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Objective —To estimate the analytic sensitivity of microscopic detection of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts and the environmental loading of T gondii oocysts on the basis of prevalence of shedding by owned and unowned cats.

Design —Cross-sectional survey.

Sample Population —326 fecal samples from cats.

Procedures —Fecal samples were collected from cat shelters, veterinary clinics, cat-owning households, and outdoor locations and tested via ZnSO ₄ fecal flotation.

Results —Only 3 (0.9%) samples of feces from 326 cats in the Morro Bay area of California contained T gondii –like oocysts. On the basis of the estimated tonnage of cat feces deposited outdoors in this area, the annual burden in the environment was estimated to be 94 to 4 …