Epidemiological update on Toxoplasma gondii infection in livestock and companion animals in Spain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4321/s2173-92772026000300010Keywords:
Toxoplasma gondii, toxoplasmosis, epidemiology, livestock, cats, zoonosis, biosecurity, One Health, SpainAbstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a cosmopolitan zoonotic parasite. While felids are the only definitive hosts capable of excreting oocysts into the environment; livestock act as intermediate hosts and are a significant source of human infection through the consumption of raw or undercooked meat. Similarly, raw vegetables contaminated with oocysts constitute another possible transmission route. This study provides a review of scientific literature published between 2000 and 2026 concerning the epidemiology of T. gondii infection in livestock and domestic felids in Spain. In species intended for human consumption; seroprevalence varies widely depending on the animal species; production system; biosecurity measures; and geographical region; ranging from 2.1% to 83.3%. In the feline population, seroprevalence varies from 10% in cats from breeding facilities to 84.7% in community cats. This manuscript reviews the current epidemiological situation in Spain and proposes biosecurity measures for controlling toxoplasmosis using a ‘One Health’ approach.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ana Montoya-Matute, Marta Mateo-Barrientos, Rocío Checa-Herraiz, Guadalupe Miró-Corrales
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