STUDY ON TOXOPLASMOSIS IN HUMANS AND CATS IN THE RED SEA STARE, SUDAN

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the contamination of soil and the environmental load with Toxoplasma gondii- like oocysts from cats' faeces, which will also give an idea about the prevalence of Toxoplasmosis in cats. Also the study investigated the prevalence of the disease among humans in Red Sea State, Sudan. The soil contamination and the disease in cats was investigated through examining cats' faecal samples from different areas of the State, for the presence of Toxoplasma gondii-like oocysts, using the improved modified McMaster Method. Thirty four (34%) out of the 100 cats' faecal samples examined were positive for the presence of T. gondii-like oocysts. A result indicating a wide spread contamination of environment with T. gondii oocysts, and a very high prevalence of Toxoplasmosis in cats. In humans, the disease was investigated serologically, using Latex Agglutination tests. The overall prevalence was 44.4% (52 out of 107 persons), being 50% among women and 41.1% among men while all children examined randomly were negative for the presence of antibodies against T. gondii.