Aim: The objective of this investigation was to determine the seroprevalence and identify the risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the rabbit of the local Algerian population from five districts of Northern Algeria.

Materials and Methods: Blood samples of 350 rabbits were collected and analyzed for the presence of anti-T. gondii immunoglobulin G antibodies using the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Additional data concerning the farms and management practices were obtained through a questionnaire used in surveys and interviews.

Results: The overall seroprevalence was 14.6% (51/350). The seroprevalence was significantly higher in outdoor rearing farms and was linked to the presence of animals from other species on the farm. A higher seroprevalence was found in older animals compared to younger ones. No difference in seroprevalence was noted with respect to the origin or gender of animals, type of cage, feed and water sources, presence of cats in the vicinity, hygiene status, or season.

Conclusion: This study has shown that T. gondii prevalence in rabbits of the local population is relevant and may have important implications for public health in rural areas.

Keywords: Algeria, public health, rabbits, seroprevalence, Toxoplasma gondii.

1. Szendro, K., Szendro, Z.S., Matics, Z.S., Zotte, A.D., Odermatt, M., Radnai, I. and Gerencser, Z.S. (2015) Effect of genotype, housing system and hay supplementation on performance and ear lesions of growing rabbits. Livest. Sci., 174: 105-112. [Crossref]

2. Berchiche, M. and Kadi, S.A. (2002) The Kabyle rabbits (Algeria). In: Rabbit Genetic Resources in Mediterranean Countries. Options Mediterraneennes: Series B. Vol. 38. CIHEAM, Zaragoza. p11-20.

3. Zerrouki, N., Bolet, G., Berchiche, M. and Lebas, F. (2005) Evaluation of breeding performance of local Algerian rabbit population raised in the Tizi-Ouzou area (Kabylia). World Rabbit Sci., 13(1): 29-37. [Crossref]

4. Berchiche, M., Kadi, S.A. and Lebas, F. (2000) Valorization of wheat by-products by growing rabbits of local Algerian population. World Rabbit Sci., 8(1): 119-124.

5. Belhadi, S. (2004) Characterization of Local Rabbit Performance. In: Proceeding of 8th World Rabbit Congress, Puebla (Mexico). p218-223.

6. Meng, Q.F., Wang, W.L., Ni, X.T., Li, H.B., Yao, G.Z., Sun, X.L., Wang, W.L. and Cong, W. (2015) Seroprevalence of Encephalitozoon cuniculi and Toxoplasma gondii in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in China. Korean J. Parasitol., 53(6): 759-763. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]

7. Dubey, J.P. (2010) Toxoplasmosis of Animals and Humans. 2nd ed. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, New York. p313.

8. Uhlikova, M. and Hubner, J. (1973) Congenital transmission of toxoplasmosis in domestic rabbits. Folia Parasitol., 20(4): 285-291.

9. Remington, J.S., Thulliez, P. and Montoya, J.G. (2004) Recent developments for diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. J. Clin. Microbiol., 42(3): 941-945. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]

10. Webster, J.P. (2010) Review of toxoplasmosis of animals and humans. Parasit. Vectors, 3: 112. [Crossref] [PMC]

11. Alvarado-Esquivel, C., Torres-Berumen, J.L., Estrada-Martinez, S., Liesenfeld, O. and Mercado Suarez, M.F. (2011) Toxoplasma gondii infection and liver disease: A case-control study in a Northern Mexican population. Parasit. Vectors, 4(1): 75. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]

12. Machacova, T., Bartova, E., Sedlak, K., Budikova, M. and Piccirillo, A. (2015) Risk factors involved in transmission of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infection in rabbit farms in Northern Italy. Ann. Agric. Environ. Med., 22(4): 677-679. [Crossref] [PubMed]

13. Almeria, S., Calvete, C., Pages, A., Gauss, C. and Dubey, J. (2004) Factors affecting the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from Spain. Vet. Parasitol., 123(3-4): 265-270. [Crossref] [PubMed]

