El-Sayed El-Alfy, Ibrahim Abbas
The present study provides the first comprehensive evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infections in Iraqi animals and birds. Data from 116 Iraqi studies were subjected to various meta-analyses, and all published Iraqi T. gondii-SAG3 and N. caninum-NC5 nucleotide sections were molecularly analyzed. For T. gondii, the pooled prevalence estimates in various animals exceeded the global averages. Cats showed a high seroprevalence (45.2%) and oocyst shedding (16.7%), suggesting a widespread environmental contamination. Sheep and goats exhibited high pooled seroprevalence (46.9% and 47.9%, respectively), and T. gondii DNA was frequently detected in sheep meat and goat milk, indicating their potential zoonotic risk. Nonetheless, limited studies tested T. gondii DNA in blood/tissues of aborted small ruminants, highlighting an important gap. Molecular analysis of 113 T. gondii isolates illustrated the predominance of the clonal types I and III, and their co-circulation among humans, animals, and birds, suggesting active zoonotic transmission. N. caninum displayed a seroprevalence of 12.3% and 8.1% in sheep and goats, respectively. N. caninum DNA was detected in aborted sheep, goats, and equines, highlighting its potential role in animal abortions in Iraq. However, N. caninum role in cattle abortions is unclear, but aborted cattle had a higher pooled N. caninum seroprevalence (21.2%) than non-aborted cattle (15.4%). Nine N. caninum haplotypes were detected across 22 isolates, with a shared haplotype between sheep and goats. These findings suggest the endemic situation of both protozoa in Iraqi animals and emphasize the need for integrated "One Health" surveillance to implement effective control strategies.