Serological and molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii in dogs of urban and rural areas of Cuiaba, Mato Grosso

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection using serological and molecular analyses in dogs from Cuiaba, a municipality of the Brazilian Cerrado, and the associated factors involved in the transmission cycle. A cross-sectional study was conducted with dogs from the rural and urban areas of Cuiaba (Mato Grosso) from February 2010 to January 2011, and antibodies and the DNA of Toxoplasma gondii were evaluated using indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In the study, a total of 269 dogs were evaluated using IFA considering positive titer threshold of >= 16 and buffy coat PCR. Of the 269 dogs surveyed, 48.7% had anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies according to IFA, and 15.6% had the parasite's DNA. The seroprevalence was 62.4% in the rural districts and 40.4% in the urban areas, and the difference between these areas was significant (p = 0.0007). The most common levels of antibody titers were 256 in 51 (39%) dogs, followed by 1024 in 37 (28.2%) dogs. The infectious agent was associated with breed, age, access to the street and the environment in which the animal lived (p < 0.05). The serological and molecular results showed that T. gondii infection is active in the canine population in the rural and urban areas of Cuiaba, with a higher risk in dogs residing in rural areas.