Smoking among adolescent is a public health concern in Malaysia. Multiple studies on smoking prevalence and its related factors have been conducted in Malaysia, however, they were specific to either urban or rural areas alone. Studies in mixed settlement areas (urban, rural, land development area) had not been intensively investigated. This study reports the prevalence, demographic and factors related to smoking amongst form four students in the district of Kota Tinggi, Johor. A cross-sectional study of 16-year old secondary school students in Kota Tinggi district was conducted using two-stage stratified, proportionate sampling in July 2005. The study instrument used was a validated structured questionnaire on smoking and its related factors. Smoking prevalence was found to be 29.7%. More than 50% of male students were smokers. Prevalence was highest in FELDA (Federal Land Development Authority) settlement areas. Smoking was associated with having a brother or friend who smokes and poor academic performance. The study revealed that smoking prevalence was high, especially among male students in land development schemes. This situation will contribute to high smoking-related health problems in the future if proper preventive measures are not taken accordingly.
This paper reviews the literature on human leptospirosis in Malaysia from its first description in 1925 until the present day. Fletcher diagnosed the first case of human leptospirosis in Malaysia in 1925. Following Fletcher, many investigations on human leptospirosis in Malaysia disclosed a high prevalence of infection. These investigations indicated that the disease was endemic in the country. Examination of 1993 suspected human cases of leptospirosis by Tan indicated 28 % of the cases were positive. In a recent survey, 2190 serum samples from patients with different clinical manifestations in the country disclosed 12.6% were positive for antibodies to leptospires. The risk to leptospiral infection with respect to occupation, location, sex, race and age groups was demonstrated. Both civilians and military personnel were affected. Thirty-seven serovars from thirteen serogroups have been identified in the country. Recent studies on animal leptospirosis showed that the disease was highly endemic in the animal population. It is considered that the majority of leptospirosis cases in humans were due to association of man with animals and disease-infected environment.
Intestinal protozoa are increasingly being studied because of their association with acute and chronic diarrhoea in immunocompromised as well as immunocompetent patients. Various community outbreaks due to contamination of water or food with these protozoa have further highlighted their importance in public health. Among these important pathogens are Giardia duodenalis, Entamoeba histolytica, Cryptosporidium parvum, Cyclospora cayetanensis, Isospora belli, and microsporidia. Except for the cyst-forming G. duodenalis and E. histolytica, the others are intracellular and form spores which are passed out with the faeces. These organisms are also found in various animals and birds and zoonotic transmission is thought to occur. These infections are distributed worldwide, with a higher prevalence in developing compared to developed countries. However, the relative importance of zoonotic infections especially in developing countries has not been studied in detail. The prevalence rates are generally higher in immunodeficient compared to immunocompetent patients. Higher prevalence rates are also seen in rural compared to urban communities. Most studies on prevalence have been carried out in developed countries where the laboratory and other health infrastructure are more accessible than those in developing countries. This relative inadequacy of laboratory diagnosis can affect accurate estimates of the prevalence of these infections in developing countries. However, reports of these infections in travellers and workers returning from developing countries can provide some indication of the extent of these problems. Most studies on prevalence of amoebiasis in developing countries were based on morphological identification of the parasite in faecal smears. As the pathogenic E. histolytica is morphologically indistinguishable from that of non-pathogenic E. dispar, estimates of amoebiasis may not be accurate. The epidemiology of human microsporidia infections is not completely understood. Two species, Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis, are associated with gastrointestinal disease in humans and it is believed that human to human as well as animal to human infections occur. However, the importance of zoonotic infections has not been fully characterised. G. duodenalis cysts, microsporidia and Cryptosporidium oocysts have been detected in various ground water resources, but their role in community outbreaks and maintenance of the infection has not been fully characterised. The taxonomic classification and pathogenic potential of B. hominis are still controversial. While considered by many as yeast, fungi or protozoon, recent sequence analysis of the complete SSUrRNA gene has placed it within an informal group, the stramenopiles. This review covers recent published data on these zoonotic infections and examines their public health importance in Asian countries.
