Seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii and associated risk factors among local goats in Kelantan, Malaysia

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite capable of infecting humans and many warm-blooded animals. Goats are highly susceptible to T. gondii infection via ingestion of food or water contaminated with oocysts shed by feline definitive hosts or via transplacental transmission of tachyzoites. Most infections in goats are asymptomatic; however, in pregnant females, toxoplasmosis can cause reproductive failures. Humans can acquire toxoplasmosis by ingesting raw or undercooked meat, including meat-based products. There have been a limited number of recent studies investigating T. gondii prevalence in goats in Malaysia, with the studies focusing only on Selangor state. The objective of this study is to assess the present seroprevalence of T. gondii among local goats in selected farms in Kelantan, Malaysia, and to identify the associated risk factors. Eighty serum samples collected from goats across four ruminant farms in Kota Bharu and Bachok districts were examined using an indirect Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (indirect ELISA) to identify the presence of T. gondii antibodies. The findings indicated that five of the goat serum samples (6.25%) tested positive for T. gondii, with water source identified as a significant associated risk factor. Overall, even though the seroprevalence of T. gondii among goats in Kelantan was relatively low, the positive detection of infection indicates ongoing environmental exposure. These findings highlight the need for improved farm hygiene, water management, and biosecurity to further reduce infection in goats and minimise the potential zoonotic risk to farmers and consumers.