Immunological determination of Toxoplasma gondii and Brucella canis in canines from shelters in Risaralda and Caldas, Coffee Region – Colombia

The increasing dog population in Colombia has also raised the incidence of diseases that represent human and animal health risks. Brucella canis is a pathogen that is the primary cause of infertility in canines. It is easily transmitted between canines through body fluids, causing abortions in females, perinatal death of puppies, epididymitis, and infertility in males. On the other hand, Toxoplasma gondii is an easily transmitted parasite; its transmission is the majority between canines and felines, mainly through consuming contaminated food and water, which causes a disease that commonly has a subclinical presentation in canines. However, in immunosuppressed individuals this pathogen can cause neuromuscular, gastrointestinal, and respiratory signs. Currently, due to the increase and geographical distribution of the canine population, it is important to gather information about the prevalence and possible risk factors associated with the presentation of these diseases in the departments of Risaralda and Caldas from Colombia. In this sense, a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out, and a population of domestic canines was sampled (n=93), females n=63 (67.74%), and males n=30 (32.26%). In total, 72% of animals were positive for Toxoplasma gondii, while for Brucella canis, a prevalence of 0% was estimated.