Singh, B.B.Thakur, Rashmi2019-10-162019-10-162019http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810131403Toxoplasma gondii is an important food borne protozoan parasite which is worldwide in prevalence and known to infect all warm-blooded animals and human beings. Around one third of world’s population is known to be infected by this parasite. Besides being an important food-borne pathogen it is also an occupational hazard. The outcomes of infection are mostly in benign in immunocompetent hosts but lead to severe signs of toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised hosts and in pregnant animals and human-beings. In our study we collected 810 pork samples from selected six slaughter shops from Punjab and Uttarakhand states; one government owned abattoir from Chandigarh. A molecular prevalence of 6.67% (95CI: 5%-9%) was reported in the study. None of the farmed pigs (n-23) were found positive in study molecularly. In our study we reported a sero-prevalence of 49.7% (95 CI: 45%-54%) from pigs (255/513). A molecular prevalence of 2.29% (95 CI: 1%-4%) (n=522) was detected from poultry samples. Highest molecular prevalence was found from backyard poultry (7.32%; 95CI: 3%-19%) followed by deep litter system birds (4.57% 95 CI: 2%-8%). While an apparent sero-prevalence of 6.51% (95CI: 5%-9%) was recorded. In the current study, a sero-prevalence of 28.13% (95 CI: 12%-37%) was reported in backyard poultry while 14.54% (95 CI: 9%-18%) was reported in deep-litter system and no bird was found positive from caged birds. On phylogenetic analysis of representative samples of pigs and poultry samples they clustered to the same sequences suggesting that same strain is circulating in pigs and poultry in northern states of India. Blood samples from 205 veterinary personals were collected for sero-prevalence estimation both for IgG and IgM antibodies. Highest sero-prevalence of 19.05% (95 CI: 7.67%-40%) was reported in veterinary college clinics faculty/ academicians. Along with this a self-completed questionnaire was also filled to estimate the risk factors associated with toxoplasmosis and sero-positivity was found to be significantly associated with the consumption of mutton and type of treatment carried out to drinking water.ennullThesis