Occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in cattle and sheep in Akmola and Kostanay regions of Kazakhstan.

Abstract

Background and aim: Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan and a major foodborne pathogen worldwide. Nearly, all warm-blooded animals are susceptible to toxoplasmosis, with raw and undercooked meat and animal products serving as the primary transmission routes. To date, the distribution of T. gondii among farm animals in Kazakhstan has been inadequately studied. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of antibodies against T. gondii in cattle and sheep in the Akmola and Kostanay regions.

Materials and methods: Blood samples were randomly collected from 437 cattle and 397 sheep from two regions of Kazakhstan: Akmola and Kostanay. A commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based on the native protein Toxoplasma surface antigen 1 was used for serological analysis.

Results: The occurrences of T. gondii were 8.0% and 3.8% among cattle and 42.1% and 19.0% among sheep in the Akmola and Kostanay regions, respectively. Antibodies against T. gondii were detected in all study areas. The greatest frequency of seropositive reactions in cattle was observed in the Arshaly region (9.0%), whereas the least frequent was observed in Arkalyk (3.3%). The highest occurrence of seropositive reactions among sheep was found in the Zerenda region (54.5%), whereas the lowest was found in the Auliekol region (15.6%).

Conclusion: The obtained results confirmed the circulation of the T. gondii pathogen among cattle and sheep in the investigated regions. These findings provide insight into the current distribution of this zoonotic parasite among farm animals in Kazakhstan.