Risk factors for transmission of Toxoplasma gondii on swine farms in Illinois

• Published in: The Journal of parasitology Vol. 81; no. 5; p. 736
• Main Authors: Weigel, R.M. (University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.), Dubey, J.P, Siegel, A.M, Kitron, U.D, Mannelli, A, Mitchell, M.A, Mateus-Pinilla, N.E, Thulliez, P, Shen, S.K, Kwok, O.C.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.10.1995
• Subjects: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; Animals; Antibodies, Protozoan - blood; CATS; CERDO; CHAT; Cross-Sectional Studies; DEMOGRAFIA; DEMOGRAPHIE; DEMOGRAPHY; DISEASE TRANSMISSION; EFFECTIF DU CHEPTEL; ELEVAGE; ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS; FACTEUR DU MILIEU; FACTORES AMBIENTALES; Female; GANADERIA; GATO; Housing, Animal; ILLINOIS; LIVESTOCK NUMBERS; Mice; NUMERO DE CABEZAS; PIGGERIES; POCILGA; PORCHERIE; PORCIN; Risk Factors; Rodentia; RODENTS; ROEDORES; RONGEUR; SEROPREVALENCE; SWINE; Swine Diseases - transmission; Toxoplasma - immunology; TOXOPLASMA GONDII; TOXOPLASMOSE; TOXOPLASMOSIS; Toxoplasmosis, Animal - transmission; TRANSMISION DE ENFERMEDADES; TRANSMISSION DES MALADIES; Illinois
• ISSN: 0022-3395; 1937-2345
• DOI: 10.2307/3283964

Two epidemiologic studies of risk factors for transmission of Toxoplasma gondii to swine were conducted for farms in Illinois. The first study was a cross-sectional survey of swine farms from the state of Illinois pseudorabies testing program, in which farm owners or managers were interviewed by telephone regarding presence of risk factors for transmission of T. gondii on the farm. There were 123 farms surveyed that provided blood samples for at least 30 sows. The mean sow seroprevalence was 19.5% (median = 10.0%). Multiple regression analysis of the association of sow seroprevalence with outdoor housing of sows, cat access to sow areas, number of sows, open feed storage and water delivery, delayed removal of carcasses, and presence of rodents on the farm indicated that higher sow seroprevalence was associated with cat access to sows (P = 0.009) and fewer sows in the herd (P = 0.05). The second study was a field investigation of 47 swine farms (37 from the cross-sectional study). Data collection included obtaining blood samples from swine, cats, and rodents, and fecal samples from cats, heart and brain tissue from rodents, and feed, water, and soil samples for T. gondii examination. The risk of T. gondii transmission from cats and rodents to sows and finishing pigs was evaluated, taking into account housing conditions and herd size. Multiple regression analysis indicated that T. gondii seroprevalence in finishing pigs increased with more seropositive juvenile cats on the farm (P < 0.0001) and higher seroprevalence in house mice (P = 0.0023).