Identification of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in feces of purebred cats in a cattery using flotation method

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, with cats serving as the definitive hosts and shedding oocysts through their feces. Cattery environments have the potential to become sources of oocyst transmission if sanitation and management systems are not properly maintained. This study aimed to identify the presence of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in the feces of purebred cats at a cattery using the flotation method. This study employed a descriptive design. Fecal samples were collected from a single cattery on two occasions, one week apart, using a stratified random sampling method. During each sampling period, seven fecal samples from purebred cats were randomly collected from the available litter boxes, which served as the strata, and each sample was used to prepare three slides. The samples were examined microscopically using the flotation method with a saturated sodium chloride (NaCl) solution. A total of 42 slides were examined. The results showed that all slides prepared from purebred cat fecal samples were negative for Toxoplasma gondii oocysts during both the first and second sampling periods, resulting in a 100% negative rate. These findings indicate that no shedding of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts was detected by microscopic examination of fecal samples from the purebred cats at the cattery during the study period. In conclusion, no Toxoplasma gondii oocysts were detected in the feces of purebred cats at the studied cattery, although these findings should be interpreted with consideration of the limitations of the flotation method and the collection of samples from shared litter boxes.

DOI :  10.35990/amhs.v5n1.p33-40

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