TY - JOUR
T1 - A cross-sectional survey of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in Israeli pigeons
AU - Salant, Harold
AU - Landau, Daniel Yasur
AU - Baneth, Gad
PY - 2009/10/28
Y1 - 2009/10/28
N2 - A cross-sectional prevalence study was performed for anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies using the Modified Agglutination Test (MAT) in 495 wild pigeons (Columba livia) captured from various locations in Israel. Seropositivity was found in 20/495 (4%) of the birds. Pigeon samples in regions of semi-arid climate had higher T. gondii seropositivity (p = 0.033), amount of precipitation was inversely proportional to seropositivity (p = 0.005), seropositivity was inversely related to the size of the nearest human community (p = 0.012), and seropositivity was inversely related to the proximity of water flow (p = 0.013). The study results highlight the widespread environmental contamination of T. gondii and suggest that pigeons may serve as sentinels for the environmental spread of this parasite.
AB - A cross-sectional prevalence study was performed for anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies using the Modified Agglutination Test (MAT) in 495 wild pigeons (Columba livia) captured from various locations in Israel. Seropositivity was found in 20/495 (4%) of the birds. Pigeon samples in regions of semi-arid climate had higher T. gondii seropositivity (p = 0.033), amount of precipitation was inversely proportional to seropositivity (p = 0.005), seropositivity was inversely related to the size of the nearest human community (p = 0.012), and seropositivity was inversely related to the proximity of water flow (p = 0.013). The study results highlight the widespread environmental contamination of T. gondii and suggest that pigeons may serve as sentinels for the environmental spread of this parasite.
KW - Israel
KW - Pigeons
KW - Toxoplasma gondii
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70349482034&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.06.031
DO - 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.06.031
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C2 - 19619946
AN - SCOPUS:70349482034
SN - 0304-4017
VL - 165
SP - 145
EP - 149
JO - Veterinary Parasitology
JF - Veterinary Parasitology
IS - 1-2
ER -