ArticleParasites & vectors2013
High prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii oocyst shedding in stray and pet cats (Felis catus) in Virginia, United States.
Article in Parasites & vectors, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers.
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Who cites it
25 citing papers in PubMed, 73 citations in OpenAlex.
- PCR detection ofFood and waterborne parasitology · 2026Article
- Development and evaluation of recombinant dense granule 14 for serological diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic cats.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Feline enteropathogens and molecular diagnostics: benefits, limitations and clinical applications.Journal of feline medicine and surgery · 2025Review
- Article
- Seroprevalence ofPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors ofBiomedicines · 2024Article
- Prevalence ofMicroorganisms · 2024Article
- Prevalence and Molecular Characterization ofFrontiers in veterinary science · 2022Article
- Infection withParasitology · 2020Article
- Shedding proportion ofParasite epidemiology and control · 2020Article
- Molecular Detection and Genetic Diversity ofPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2020Article
- Detection and genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in feces of domestic cats in Colombia.Parasite (Paris, France) · 2020Article
- Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among women of childbearing age in an endemic region of Romania, 2016-2018.Parasite (Paris, France) · 2020Article
- Environmental transmission ofFood and waterborne parasitology · 2019Review
- Detection ofVeterinary world · 2018Article
- Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Encephalitozoon cuniculi among domestic rabbits in central China.Parasite (Paris, France) · 2018Article
- Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in faeces of privately owned cats using two PCR assays targeting the B1 gene and the 529-bp repetitive element.Parasitology research · 2017Article
- Prevalence ofBioMed research international · 2017Article
- Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and risk factors in domestic sheep in Henan province, central China.Parasite (Paris, France) · 2016Article
- Detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA by qPCR in the feces of a cat that recently ingested infected prey does not necessarily imply oocyst shedding.Parasite (Paris, France) · 2016Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, with complications varying from mental disease to death. While human infection can occur via ingestion of tissue cysts from infected meat, most human infection comes from oocysts. Cats are the only definitive host, and thus shedding of oocysts by cats provides the ultimate source of toxoplasmosis.
methodsWhile most studies in the area use seroprevalence to monitor Toxoplasma incidence in cat populations, this provides only a history of infection. This study used PCR detection of oocysts from cat feces to more accurately estimate the numbers of cats producing oocysts and thus posing an active health risk. DNA sequencing was use to confirm the identity of the PCR products.
resultsOf the 49 cats tested, 9 yielded PCR products of the expected size. Six of the nine were determined by sequence analysis to be false positives, while three products were true positives. Overall, 6% of cats examined were found to be actively shedding oocysts.
conclusionsThe incidence of oocyst shedding in the cat population studied was significantly higher than expected and higher than found in most cat populations world-wide. Of equal importance, the primers tested were shown to produce PCR products of multiple sizes and non-target products of expected size. We detected false positives at a higher rate than true positives, emphasizing the need for confirmatory analysis. Further research may produce better protocols for Toxoplasma detection from cat fecal samples.
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