ABSTRACT
Seroprevalence varied greatly among farms and within the individual farms, depending on fattening cycles and season when turkeys were slaughtered. Seroprevalences were higher in turkeys slaughtered in summer versus in fall or winter. A very high rate of infection was reported in a study from Iran. Turkeys are considered resistant to clinical toxoplasmosis and there were no reports of clinical toxoplasmosis since 2009. In turkeys orally inoculated with oocysts, T. gondii was widely disseminated in turkey tissues. Tissue cysts were found in imprints of 1 liver, and 2 pectoral muscles of turkeys parenterally inoculated with tachyzoites. Ducks are important for the economy of some countries, especially China because they are good source of meat and eggs for human consumption. Ratite meat is lean and its human consumption is increasing. Viable T. gondii was demonstrated in ostrich tissues.
