The Role of Pet Cats in the Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasmosis

The occurrence of toxoplasma antibodies was studied in 3 selected groups of humans by means of complement fixation (CF) and indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFAT) techniques. High occurrence of antibodies was observed among the owners of pedigree cats (CF: 55%; IFAT: 67%), which differed significantly from the values of the control material (35% and 33%, respectively). Having a pet in the family did not increase the proportion of reactors among controls. No significant correlation was observed between the antibody occurrence and the period for which a pet had been kept, nor the raw meat consumption of the cats or humans themselves, or the hunting habits of the animals.