A survey was carried out to determine the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies among cattle farmers and cattle in the Gombak District, Selangor. A total of 79 human and 73 cattle serum samples were tested for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies by the immunofluorescent technique (IFAT). Results of the survey showed that anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies were found in 27.8% of the farmers, while in cattle the positive rate was only 3.8%. The prevalence rate obtained in this study did not differ much from the prevalence reported in previous studies. This suggests that the same degree of risk to this infection exists in the community. In view of the relatively low antibody prevalence in cattle, the risk of acquiring this infection from consuming undercooked beef is realtively low. Further survey on larger sample size is needed to validate the observation.
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a viral infection of the central nervous system and is caused by tick bites, usually after travel to rural or forested areas. The disease is prevalent in Scandinavia, Western Europe, Central Europe and the former Soviet Union and East Asia including Japan. In Malaysia, so far there are no reported cases of TBE. In the present time, many illnesses have been attributed to traveling to other parts of the world. Thus it is important to carry out TBE prevalence study to determine whether the virus is present among Malaysian population. Samples (sera and CSF) from patients admitted to major MOH hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah with a clinical diagnosis of encephalitis but is IgM negative for JE, were tested for TBEV IgM ELISA and TBEV IgG ELISA (DRG, Germany). Out of the 600 samples screened for TBEV IgG, all were non-reactive. In addition, out of the 100 samples screened for TBEV IgM, all the samples were also non-reactive. Our results indicate that currently TBE is not present in the Malaysian population. Among the reasons for this could be lack of the infection agent, absence of the suitable vector or subjects selected for the study did not fit the criteria of possible exposure to TBE infections. Hence we recommend that for any future study, the selection of subjects should include those who returned from tick-infested forested areas.
Cryptosporidium parasites can infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts including reptiles, mammals, and birds. Due to the zoonotic nature of cryptosporidiosis and its close contact with exotic birds and humans, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence and genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. in exotic birds of southwest of Iran, by the staining and molecular methods. In the present research, 369 stool specimens were randomly collected from exotic birds and stained by modified acid-fast stain using Ziehl-Neelsen method. The slides were examined using light microscopy at a magnification of 100X. Then, the extracted DNA was amplified using the PCR method. Finally, all genotypes and positive samples from PCR assay were sequenced by Bioneer Company (Daejeon, South Korea). Among 369 stool specimens, 25 and 27 cases were found to be positive for Cryptosporidium spp. by the modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining and the PCR methods, respectively. Based on the genotyping, C. avian genotype III and C. meleagridis were detected in 25 and 2 stool samples, respectively. The results revealed a relatively high prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in exotic birds in the southwest of Iran. Due to the zoonotic nature of C. meleagridis, these exotic birds can be a significant source of cryptosporidiosis. It is important that high-risk people, including immune-deficient patients, receive correct information about the risk of indirect and direct contact with infected exotic birds.
Resistant and enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus strains are considered to be one of the major causes of foodborne diseases due to the consumption of sweet. The present research was done to study the distribution of enterotoxin types, enterotoxigenic genes and antibiotic resistance pattern of S. aureus strains isolated from traditional sweet samples. Eight-hundred and fifteen sweet samples were cultured and S. aureus strains were identified. Antibiotic resistance, enterotoxigenicity and enterotoxigenic gene profile were studied using disk diffusion, Enzyme Link Immunosorbent Assay and PCR, respectively. One-hundred and seven out of 815 (13.12%) sweet samples were positive for S. aureus. Prevalence of S. aureus in dried and semi-dried sweet samples were 15.08% and 11.13%, respectively (P <0.05). Forty-six out of 107 S. aureus strains (42.99%) were determined as enterotoxigenic. A (41.30%) and C (17.39%) were the most commonly detected enterotoxin types. Sea (20.56%), sec (14.95%) and seb (11.21%) were the most commonly detected enterotoxigenic genes. There were no positive sample for the sej enterotoxin gene. S. aureus strains harbored the highest prevalence of resistance against penicillin (88.78%), tetracycline (83.17%), ceftaroline (75.70%) and doxycycline (71.02%). Simultaneous presence of enterotoxins and enterotoxigenic genes in multi-drug resistant S. aureus strains indicates important public health issue regarding the consumption of contaminated traditional sweet samples.
