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Dini FM, Musto C, De Nigris VM, Bellinello E, Sampieri M, Merialdi G, Barca L, Delogu M, Galuppi R. Sero-epidemiological investigation on Toxoplasma gondii infection in Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Italy. BMC Vet Res 2024; 20:62. [PMID: 38389083 PMCID: PMC10882895 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-03922-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The wild boar (Sus scrofa) and the Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) are two wild species that have both increased their presence in the Italian territory, albeit in varying numbers. They can be occasionally found in peri-urban areas as well. Both of these species can serve as intermediate hosts for Toxoplasma gondii, as they can become infected either through the consumption of oocysts found in water, soil, or on vegetables, or through the ingestion of meat containing bradyzoites. Consequently, these animals can be regarded as key indicators of Toxoplasma presence in the wild or peri-urban environment. In our study, we examined a total of 174 wild boar meat juice and 128 wolf sera from Italy for the detection of T. gondii IgG using the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). RESULTS The results showed that 40 (22.6%) of the wild boar meat juice and 34 (26.6%) of the wolf serum samples tested positive. Interestingly, there were no significant differences in seropositivity with respect to gender, age group, or the region of origin in both species. CONCLUSIONS Overall the results indicate a moderate exposure in both the species under investigation, highlighting the spread of T. gondii in sylvatic and periurban environments. The prevalence of T. gondii in wild boar is consistent with findings from other studies conducted in Europe. Our study, with a considerably larger sample size compared to the available research in European context, provides valuable data on the seroprevalence of T. gondii in wolves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Maria Dini
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, 40064, Italy.
| | - Carmela Musto
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, 40064, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Maria De Nigris
- AUSL Bologna dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria- UO Veterinaria B, Via del Seminario, 1 San Lazzaro di Savena, Bologna, Italy
| | - Enrica Bellinello
- AUSL Modena, dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria, via Suore di San Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo, 5 41026 Pavullo nel Frignano, Modena, Italy
| | - Maria Sampieri
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna Bruno Ubertini, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Merialdi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna Bruno Ubertini, Brescia, Italy
| | - Lorella Barca
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Napoli, Italy
| | - Mauro Delogu
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, 40064, Italy
| | - Roberta Galuppi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, 40064, Italy
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Zerekidze A, Li M, Refisch A, Shameya J, Sobanski T, Walter M, Wagner G. Impact of Toxoplasma gondii and Human Microbiome on Suicidal Behavior: A Systematic Review. J Clin Med 2024; 13:593. [PMID: 38276099 PMCID: PMC10816148 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13020593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Suicide remains a persistent global health challenge, resisting widespread prevention efforts. According to previous findings, toxoplasmosis is particularly associated with altered decision making, which could lead to risk-taking behavior, thereby increasing the likelihood for suicidal behavior (SB). In addition, discussion about the role of microbiome in psychiatric disorders has emerged lately, which also makes it relevant to investigate its role in the context of SB. Therefore, two systematic reviews are integrated in this paper, and the existing knowledge is comprehensively summarized regarding the association between microbial pathogens and SB. METHODS We conducted a systematic search with keywords including SB and Toxoplasma gondii (Suicid* AND Toxoplasm*) and microbiome (Suicid* AND Microbiome AND Microbiota) throughout PubMed and Scopus to retrieve related studies up to 9 November 2023, identifying 24 eligible records. The subjects of the included studies had to have fulfilled the criteria of an SB disorder as defined by DSM-5, and death cases needed to have been defined as suicide. RESULTS Most studies reported significant association between toxoplasmosis and SB, suggesting a higher likelihood of SB in the infected population. Regarding the microbiome, only very few studies investigated an association between SB and alterations in the microbiome. Based on six included studies, there were some indications of a link between changes in the microbiome and SB. CONCLUSION The cognitive aspects of decision making in T. gondii-infected individuals with SB should be further investigated to unravel the underlying mechanisms. Further sufficiently powered studies are needed to establish a link between SB and alterations in the microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ani Zerekidze
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena Center for Mental Health, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena Center for Mental Health, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Alexander Refisch
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena Center for Mental Health, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Justina Shameya
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena Center for Mental Health, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Sobanski
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Center for Mental Health, Thueringen-Kliniken “Georgius Agricola”, 07318 Saalfeld, Germany;
| | - Martin Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena Center for Mental Health, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, 07743 Jena, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Partner Site Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Gerd Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena Center for Mental Health, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, 07743 Jena, Germany
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Nava M, Corlatti L, Formenti N, Trogu T, Pedrotti L, Gugiatti A, Lanfranchi P, Luzzago C, Ferrari N. Parasite-mediated manipulation? Toxoplasma gondii infection increases risk behaviour towards culling in red deer. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230292. [PMID: 37848050 PMCID: PMC10581775 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasites can modify host behaviour to increase their chances of survival and transmission. Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed protozoan whose ability to modify host behaviour is well known in taxa such as rats and humans. Less well known are the effects on the behaviour of wild species, with the exception of a few studies on primates and carnivores. Taking advantage of a culling activity conducted in Stelvio National Park (Italy), the serological status of T. gondii was studied in 260 individuals of red deer Cervus elaphus with respect to the risk of being culled. A temporal culling rank index was fitted as a response variable, and T. gondii serological status as the main explanatory variable in linear models, accounting for covariates such as sex, age, jaw length, bone marrow fat and culling location. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii was 31.5%, and the selected models suggested that seropositive deer were culled earlier than seronegative ones, but this effect was only evident in females, in individuals with medium-good body condition, and in areas with greater human presence. Our results suggest that T. gondii may be involved in risk behaviour in large herbivores, supporting its role as a facilitator of predation risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Nava
