Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Turkoman breed horses in the North Khorasan Province

Toxoplasmosis is an important zoonotic disease with worldwide distribution. It is capable of infecting an unusually wide range of warm-blooded animals including most livestock, and humans. Many studies were shown high prevalence of Toxoplasma infection in man and animals in Iran. The present study was conducted to investigate a serological survey of antibodies in Turkoman breed horses in Raz and Jarglan area, the North Khorasan Province. One hundred blood samples were collected with cooperation of the Veterinary Office from 2011 to 2012. The sera samples were tested for antibodies against T. gondii using Indirect Immunoflurescent Antibody Test (IFAT). The seropositive reaction against T. gondii were detected in 41 (41%) sera. The antibodies tites were detected in the range of 1:20 dilution and 1:160 dilution. In the present study, the lowest and highest seroprevalence of T.gondii infection were observed in the age groups of <1 year old and 1 -10 years old, respectively (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma infection with gender and kind of activity factors in sampled horses. Regards to high seroprevalence of Toxoplasma infection in sampled horse; it needs to pay attention to animal health for control and prophylaxis of disease.