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de Camps, S.; Dubey, J.P.; Saville, W.J.A.
Seroepidemiology of _Toxoplamsa gondii_ in zoo animals in selected zoos in the Midwestern United States
2008  Journal of Parasitology (94): 648-653

_Toxoplasma gondii _infections in zoo animals are of interest because many captive animals die of clinical toxoplasmosis and because of the potential risk of exposure of children and elderly to _T. gondii _oocysts excreted by cats in the zoos. Seroprevalence of _T. gondii _antibodies in wild zoo felids, highly susceptible zoo species, and feral cats from 8 zoos of the midwestern United States was determined by using the modified agglutination test (MAT). A titer of 1:25 was considered indicative of _T. gondii _exposure. Among wild felids, antibodies to _T. gondii _were found in 6 (27.3%) of 22 cheetahs (_Acynonyx jubatus jubatus_), 2 of 4 African lynx (_Caracal caracal_), 1 of 7 clouded leopards (_Neofelis nebulosa_), 1 of 5 Pallas cats (_Otocolobus manul_), 12 (54.5%) of 22 African lions (_Panthera leo_), 1 of 1 jaguar (_Panthera onca_), 1 of 1 Amur leopard (_Panthera pardus orientalis_), 1 of 1 Persian leopard (_Panthera pardus saxicolor_), 5 (27.8%) of 18 Amur tigers (_Panthera tigris altaica_), 1 of 4 fishing cats (_Prionailurus viverrinus_), 3 of 6 pumas (_Puma concolor_), 2 of 2 Texas pumas (_Puma concolor stanleyana_), and 5 (35.7%) of 14 snow leopards (_Uncia uncia_). Antibodies were found in 10 of 34 feral domestic cats (_Felis domesticus_) trapped in 3 zoos. _Toxoplasma gondii _oocysts were not found in any of the 78 fecal samples from wild and domestic cats. Among the macropods, antibodies were detected in 1 of 3 Dama wallabies (_Macropus eugenii_), 1 of 1 western grey kangaroo (_Macropus fuliginosus_), 1 of 2 wallaroos (_Macropus robustus_), 6 of 8 Bennett's wallabies (_Macropus rufogriseus_), 21 (61.8%) of 34 red kangaroos (_Macropus rufus_), and 1 of 1 dusky pademelon (_Thylogale brunii_). Among prosimians, antibodies were detected in 1 of 3 blue-eyed black lemurs (_Eulemur macaco flavifrons_), 1 of 21 ring-tailed lemurs (_Lemur catta_), 2 of 9 red-ruffed lemurs (_Varecia variegata rubra_), and 2 of 4 black- and white-ruffed lemurs (_Varecia variegata variegata_). Among the avian species tested, 2 of 3 bald eagles (_Haliaeetus leucocephalus_) were seropositive. Among 7 possible risk factors, sex, freezing meat temperature (above -13 C vs. below -13 C), washing vegetables thoroughly, frequency of feral cat sightings on zoo grounds (occasionally vs. frequently), frequency of feral cat control programs, capability of feral cats to enter hay/grain barn, and type of animal exhibit, exhibiting animals in open enclosures was the only factor identified as a significant risk (OR 3.22, _P =_ 0.00).

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