Toxoplasma gondii is an important pathogen transmitted by food, with raw or undercooked meat as the main foodborne source of toxoplasmosis. In Peru, 2–4 million people have antibodies to T. gondii. It is believed that more than 60 million people in the United States are infected with T. gondii. In this study, the prevalence of T. gondii in pigs from Peru and the United States was determined by Western blot. The presence of IgG antibodies to T. gondii from serum samples was determined. Blood samples were collected from 137 pigs at a slaughterhouse in Lima, Peru, and 152 pigs at a slaughterhouse in Georgia. Of the serum samples collected from swine, 27.7% (n = 38) from Peru and 16.4% (n = 25) from the United States were positive for T. gondii. Swine represent a significant source of human infection with T. gondii in Peru and the United States.
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August 2004
Research Article|
August 01 2004
Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Swine From Slaughterhouses in Lima, Peru, and Georgia, U.S.A
Geraldine M. Saavedra;
Geraldine M. Saavedra
aCenter for Food Safety, The University of Georgia, 1109 Experiment Street, Griffin, Georgia 30223
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Ynés R. Ortega
Ynés R. Ortega
aCenter for Food Safety, The University of Georgia, 1109 Experiment Street, Griffin, Georgia 30223
bTo whom correspondence should be addressed. ortega@griffin.uga.edu
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J Parasitol (2004) 90 (4): 902–904.
Citation
Geraldine M. Saavedra, Ynés R. Ortega; Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Swine From Slaughterhouses in Lima, Peru, and Georgia, U.S.A. J Parasitol 1 August 2004; 90 (4): 902–904. doi: https://doi.org/10.1645/GE-258R
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