ANTIBODIES TO TOXOPLASMA GONDII AND COXIELLA BURNETI AMONG STUDENTS AND OTHER PERSONNEL IN VETERINARY COLLEGES IN CALIFORNIA AND BRAZIL

Riemann, H. P., P. C. Brant, C. E. Franti (School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Calif. 95616), R. Reis, A. M. Buchanan, C. Stormont and D. E. Behymer. Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and Coxiella burneti among students and other personnel in veterinary colleges in California and Brazil. Am J Epidemiol 100:197–208, 1974.—An epidemiologic investigation was carried out on persons associated with the School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, California, or with the School of Veterinary Medicine, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, to compare prevalence and environmental factors associated with toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii) and Q fever (Coxiella burneti). Of 219 persons tested in Brazil, 46% (100) had antibodies to Toxoplasma detectable by the indirect hemagglutination test and 22% (48) had antibodies to C. burneti by the microagglutination test. Of 138 persons tested in California, 27 (20%) were seropositive for Toxoplasma and 14 (10%) had antibodies to C. burneti. The factors examined for possible implication in the spread of these two diseases from animals to humans were: 1) degree of contact with cats, dogs, cattle, swine, horses, sheep and goats, poultry, and “other” animal species; 2) consumption of unpasteurized dairy products or raw or rare-cooked meat; and 3) rural or urban background and duration of rural residence. Approximately 7% of the persons tested had antibodies to both Toxoplasma and C. burneti, and persons seropositive to both antigens tended to have frequent contact with more species of animals than did persons who were seronegative to both. However, no particular species could be incriminated. The differences between groups seropositive and seronegative for Toxoplasma and/or C. burneti in each country were not sufficient to incriminate any single factor of individual activity as a major source of infection.