Prevalence and associated risk factors of toxoplasmosis affecting pigs reared by small holder farmers in Wakiso and Mukono Districts of Central Uganda

Abstract

Porcine Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii. It leads to pig morbidity and mortality. It is transmitted by eating infected meat, touching surfaces or utensils contaminated by raw meat, ingestion of oocyst contaminated feeds by pigs. The general objective was to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of Toxoplasmosis of pigs reared by smallholder farmers in Mukono and Wakiso Districts of Uganda. Porcine Toxoplasmosis leads to high pig morbidity and mortality hence resulting in losses to farmers thus the need to determine the prevalence and possible risk factors of Toxoplasmosis. Researchers and policy makers have limited information on the prevalence of diseases like Toxoplasmosis and their impacts on pig production. The study was a cross sectional study design. Blood samples were collected from 600 pigs by veni-puncture. Serum samples were analyzed using indirect ELISA. Upto 101 farmers were interviewed using a semi- structured questionnaire with a Kobo collect tool to identify risk factors. Data was analyzed using Special Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) Version 23.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL USA). The Sero-prevalence of Porcine Toxoplasmosis was 26.8% in Mukono and 15.8 % in Wakiso. Respondents with dirt/ mud floor pig pens were 5.9%, 6.93% with slatted floors were 6.9% and indigenous micro-organisms (IMO) floors was 0.99% respondent. In farms where staff change shoes (p = 0.636, OR = 0.827) and where visitors disinfect shoes (p = 0.779, OR = 0.901) were associated with reduced odds of finding Toxoplasmosis positive pigs. Adult pigs (p=0.698, OR= 0.283) were more associated with increased odds of having porcine Toxoplasmosis infection compared to young pigs in the area of study. However, this not statistically significant since the p- value is greater than 0.05. It was concluded that T. gondii was prevalent in the studied pig population with serious infection, and therefore an environmental contamination with infecting oocysts exists. This is likely to lead to immense economic losses to farmers from mortality of pigs and high costs of treatment.