Trypanosomiasis is a disease caused by a flagellate protozoon called Trypanosoma and can be mechanically transmitted by vectors to humans and animals. Various species of Trypanosoma are found in livestock and poultry, which include Trypanosoma evansi, T. brucei, T. vivax and T. congolense. The camel is the most sensitive livestock for T. evansi, so the exact identification of infection is very important for epidemiological studies and the design of control programs. The present study was conducted with the aim of molecular detection of camel trypanosomiasis in the Sistan region in 2015. Previous studies have shown that internal transcribed spacer one (ITS1) of the ribosomal DNA is a reliable genetic marker for carrying out systematic molecular studies of trypanosomes. In order to investigate infections of camels with T. evansi, a total of 113 blood samples were collected randomly and the presence of parasites in each sample was evaluated using the microscopic method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Genomic DNA was extracted and the ITS-1 was amplified by PCR. In comparison to the nucleotide sequence obtained with the sequences recorded in GenBank, it was determined that there is a 99% homology with the recorded sequence of T. evansi. The obtained sequence was registered in Gen Bank with kx900449 code. The T. evansi sequences from different countries such as India, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, China and Argentina and etc., were extracted from the Gene bank and aligned using the ClustalW2 sequence alignment tool and MEGA software. In this study the prevalence of T. evansi infection using the molecular method was 6.19% and no positive samples were found by microscopic observation.
The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among schoolchildren in Colalao del Valle, a high-altitude community in Tucumán province, Argentina, was investigated. The data revealed a high prevalence of parasitism (79.7%) with no significant differences in distribution by sex or age. Protozoa infections were the most common with Blastocystis hominis being the most prevalent (62.5%), followed by Giardia lamblia (29.7%), Endolimax nana (15.6%), Entamoeba coli (12.5%) and Iodamoeba bütschlii (3.1%). Interestingly, there was an absence of soil-transmitted helminths among the studied population which could be related to climate (variable temperatures, moderate rainfall) and soil type (clay).
Intestinal parasitic infections are among important health problems in developing countries. In societies living in low socioeconomic conditions, it has been neglected and mostly affects children. It is important to determine the prevalence and type of intestinal parasites in order to determine the intervention strategies for these infections. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate intestinal parasite prevalence and IgE levels and the factors associated with the region in which the children population live, in Sirnak province, in the eastern of Turkey. A total of 357 symptomatic children aged 4 to 12 years, who were admitted to the Paediatric Polyclinic of Sirnak State Hospital, were examined prospectively. The collected stool samples were examined with direct wet-mount and concentration method under light microscope. In addition, total serum IgE levels were compared among 223 children with parasitic disease and 134 children without parasitic disease. One or more intestinal parasites were detected in 223 out of the 357 children participating in the study. The ratio of single, double, and triple parasitic infections in children was 32.5 %, 22.4 % and 7.6 %, respectively. The most common parasites determined in the study were Taenia spp. (39.9%), Enterobius vermicularis (38.6%) and Giardia intestinalis. (30 %). The difference between IgE levels determined in both groups was not regarded to be statistically significant. This study indicated that that intestinal polyparism is very common in children living in the province of Sirnak, which is located in the east of Turkey, neighbouring Iraq and Syria in the South. For this reason, sustainable control measures are urgently needed to improve personal hygiene and sanitation, to provide a healthy infrastructure and to improve the quality of existing water resources.
Toxoplasmosis is a protozoal infection of zoonotic potential with worldwide geographical distribution which affects nearly all warm-blooded animals including mammals and birds. Keeping in view, this study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis along with associated risk factors and its haematological impacts in small ruminants of district Multan, Pakistan. In this study, a total of 250 sera samples collected from sheep (n=125) and goats (n=125) from three tehsils of Multan were examined using commercially available Latex agglutination test kit for the presence of anti-T. gondii antibodies. The haematological profiles of Toxoplasma seropositive and seronegative animals were determined by using automated haematology analyser. Overall seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in small ruminants was 42.80% with a higher prevalence rate (44.80%) in sheep as compared to goats (40.80%). Sex, existence of co-morbid conditions, feeding pattern and presence of pet cats and dogs were identified as significant (P<0.05) risk factors associated with the presence of antibodies against toxoplasmosis. The breed was found to be a significant (P=0.026) risk factor for the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in goats but not in sheep. Haematological analysis revealed significantly altered leukocytic counts (P<0.05) in seropositive sheep and goats as compared to seronegative ones. Our findings showed that small ruminants of the Multan District in Pakistan are toxoplasma seropositive and may pose a serious threat of public health concern in the region.
