HUMAN TOXOPLASMOSIS PREVALENCE AND EXPOSURE TO CATS

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Abstract
Peterson, D. R. (Univ. of Washington, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Seattle, Wash. 98195), E. Tronca and P. Bonin. Human toxoplasmosis prevalence and exposure to cats. Am J Epidemiol 96: 215–218, 1972.—To epidemiologically assess the role of cats in transmitting toxoplasmosis, we queried individuals about their pet cats and dogs, farm living experience, and meat cooking preference. We then tested these persons for toxoplasma antibody with the indirect fluorescent method. Of 369 subjects, 19% had antibody in a 1 : 16 dilution of their serum. The age-standardized toxoplasma prevalence rate for 235 subjects who had possessed a pet cat equaled 20.9% compared to 9.3% of 78 respondents denying possession. Corresponding data for pet dog possession, farm living, and meat cooking preference, yielded differences that were not statistically significant. We submit that our epidemiologic data support the laboratory derived hypothesis that cats represent an important vector of transmission of toxoplasmosis to humans.

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