Occurrence and Risk Factors of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Tigers (Panthera tigris) in Thailand: Influence of Age and Sex.

BACKGROUND

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite of significant concern in both public and animal health.

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated the occurrence of T. gondii in 135 captive tigers (Panthera tigris) across seven tiger parks in Thailand. Tiger parks, as theme-based wildlife attractions, are high-risk venues for zoonotic disease transmission due to the close contact between humans and captive wild animals.

METHODS

The presence of T. gondii specific antibodies was determined using a latex agglutination test.

RESULTS

Serological analysis revealed that 42.96% (58/135; 95% CI: 34.48-51.76) of the tigers tested positive for T. gondii antibodies. Females exhibited a significantly higher occurrence of 51.43% (36/70; 39.17-63.56) compared to males at 33.85% (22/65; 22.57-46.65) (p = 0.039). Ordinal logistic regression model was applied to assess the influence of sex and age on T. gondii-specific antibodies. The results demonstrated that both sex and age were significantly associated with the level of antibodies. Female tigers exhibited a significantly higher likelihood of seropositive titre (OR = 20.13, p = 0.026), and the probability of titre increased with age (OR = 1.91, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight the potential risk of T. gondii transmission in captive tiger populations and emphasize the importance of regular surveillance and improved management practices in reducing zoonotic transmission.