Authors

Discussion

Background: Sarcocystis spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are obligate protozoan parasites infecting a large range of wild and domestic animals including equids. Although these pathogens have a wide host range among vertebrates, there is limited understanding regarding their infection in equids. This study aimed to gain knowledge about the public health risk related to these parasitosis by investigating the infection prevalence in slaughtered equids with Sarcocystis spp. and T. gondii in the slaughterhouses of Tunis and Bizerte, located in Northern Tunisia.

Methods: A total of 184 slaughtered equids from slaughterhouses of Bizerte and Tunis located in Northern Tunisia, were examined for meat infections with Sarcocystis spp. and T. gondii by PCR. The infection prevalences were compared using the Chi-square Mantel-Haenszel test (Epi Info). Risk factors were evaluated using stratified odds ratio.

Results: Infections prevalence with Sarcocystis spp. and T. gondii were 38% (95%CI: 31-45) and 39.7% (95% CI: 32.6-46.7), respectively. The highest infection prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. was observed in donkeys (48.6%; 95%CI: 37.3-60) followed by mules (32.8%; 95%CI: 21.3-44.3), and horses (28.3%; 95%CI: 15.2-41.2) (p = 0.04). Similarly, the highest infection prevalence of T. gondii, was observed in donkeys (66.2%; 95%CI: 55.4-77), followed by mules (18.7%; 95%CI: 9.2-28.3), and horses (26.1%; 95%CI: 13.4-38.8) (p<0.001). The co-infection prevalence was estimated to 17.4% (95%CI: 11.9-22.9).

Conclusion: Taking into consideration that humans can be infected following consumption of infected equid’s meat with T. gondii and/or some Sarcocystis species, it is of major importance to assess the risk of human infection. Thus, further studies are needed for a better understanding of the epidemiology of these zoonoses.