14. Abou Elez, R.M.M., Hassanen, E.A.A., Tolba, H.M.N. and Elsohaby, T.I. (2017) Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic rabbits and humans. Vet. Parasitol., 8 : 133-137. [Crossref] [PubMed]

15. Robert-Gangneux, F. and Darde, M.L. (2012) Epidemiology of and diagnostic strategies for toxoplasmosis. Clin. Microbiol. Rev., 25(2): 264-296. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]

16. Dechicha, A.S., Bachi F., Gharbi, I., Gourbdji, E., Ammi, D.B., Brahim-Errahmani, M. and Guetarni, D. (2015) Sero-epidemiological survey on toxoplasmosis in cattle, sheep and goats in Algeria. Afr. J. Agric. Res., 10(20): 2113-2119. [Crossref]

17. Mohamed-Cherif, A., Ait-Oudhia, K. and Khelef, D. (2015) Detection of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies among horses (Equus caballus) and donkeys (Equus asinus) in Tiaret province, Northwestern Algeria. Rev. Med. Vet., 166(9-10): 271-274.

18. Ait-Oudhia, K. and Mohamed-Cherif, A. (2015) Sero-epidemiological survey of toxoplasmosis in cattle, sheep and goats in Algeria. J. Bacteriol. Parasitol., 6(4): 245.

19. Messerer, L., Bouzbid, S., Gourbdji, E., Mansouri, R. and Bachi, F. (2014) Seroprevalence de la toxoplasmose chez les femmes enceintes dans la wilaya d'Annaba, Algerie. Rev. Epidemiol. Sante Publique, 62(2): 160-165. [Crossref] [PubMed]

20. Saidj, D., Aliouat, S., Arabi, F., Kirouani, S., Merzem, K., Merzoud, S., Merzoud, I. and Ainbaziz H. (2013) La cuniculture fermiere en Algerie: Une source de viande non negligeable pour les familles rurales. Livest. Res. Rural Dev., 25(8).

21. Suyog, S., Bishwas, S., Subir S. and Yugal, R.B. (2018) Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in sheep in different geographical regions of Nepal. Vet. Anim. Sci., 5: 7-9. [Crossref]

22. Iovu, A., Gyorke, A., Mircean, V., Gavrea, R. and Cozma, V. (2012) Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in dairy goats from Romania. Vet. Parasitol., 186(3-4): 470-474. [Crossref] [PubMed]

23. Scarpulla, M. (2009) Detection of anti-Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in Dogs and Cats: Comparison of Indirect Immunofluorescence, Direct Agglutination, and Indirect ELISA. In: Proceeding WAVLD, Madrid (Spain).

24. Mangili, P.M. (2009) Development and Evaluation of the Performance of an in House ELISA to be used for the Indirect Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis in Sheep. In: Proceeding of SIDILV, Parma (Italy).

25. Gheorghe, D., Mihaita, A., Rares, T.O., Marius, S., Ilie, A.B. and Ionela, H. (2011) Epidemiological remarks on Toxoplasma gondii infection in Timisoara zoo. Sci. Parasitol., 12(1): 33-37.

26. Almeria, S., Calvete, C.B., Pages, A., Gauss, C. and Dubey, J.P. (2004) Factors affecting the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from Spain. Vet. Parasitol., 123(3-4): 265-270. [Crossref] [PubMed]

27. Alvarado-Esquivel, C., Alvarado-Esquivel, D., Villena, I. and Dubey, J.P. (2013) Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic rabbits in Durango state, Mexico. Prev. Vet. Med., 111(1): 325-328. [Crossref] [PubMed]

28. Aghwan, S.S., Al-Taee, A.F. and Suliman, E.G. (2010) Detection of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic rabbits by using multiple techniques. Iraqi J. Vet. Sci., 24(2): 65-69. [Crossref]

29. Luptakova, L., Balent, P., Valencakova, A., Novotny, F. and Petrovova, E. (2009) Serological detection of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in animals kept in households. Folia Vet., 53(2): 87-89.