T. gondii is a life-threatening infection in immunocompromised patients which may be transmitted through blood transfusion. The present study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence and molecular detection of T. gondii infection and the associated risk factors among young healthy blood donors in the central part of Mazandaran province, northern Iran. Blood samples were taken from 500 participants and the serum was separated. All serum samples were tested for the presence of anti-T. gondii antibodies (IgG) and then all positive samples were evaluated for IgM antibodies using commercial ELISA kits. All IgM positive samples and 66 randomly selected IgG positive samples were further tested by PCR of the REP-529 gene. Anti-Toxoplasma antibodies (IgG) avidity test was performed for 142 IgG positive samples which were randomly selected. In the current study, anti-T. gondii antibodies (IgG) and (IgM) were found in 316 (63.2%) and 3 (0.95 %) participants, respectively. Seropositivity rate of Toxoplasma was higher among blood donors living in rural areas (P=0.000) and those with a history of soil and animal contact (P<0.05). PCR of the REP-529 gene showed T. gondii DNA in 21 out of 66 samples. The REP-529 gene was not detected in IgM positive samples. Low avidity antibodies (IgG) was found in 23.2% of the IgG positive samples. In conclusions, this study found that the prevalence of toxoplasmosis among young healthy blood donors in north of Iran was high. To reduce the risk of parasite transmission, leukofilteration method are recommended for donated blood used for immunosuppressed patients.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of enteroparasitic infections in students and their hormonal and immunological repercussions on physical development. Students of basic education of both sexes were evaluated. Parasitological stool tests were performed using the Hoffman and Kato-Katz methods. The students were divided into two groups: a control group (negative parasitological examination, N=25) and an infected group (positive parasitological test, N=25). Anthropometric variables (height, weight, and BMI), concentrations of hormones (melatonin and cortisol), cytokine/chemokine levels (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17 and TNF-α) and physical performance (aerobic capacity, upper- and lower-limb muscle strength and abdominal performance) were evaluated. The prevalence of parasitic infection among the students was 7.98%. No anthropometric differences were observed among the groups. IL-2 and TNF-α levels were higher and IL-8 levels were lower in serum from students who were positive for parasitic infection. Serum from students who were positive for parasitic infection showed higher levels of melatonin than that from parasitenegative students. No differences were observed in cortisol levels. Students who were positive for parasitic infection presented greater lower-limb strength and lower abdominal performance than parasite-negative students. In the parasitic infection group, IL-12 was positively correlated with melatonin. In the parasitic infection group, IL-8 showed a positive correlation with aerobic capacity, while IL-17 and TNF-α showed a positive correlation with abdominal performance. These data suggest that parasitic infections determine the profile of inflammatory cytokines and that melatonin may be involved in the control of this process to minimize tissue damage. Additionally, students' difficulty in practising physical exercises can be an indication of enteroparasitic infection.
Tritrichomonas foetus is known to cause chronic diarrhea in the feline species in many different regions of the world. However, there is a paucity of information on T. foetus among cats in Malaysia. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Tritrichomonas foetus in the pet and stray cat population in Klang Valley, Malaysia. A total of 201 pet and stray cats' fecal samples were collected in Klang Valley. 24 samples were cultured in the InPouch® TF Feline to observe for motile trophozoites. A nested PCR protocol was used to screen for T. foetus in the collected samples. The prevalence of T. foetus in the cat population in Klang Valley was 33%. There was no association between Tritrichomonas infection and age, sex, breed or management of the cats. However, statistical analysis revealed that stray cats were more likely to be infected with T. foetus compared to pet cats. This study confirmed for the first time the presence of T. foetus among the cat population in Klang Valley, Malaysia.
