Prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and intestinal parasites in stray, farm and household cats in Spain

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii was tested for in 585 cats in different regions of Spain. Sera were tested by the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT). Specific antitoxoplasma IgG (IFAT titer greater than or equal to 1/80) were found in 189 of 585 (32.3%): 117 of 317 (36.9%) stray cats, 16 of 48 (33.3%) farm cats and 56 of 220 (25.5%) household cats. The overall prevalence was significantly higher in stray groups (36.4% of 365) than in household cats (25.5% of 220), higher in adult cats (>6 months old, 36.8% of 443) than in juvenile cats (<6 months old, 13.9% of 101), and higher in male stray cats (45.3% of 128) than in female stray cats (32% of 153). Prevalence of intestinal parasites was also analysed by a routine coprological method in 382 of the 585 cats. Intestinal parasites were found in 107 faecal samples (28%): 76 of 231 (32.9%) stray cats, 14 of 48 (29.2%) farm cats and 17 of 103 (16.5%) household cats. T. gondii oocysts were not found in any faecal samples analysed. The following prevalences of other intestinal parasites were found: Toxocara cati (18.3%), Toxascaris leonina (1.3%), Ancylostoma sp. (1%), Capillaria spp. (1.3%), Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (1%), Taenia like (3.7%), Dipylidium caninum (2.6%) and Cystoisospora spp. (6.3%). (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.