Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in urban client-owned cats in Kazakhstan.

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is the causative agent of one of the most important parasitic zoonoses. Cats and other felids, as definitive hosts, play a central role in the epidemiology of this protozoan parasite. However, current knowledge about the occurrence of toxoplasmosis in cats in the Central Asian countries of the former Soviet Union remains limited. In Kazakhstan, human toxoplasmosis has received little attention from public health authorities. The aim of this study was to gather information on the current seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in urban cats in the country. Serum samples were collected from 273 client-owned cats during consultations at veterinary clinics in five cities (Almaty, Astana, Oral, Qostanai, and Shymkent) between January and February 2024. Samples were analyzed for T. gondii-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Differences in seroprevalence among groups of cats based on city, sex, and age class were assessed for statistical significance using the chi-squared test. T. gondii-specific IgG antibodies were detected in 50 (18.3%) of the cats tested. Seroprevalence was not significantly associated with city of origin or sex; however, it increased significantly with age. Although these data should not be considered statistically representative of the national cat population in Kazakhstan due to non-random sampling, they can still serve as a basis for local health authorities to make informed decisions regarding education and prevention measures aimed at reducing the risk of toxoplasmosis in humans, in accordance with the "One Health" approach.