Serodiagnosis of Toxocariasis by ELISA test using anti- T. canis IgG antibodies in stray dogs compared to PCR

Abstract EN

Toxocara (T.) canis is a nematode parasite of canines; belong to the Ascarididae family, which accidentally infected humans.

Puppies expel the eggs with the feces from the fourth week of the life cycle.

This study is the first study in Iraq for detection seroprevalence in stray dogs and extended from January to September 2017.

Our study was aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of T.

canis infection in stray dogs from different areas in the Al-Diwaniya province, Iraq to detection of specific IgG antibodies to T.

canis compared to Conventional PCR technique with the effect of the risk factor.

One hundred of the blood sample and one hundred of a faecal sample of same dogs after shooting were studied using indirect ELISA test and PCR.

The result revealed that 71% of the dogs had a seropositive result for this parasite by ELISA test.

Dog age is an important factor and affects seroprevalence, were shown that positive rate in adult dogs was more 83.05% than the young dogs 53.65%, while no significant between dogs according to sex.

PCR technique showed 58% of dogs were positive for internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) ribosomal RNA.

The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA test was 79 and 40% respectively.