Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Gallus domesticus of District Mardan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

The aim of present study was to determine the rate of prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in chickens and to apprise the community about the negative effects of the T. gondii in the study area. A total of 536 blood samples of caged and free range chicken were tested of which 18.85% were found infected with T. gondii. In 64 blood samples from caged 5.90% were found sero-positive. While out of 468 free range chickens 20.70% were found with anti-toxoplasma antibody. The seroprevalence rate was 22.20% detected in female birds of free range chickens while 17.80% were found sero-positive in male free range chickens. A greater number of samples were found positive in free range chickens while little number of caged chickens was with negative result. The present research study shows that infection of toxoplasmosis is high in chickens in Mardan Pakistan which is a public health threat in the study area.