Toxoplasma gondii antibody in domestic cats in Melbourne

Objectives To determine the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in a population of domestic cats in Melbourne. Design An ELISA assay was used to measure T gondii antibody titres in 103 cats from north-eastern Melbourne. Cats were obtained from outer suburban areas (less than 30 km from the Melbourne GPO) and from rural areas (more than 30 km from the Melbourne GPO). Results Thirty-nine percent of cats were positive for T gondii IgG. Older cats tended to have higher antibody titres. There was no significant difference in the T gondii antibody titres between males and females, or between cats living in urban areas and cats from rural areas. Conclusions A significant proportion of cats from Melbourne have been exposed to Toxoplasma. This may have implications for the health of wildlife and humans.