Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in sheep and goats in northeastern China

The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in sheep and goats in China's northeastern Heilongjiang Province was surveyed, for the first time, between November 2008 and May 2010. In total, 1270 serum samples (792 from sheep and 478 from goats) were collected from ten sheep and goat rearing administrative regions, and antibodies to T. gondii were examined by indirect haemagglutination (IHA) test using a commercially available kit. The results showed that the overall seroprevalence of T. gondii in sheep and goats was 3.3% (42/1270), and the prevalence in goats (3.8%) was slightly higher than that in sheep (3.0%). The prevalence of antibodies in adults was higher than that in lambs or kids, and female animals had higher prevalence than males. The prevalence in intensively reared sheep and goats was lower than that in semi-intensively reared animals, although the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The results of this survey indicate that infection with T. gondii in sheep and goats is present in Heilongjiang Province, one of the coldest provinces of China, which may have important implications for public health.