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Seroprevalence of Antibodies to Encephalitozoon cuniculi and Toxoplasma gondii in Farmed Domestic Rabbits in Egypt
Author(s) -
Ashmawy K. I.,
Abuakkada S. S.,
Awad A. M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
zoonoses and public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.87
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1863-2378
pISSN - 1863-1959
DOI - 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2010.01371.x
Subject(s) - encephalitozoon cuniculi , seroprevalence , toxoplasma gondii , antibody , virology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , serology , immunology , microsporidia , spore
Summary Rabbit sera from ten commercial farms representing three provinces in Northern Egypt (Behera, Alexandria and Khafr El‐Sheikh) were submitted to serological screening for Encephalitozoon cuniculi using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and for Toxoplasma gondii using an indirect hemagglutination test. Antibodies against E. cuniculi were detected in 36/240 (15%) sera examined while antibodies against T. gondii showed a seroprevalence of 22/194 (11.34%). Both infections were detected in all of the examined farms. These results are of epidemiological relevance and public health importance because of the recognized susceptibility of humans to E. cuniculi and T. gondii infections; therefore, routine screening examinations of farm rabbits are advised considering the zoonotic potential of these parasites.