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy
| | - Luca Corlatti
- Stelvio National Park – ERSAF Lombardia, Bormio, Italy
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Nicoletta Formenti
- Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna ‘‘Bruno Ubertini’’, Brescia, Italy
| | - Tiziana Trogu
- Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna ‘‘Bruno Ubertini’’, Brescia, Italy
| | - Luca Pedrotti
- Stelvio National Park – ERSAF Lombardia, Bormio, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Lanfranchi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy
| | - Camilla Luzzago
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy
- Wildlife Health Lab, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy
| | - Nicola Ferrari
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy
- Wildlife Health Lab, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy
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Botero-Cañola S, Gardner SL. Tapping into natural history collections to assess latitudinal gradients of parasite diversity. Parasitology 2023; 150:723-733. [PMID: 37157058 PMCID: PMC10410379 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023000458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Parasites are key components of the biosphere not only due to their huge diversity, but also because they exert important influences on ecological processes. Nevertheless, we lack an understanding of the biogeographical patterns of parasite diversity. Here, we tap into the potential of biodiversity collections for understanding parasite biogeography. We assess species richness of supracommunities of helminth parasites infecting mammal assemblages in the Nearctic, and describe its relation to latitude, climate, host diversity, and land area. We compiled data from parasitology collections and assessed parasite diversity in Nearctic ecoregions for the entire parasite supracommunity of mammals in each ecoregion, as well as separately from carnivores and rodents to explore the effect of host taxonomic resolution on observed patterns. For carnivores, we found evidence of a negative latitudinal gradient, while parasites of rodents displayed no clear pattern. We found that parasite diversity was positively correlated with mean annual temperature and negatively correlated with seasonal precipitation. Parasite richness shows a diversity peak at intermediate host richness values and in carnivores correlates with temperature and seasonal precipitation. Rodent parasite diversity did not correlate with explored factors. Other researchers are encouraged to use parasitology collections to continue exploring patterns of parasite biogeography and macroecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Botero-Cañola
- H.W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Nebraska State Museum, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
- Wisely Lab, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Scott L. Gardner
- H.W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Nebraska State Museum, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
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Carta MG, Nardi AE, Pinna S, Cossu G, Gureje O. Multidisciplinary contributions towards an evolutive interpretation of bipolar disorders: Could it be the pathological drift of a potentially adaptive condition? REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PSIQUIATRIA (SAO PAULO, BRAZIL : 1999) 2023; 45. [PMID: 37307284 PMCID: PMC10668319 DOI: 10.47626/1516-4446-2023-3154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This paper tries to summarize the results of studies from different disciplines supporting the idea that temperamental traits, such as "reckless/hyper-exploratory" attitudes, commonly believed to be associated with psychopathology, surprisingly turn out as adaptive under specific stress conditions. In particular, this paper analyzes an ethologic line of research on primates suggesting models for a sociobiological interpretation of mood disorders in humans; a study that found high frequencies of a genetic variance associated with bipolar disorder in people without bipolar disorder but with hyperactivity/novelty-seeking traits; the outcomes of socio-anthropologicalhistorical surveys on the evolution of mood disorders in Western countries in the last centuries; surveys on changing societies in Africa and African migrants in Sardinia; and studies that found higher frequencies of mania and subthreshold mania among Sardinian immigrants in Latin American megacities. Although it is not unequivocally accepted that an increase in the prevalence of mood disorders has occurred, it would be logical to suppose that a nonadaptive condition should have disappeared over time; mood disorders, on the contrary, persist and their prevalence might have even increased. This new interpretation could lead to counter-discrimination and stigma towards people suffering from the disorder, and it would be a central point in psychosocial treatments in addition to drugs. The aim is to hypothesize that bipolar disorder, strongly characterized by these traits, may be the result of the interaction between genetic characteristics, not necessarily pathological, and specific environmental conditions, rather than a mere product of an aberrant genetic profile. If mood disorders were mere nonadaptive conditions, they would have disappeared over time, however, their prevalence, paradoxically, persists if not even increases over time. The hypothesis that bipolar disorder may result from the interaction between genetic characteristics, not necessarily pathological, and specific environmental factors, seem more credible than considering bipolar disorder as a mere product of an aberrant genetic profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro G. Carta
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Antonio E. Nardi
- Instituto de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Samantha Pinna
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giulia Cossu
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Oye Gureje
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
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Weiner A, Turjeman S, Koren O. Gut microbes and host behavior: The forgotten members of the gut-microbiome. Neuropharmacology 2023; 227:109453. [PMID: 36738776 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The gut microbiota refers to an entire population of microorganisms that colonize the gut. This community includes viruses, prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea), and eukaryotes (fungi and parasites). Multiple studies in the last decades described the significant involvement of gut bacteria in gut-brain axis communication; however, the involvement of other members of the gut microbiota has been neglected. Recent studies found that these 'forgotten' members of the gut microbiota may also have a role in gut-brain communication, although it is still unclear whether they have a direct effect on the brain or if their effects are mediated by gut bacteria. Here, we provide concrete suggestions for future research to tease out mechanisms of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. This article is part of the Special Issue on "Microbiome & the Brain: Mechanisms & Maladies".
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Weiner
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Sondra Turjeman
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Omry Koren
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel.
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7
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Attwaters M. Parasitic control of wolf behaviour. Nat Rev Microbiol 2023; 21:67. [PMID: 36517546 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-022-00847-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Parasite gives wolves what it takes to be pack leaders. Nature 2022; 612:202. [PMID: 36424503 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-022-03836-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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