Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in humans, animals and poultry by modified agglutination test

In the present investigation, seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in human beings engaged in animal-related occupations (abattoir workers and veterinarians), poultry and different species of animals was studied by employing Modified agglutination test (MAT). On screening of 564 serum samples by MAT, 40.98% (25/61) of human beings, 47.46% (56/118) goats, 21.57% (22/102) cattle, 19.57% (18/92) buffaloes and 53.85% (49/91) pigs, showed positivity for T. gondii infection. However, all the serum samples (100) collected from the caged poultry turned out to be seronegative. The high seropositivity for T. gondii infection observed among almost all the species of domestic animals and occupationally exposed persons is a cause of concern from public health point of view. It is suggested that the MAT needs to be employed as the standard serological test for screening the large population of man, animals and back yard poultry for assessing the extent of the T. gondii infection in a larger and right perspective.