Helminth infections (HIs) are an important public health problem in tropical countries, and the associated problems have been neglected in rural areas of Thailand. Therefore, this study reports the prevalence and intensity of HIs among inhabitants of the Khon Sawan district, Chaiyaphum province, and Kaeng Samnam Nang district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, which are located near the Chi River and Lahanna water reservoir, northeastern Thailand. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted between July 31, 2018, and June 30, 2019, among rural villagers from 40 rural villages in 4 subdistricts. The participants were selected from the village enrolment list after proportional allocation of the total sample size. Faecal samples from 691 inhabitants were prepared using solvent-free faecal parasite concentrator, and helminths were then detected using a light microscope. Statistical analysis included the Chi-square test with Yates correction, and multivariable logistic regression was performed. A P-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The prevalence of HIs was 2.03%. The most prevalent helminths were Opisthorchis viverrini (1.31%), followed by Strongyloides stercoralis (0.44%), Ascaris lumbricoides (0.29%), hookworm (0.15%), Teania spp. (0.15%) and one minute intestinal fluke (0.15%). Coinfections were identified in 2 cases for S. stercoralis and hookworm and 1 case for O. viverrini and S. stercoralis infection. All infected participants had a light intensity of HI. There was no significant difference between general characteristics for all HIs. The prevalence of HIs was not significantly associated with general characteristics. This study indicates that the infections result mainly from foodborne helminths and skin-penetrating nematodes. Therefore, interventions should concentrate on the personal hygiene of the population and improving sanitation to reduce HIs in this area.
Ticks are vectors of bacteria, protozoa and viruses capable of causing serious and life threatening diseases in humans and animals. Disease transmission occurs through the transfer of pathogen from tick bites to susceptible humans or animals. Most commonly known tick-borne pathogens are obligate intracellular microorganisms but little is known on the prevalence of culturable pathogenic bacteria from ticks capable of growth on artificial nutrient media. One hundred and forty seven ticks originating from dairy cattle, goats and rodents were collected from nine selected sites in Peninsular Malaysia. The culture of surfacesterilized tick homogenates revealed the isolation of various pathogenic bacteria including, Staphylococcus sp., Corynebacterium sp., Rothia sp., Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Bacillus sp. and its derived genera. These pathogens are among those that affect humans and animals. Findings from this study suggest that in addition to the regular intracellular pathogens, ticks could also harbor extracellular pathogenic bacteria. Further studies, hence, would be needed to determine if these extracellular pathogens could contribute to human or animal infection.
Chloroquine resistance transporter of Plasmodium falciparum (PfCRT) is a food vacuolar transmembrane protein that mediates susceptibility of the parasite to chloroquine. A mutation at K76T of the Pfcrt gene is a key determinant for chloroquine resistance phenotype. In the absence of drug pressure, in vitro growth rate of chloroquine-resistance parasites was outcompeted by wild-type parasites unless intragenic compensatory mutations occurred. Chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum bearing the Cam734 haplotype known to circulate in endemic areas of Cambodia bordering Thailand contains 9 mutations in Pfcrt and exhibits both chloroquine resistance and comparable growth rate to the chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 strain. To analyze the evolution of the Cam734 haplotype, codon-based analysis was performed by using the mixed effects model of evolution (MEME), branch-site random effects likelihood (BR-REL) and other related methods. Results revealed that the Cam734 haplotype has evolved distinctively from other known mutant haplotypes including the most common Dd2 haplotype in Southeast Asia. Evidence of episodic positive selection was detected at codon 144, characterized by c.[430G>T; 431C>T] (p.A144F), known to be indispensable for both chloroquine resistance and restoration of growth rate of the parasites. To survey the prevalence of mutations at codons 76 and 144 in Pfcrt among Thai isolates, restriction fragment analysis of 548 P. falciparum isolates collected from six endemic provinces of Thailand during 1991 and 2016 was performed. The 144F Pfcrt mutant was detected in 7 (1.28%) isolates. All Thai isolates analyzed herein harbored a mutation at codon 76 whilst the wild-type parasite was not found. The low prevalence of isolates bearing the mutation 144F in PfCRT could imply little or lack of survival advantage of this mutant in endemic areas of Thailand where the wild-type parasites seem to be absent or extremely rare.