30. Sroka, J., Zwolinski, J., Dutkiewicz J., Tos-Luty S. and Latuszynska, J. (2003) Toxoplasmosis in rabbits confirmed by strain isolation: A potential risk of infection among agricultural workers. Ann. Agric. Environ. Med., 10(1): 125-128.

31. Ashmawy, K.I., Abuakkada, S.S. and Awad, A.M. (2011) Seroprevalence of antibodies to Encephalitozoon cuniculi and Toxoplasma gondii in farmed domestic rabbits in Egypt. Zoonoses Public Health, 58(5): 357-364. [Crossref] [PubMed]

32. Neumayerova, H., Jurankova, J., Jeklova, E., Kudlackova, A., Faldyna, M., Kovarcik, K., Janova, E. and Koudela, B. (2014) Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Encephalitozoon cuniculi in rabbits from different farming systems. Vet. Parasitol., 204(3-4): 184-190. [Crossref] [PubMed]

33. Wang, S., Yao, Z., Li, L., Pan, Y., Li, P., Nan, X., Xie, Q. and Zhang, Z. (2018) Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Encephalitozoon cuniculi among domestic rabbits in central China. Parasite, 25: 9. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]

34. Tasawar, Z., Aziz, F., Lashari, M.H., Shafi, S., Ahmad, M., Lal, V. and Hayat, C.S. 2012. Seroprevalence of human toxoplasmosis in southern Punjab, Pakistan. Pak. J. Life Soc. Sci., 10(1): 48-52.

35. Ramzan, M., Akhtar, M. and Muhammad, F. (2009) Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in sheep and goats in Rahim Yar Khan (Punjab), Pakistan. Trop. Anim. Health Prod., 41(7): 225-1229. [Crossref] [PubMed]

36. Zewdu, E., Agonafir, A., Tessema, T.S., Tilahun, G., Medhin, G., Vitale, M., Marco, V.E., Cox, D., Vercruysse, J. and Dorny, P. (2013) Seroepidemiological study of caprine toxoplasmosis in east and West Shewa zones, Oromia regional state, central Ethiopia. Res. Vet. Sci., 94(1): 43-48. [Crossref] [PubMed]

37. Figueroa-Castillo, J.A., Duarte-Rosas, V., Juarez-Acevedo, M., Luna-Pasten, H. and Correa, D. (2006) Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from Mexico. J. Parasitol., 92(2): 394-395. [Crossref] [PubMed]

38. Shin, H.G., Lee, S.E., Hong, S.H., Kim, S.M., Choi, Y.K., Park, H.J., Seo, K.W. and Song, K.H. (2013) Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in rabbits of Korea by serological tests and Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction. J. Vet. Med. Sci., 75(12): 1609-1613. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]

39. Dubey, J.P. (2004) Toxoplasmosis, a waterborne zoonosis. Vet. Parasitol., 126(1-2): 57-72. [Crossref] [PubMed]

40. Yekkour, F., Aubertc, D., Mercierd, A., Muratd, J.B., Khamesa, M., Nguewaf, P., Ait-Oudhia, K., Villenac, I. and Boucheneg, Z. (2017) First genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in stray cats from Algeria. Vet. Parasitol., 239(1): 31-36. [Crossref] [PubMed]

41. Ahmad, N. and Qayyum, M. (2014) Seroprevalence and risk factors for toxoplasmosis in large ruminants in Northern Punjab, Pakistan. J. Infect. Dev. Ctries., 8(8): 1022-1028. [Crossref] [PubMed]

42. Tilahun, B., Hailu, Y.T., Tilahun, G., Ashenafi, H. and Shimelis, S. (2018) Seroprevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection among domestic ruminants in East Hararghe zone of Oromia Region, Ethiopia. Vet. Med. Int., 2018: 7. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]

43. Wu, S.M., Huang, S.Y., Fu, B.Q., Liu, G.Y., Chen, J.X., Chen, M.X., Yuan, Z.G., Zhou, D.H., Weng, Y.B., Zhu, X.Q. and Ye, D.H. (2011) Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pet dogs in Lanzhou, Northwest China. Parasite Vectors, 4(1): 64. [Crossref] [PubMed] [PMC]