Investigation of Toxoplasma gondii in reproductive tissues of companion animals from a municipal neutering program

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite capable of infecting a wide range of warm-blooded hosts. Although the parasite has been found in various tissues, including reproductive organs, primarily in experimentally infected animals, its behavior in these tissues in naturally infected hosts remains poorly understood. Domestic dogs and cats are routinely neutered for population and disease control, with their reproductive tissues commonly discarded. This study aimed to investigate the presence of T. gondii in the testicles and uterus of domestic cats and dogs undergoing neutering at a zoonosis control center. Antibodies and titers against T. gondii were assessed in peripheral blood using the Modified agglutination test (MAT), while parasite detection was attempted through mouse bioassay and PCR. Antibodies were detected in 219 (22.6 %) of 967 animals, with the majority showing low to intermediate titers (≤1:400; 78.1 %). No viable T. gondii was isolated from mice, and no T. gondii DNA was detected in reproductive tissues. These findings contribute to the limited knowledge regarding T. gondii infection in reproductive tissues, particularly in naturally exposed animals, and highlight the need for further studies using complementary diagnostic approaches.