Blastocystis is one of the most common parasites inhabiting the intestinal tract of human and animals. Currently, human Blastocystis isolates are classified into nine subtypes (STs) based on the phylogeny of their small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. Although its pathogenicity remains controversial, the possibility of zoonotic transmission was recognized since eight of the nine STs (except for ST9) have been reported in both humans and animals. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis isolated from humans and associated animals in an indigenous community with poor hygiene in Malaysia, where the risk of parasitic infection is high. A total of 275 stool samples were collected, subjected to DNA extraction and amplified by PCR assay. The Blastocystis-positive amplicons were then purified and sequenced. Phylogenetic tree of positive isolates, reference strains and outgroup were constructed using maximum likelihood method based on Hasegawa-KishinoYano+G+I model. The prevalence of Blastocystis infection among humans and domestic animals by PCR assay were 18.5% (45/243) and 6.3% (2/32), respectively. Through molecular phylogeny, 47 isolates were separated into five clusters containing isolates from both hosts. Among human isolates, ST3 (53.3%) was the predominant subtype, followed by ST1 (31.1%) and ST2 (15.6%). Chicken and cattle had lower proportions of ST6 (50%) and ST10 (50%), that were barely seen in humans. The distinct distributions of the most important STs among the host animals as well as humans examined demonstrate that there is various host-specific subtypes in the lifecycle of Blastocystis.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered an opportunistic pathogen, causing a wide variety of infections in compromised hosts, also frequently develops multi-resistance to antibiotics and can colonize various habitats, including water systems. The main aim of this study was to investigate antibiotics susceptibility pattern, genotypic diversity and detection of resistence genes in P. aeruginosa isolates from clinical and aquatic environment sources. Of the 220 P. aeruginosa isolates examined, 48 were clinical isolates and 172 isolates from wastewater and freshwater. Susceptibility to eight antimicrobial agents was carried out by disk diffusion method. Clinical and environmental isolates were screened for the presence of the genes encoding blaKPC-2, blaCTX-M-9, blaPER-1, blaOXA-10, blaIMP-1, blaVIM-2 and blaampC by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Isolates were examined with PCR-SSCP analysis of partial DNAr 16S sequence. Isolates were mainly resistant to cefoxitin. Multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa (MDRPA) strains were found in 70% and 90.3% of the clinical and environmental isolates, respectively. The prevalence rates of â-lactamase genes were recorded (blaKPC-2 41.3%, blaVIM-2 36.8%, blaIMP-1 13.6%, blaCTX-M-9 10.9% and blaampC 10.5%,). The PCR-SSCP analysis showed three conformational patterns. All clinical isolates and most environmental isolates were grouped into a single cluster. In this study, we found that P. aeruginosa strains recovered from city water systems must be considered potential reservoir for ESBL genes, especially blaKPC-2 and blaVIM-2.
Toxoplasma gondii, a zoonotic protozoan that has a worldwide distribution, is known to infect many warm-blooded vertebrates. The feline species including domestic cats are the definitive hosts for Toxoplama gondii and shed the infective oocyst. There is lack of information on the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in cats in Malaysia. The objective of this study was to determine both the seroprevalence of T. gondii and the prevalence of T. gondii DNA in cats' feces in Klang Valley, Malaysia. 198 blood and 201 fecal samples were collected from pet and stray cats from the local council, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) and University Veterinary Hospital, Universiti Putra Malaysia respectively. The overall seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in cats in the Klang Valley was found to be 5.5%. There was a high prevalence (10.5%) of T. gondii DNA detected in the cat fecal samples in both pet and stray cats suggestive of T. gondii oocyst shedding. Stray cats showed a higher seroprevalence and molecular prevalence of T. gondii than the pet cats. However, comparative analysis using Chi-square test showed no significant difference between both groups (P>0.05). Higher prevalence (10.5%) of cats shedding T. gondii DNA as compared to the seroprevalence (5.5%) was found in the cat population in the Klang Valley. The high prevalence of cats shedding T. gondii DNA is alarming as this may directly reflect the number of oocysts excreted into the environment posing a significant public health hazard.