Volume 6
Issue 2
Veterinary Medicine
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume6/issue2/veterinary/abs-06.html
PREVALENCE OF ANTIBODIES TO TOXOPLASMA GONDII AND NEOSPORA CANINUM IN WILDLIFE AND FARMED FOXES (VULPES VULPES)
Ewa Śmielewska-Łoś, Jarosław Pacoń, Marzena Jańczak, Katarzyna Płoneczka
ABSTRACT
Serum samples collected from 105 adult farmed silver foxes and wildlife red foxes were tested for IgG antibodies to T. gondii and N. caninum by indirect fluorescent antibody test. The farmed foxes derived from 4 farms localized in south-west province of Poland. Red foxes were caught from forest area in the same province. Antibody titres to T. gondii equal or greater than 1:20 were found in 36.7% of 60 farm foxes and in 33.3% of 45 red foxes. Seroprevalence in farm foxes was related to the diet containing raw, non-frozen meat and was significantly higher in two farms (53.3% and 86.6%) than in the others using cooked feed (0.0% and 1.7%). Antibodies to N. caninum were detected in low titres in 2 (4.4%) of 45 red foxes and in 1 (1.7%) of 60 farmed silver foxes. It was the first report on N. caninum in canids from Poland.
Key words: Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, IFAT, red foxes, silver foxes..