about their Toxoplasma perception. Research has demonstrated a very high protozoon exposure that somewhere ranged up to 75%. It should be stressed out that this information is inconsistent with the epidemiological reports on the occurrence of toxoplasmosis in humans. The results show a need for additional research that should further define human seroprevalence in the area affected by this study. To understand the problem a detailed genetic typing of Toxoplasma, isolated from seropositive pigs will be needed. As expected, analyzed data of farmers’ responses show a very low level of Toxoplasma knowledge.

toxoplasmosis, pigs, meat products, seroprevalence

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