SEROPREVALENCE OF THE ZOONOTIC PROTOZOAN Toxoplasma gondii IN SMALL RUMINANTS IN SOME PROVINCES OF SYRIA

Serological surveys of the zoonotic protozoan Toxoplasma gondii were made in ten provinces located in different parts of Syria from November to December 2009. A total of 808 blood samples were randomly collected from sheep and goats, and subjected to serological analysis for IgG antibodies to T. gondii using Indirect Hemagglutination test (IHAT). The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii among all provinces, research stations and breeders flocks were 16.3%, 14.1% and 19.5%, respectively. The results showed high seroprevalence in Palmyra (33.3%) and Al-Qamishli (28.3%). High seropositive reactions were registered in some research stations for sheep, namely Kaser al-Halabat in Palmyra (33.3%) and in both Jidrin and Wadi al-Azib; in Hamah (14.9% and 10.4%, respectively). In breeders herds high rates of positive results were recorded in Al-Qamishli (Al-Hasakah) and Al-Raqqa (23.1% and 21.5% respectively), while the research stations for goats Karahta (Damascus-country side) and Kodanah (Kuneitra) were T. gondii free. There was no significant difference (χ2=0.39, p=0.5324) detected between positive and negative results when comparing research stations and breeders flocks. Our results demonstrate a wide distribution of T. gondii in the Syrian Desert and marginal areas, and its expansion towards the North-East of Syria with marked statistically significant difference (χ2=130.61, p=0.0001) when seroprevalence was compared among different provinces.