INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH Toxoplasma gondii INFECTION IN DOGS AND HUMAN BEINGS FROM PORTO FIGUEIRA, PR

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide distributed protozoonosis, and can infect a wide variety of animals, including dogs and humans. This study leads to study the frequency of infection and risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection in humans and dogs from Porto Figueira community, Alto Paraíso municipality, PR. Blood samples were collected from 42 dogs and 98 humans, followed by an epidemiological questionnaire application. Antibodies for T. gondii were found in 54.8% of dogs and 84.7% of humans by modified agglutination test. Risk factors for human infection are the existence of at least one positive dog in the house and absence of water reservoir in the home. High T. gondii infection prevalence in Porto Figueira highlights the necessity of implementation of more adequate and efficient prophylactics measures against this infection and the hole of the dog as an important sentinel for this infection in humans.