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Briciu V, Ionică AM, Flonta M, Almaș A, Muntean M, Topan A, Horvat M, Ungureanu L, Lupșe M. Toxoplasmosis Screening during Pregnancy in a Romanian Infectious Diseases Tertiary Center: Results of a 15 Years Follow-Up Program. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2189. [PMID: 37764033 PMCID: PMC10537741 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092189] [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: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal infection with Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy may have serious consequences for the fetus. In Romania, screening for toxoplasmosis is included in the first antenatal visit. A retrospective study was performed on all toxoplasmosis antenatal screening patients between May 2008 and February 2023. Twenty-seven thousand one hundred sixty-nine (27,169) pregnant women presented for prenatal screening once (22,858) or several times: during the same pregnancy (209) or during multiple pregnancies (4102). Thirty-one thousand six hundred fifty-eight (31,658) tests for IgM and IgG antibodies were performed. Nine thousand eighty-three (9083) tests (28.69%), corresponding to 7911 women (29.12%), were positive for IgG antibodies. The seroprevalence increased with patients' age, decreased in time intervals, and was more frequently associated with rural residence. At risk for acquiring the infection during the pregnancy were women with negative anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies (70.88%), but only 0.9% of them presented for rescreening during the same pregnancy. Acute Toxoplasma infection (ATI) was suspected in 44 patients (0.16%) due to IgG seroconversion and/or low or borderline IgG avidity. A questionnaire follow-up interview was performed, and no congenital toxoplasmosis was identified in children born from mothers with probable ATI. Our study demonstrates poor compliance with the screening program in the Romanian population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violeta Briciu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Cluj-Napoca, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Angela Monica Ionică
- Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Cluj-Napoca, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Mirela Flonta
- Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Cluj-Napoca, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ariana Almaș
- Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Cluj-Napoca, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Monica Muntean
- Department of Infectious Diseases, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Cluj-Napoca, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Adriana Topan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Cluj-Napoca, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Melinda Horvat
- Department of Infectious Diseases, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Cluj-Napoca, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Liviu Ungureanu
- Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Cluj-Napoca, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Mihaela Lupșe
- Department of Infectious Diseases, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Cluj-Napoca, 400348 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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Paștiu AI, Mircean V, Mercier A, Passebosc-Faure K, Plault N, Dardé ML, Blaga R, Villena I, Pusta DL, Cozma-Petruț A, Györke A. Toxoplasma gondii infection in sheep from Romania. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:24. [PMID: 36691063 PMCID: PMC9872358 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05634-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasmosis is a widespread zoonosis caused by the intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Limited epidemiological information is available about the prevalence of T. gondii in sheep in Romania, and a high incidence would have implications for both the economy and public health. To our knowledge, no studies are available about the T. gondii strains circulating in lambs. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of T. gondii in sheep (serology), lambs (serology, bioassay, PCR) and sheep abortions (PCR) in Romania. Moreover, the study aimed to perform the genetic characterization of T. gondii isolates from lambs. METHODS Serum samples collected from 2650 sheep (2067 adults and 583 lambs) were tested for anti-T. gondii antibodies (IgG) using a commercial ELISA kit. Likewise, 328 pairs of diaphragmatic muscle-serum samples were collected from lambs aged between 2 and 4 months. Lamb serum samples were analyzed using MAT for anti-T. gondii antibody detection. The diaphragm tissue samples from MAT-positive lambs (at a dilution ≥ 1:25) were bioassayed in mice. The T. gondii strains were genotyped using 15 microsatellites markers. Additionally, brain and heart samples from 76 sheep abortions were analyzed for T. gondii DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the 529-bp repeat region (REP529). RESULTS The results showed that more than half of the tested sheep were T. gondii seropositive (53.5%). The seroprevalence was significantly higher in adults (61.1%) than in lambs (26.4%). The seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in slaughtered lambs, by MAT, was 37.5% (123/328). There were bioassayed in mice 56 diaphragmatic tissues from 123 seropositive lambs. Toxoplasma gondii strains were isolated from 18 (32.1%) lambs intended for human consumption. All T. gondii strains were confirmed by PCR. Six strains were genotyped using 15 microsatellite markers and belonged to genotype II. Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in 11.8% (9/76) of sheep abortions. CONCLUSIONS The present study showed the presence of T. gondii in sheep in all the regions considered in the study. The high prevalence of T. gondii infection in sheep and lambs, demonstrated by serology, molecular analysis and bioassay, highlighted that there is an important risk of human infection in consuming raw or undercooked sheep/lamb meat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamaria Ioana Paștiu
- grid.413013.40000 0001 1012 5390Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj‐Napoca, 3‐5 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj‐Napoca, Cluj-Napoca Romania ,grid.413013.40000 0001 1012 5390Department of Genetics and Hereditary Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj‐Napoca, 3‐5 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj‐Napoca, Cluj-Napoca Romania
| | - Viorica Mircean
- grid.413013.40000 0001 1012 5390Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj‐Napoca, 3‐5 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj‐Napoca, Cluj-Napoca Romania
| | - Aurélien Mercier
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidémiologie des maladies chroniques en zone tropicale, Institut d’Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, OmegaHealth, Limoges, France ,grid.411178.a0000 0001 1486 4131Centre National de Référence Toxoplasmose, CHU Limoges, 2 Martin Luther King Street, 87042 Limoges, France
| | - Karine Passebosc-Faure
- grid.411178.a0000 0001 1486 4131Centre National de Référence Toxoplasmose, CHU Limoges, 2 Martin Luther King Street, 87042 Limoges, France
| | - Nicolas Plault
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidémiologie des maladies chroniques en zone tropicale, Institut d’Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, OmegaHealth, Limoges, France
| | - Marie-Laure Dardé
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidémiologie des maladies chroniques en zone tropicale, Institut d’Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, OmegaHealth, Limoges, France ,grid.411178.a0000 0001 1486 4131Centre National de Référence Toxoplasmose, CHU Limoges, 2 Martin Luther King Street, 87042 Limoges, France
| | - Radu Blaga
- grid.503106.10000 0004 4658 9391Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, BIPAR, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Isabelle Villena
- grid.11667.370000 0004 1937 0618EA 7510 ESCAPE, SFR CAP-SANTE, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France ,grid.139510.f0000 0004 0472 3476National Reference Centre On Toxoplasmosis/Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center, CHU Reims, General Koening Street, Reims, France
| | - Dana Liana Pusta
- grid.413013.40000 0001 1012 5390Department of Genetics and Hereditary Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj‐Napoca, 3‐5 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj‐Napoca, Cluj-Napoca Romania
| | - Anamaria Cozma-Petruț
- grid.411040.00000 0004 0571 5814Department of Bromatology, Hygiene, Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Pasteur Street, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca Romania
| | - Adriana Györke
- grid.413013.40000 0001 1012 5390Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj‐Napoca, 3‐5 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj‐Napoca, Cluj-Napoca Romania
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Biosurveillance of Selected Pathogens with Zoonotic Potential in a Zoo. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10040428. [PMID: 33916840 PMCID: PMC8066565 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10040428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Monitoring of infectious diseases is one of the most important pillars of preventive medicine in zoos. Screening for parasitic and bacterial infections is important to keep animals and equipment safe from pathogens that may pose a risk to animal and human health. Zoos usually contain many different animal species living in proximity with people and wild animals. As an epidemiological probe, 188 animals (122 mammals, 65 birds, and one reptile) from a zoo in Slovenia were examined for selected pathogens. Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum were detected by ELISA in 38% (46/122) and 3% (4/122) of mammals, and in 0% (0/64) and 2% (1/57) of birds, respectively; the reptile (0/1) was negative. A statistically significant difference in T. gondii prevalence was found in Carnivora compared to Cetartiodactyla and primate antibodies to Encephalitozoon cuniculi were detected by IFAT in 44% (52/118) of mammals and 20% (11/56) of birds, respectively; the reptile (0/1) was negative. Herbivores had a higher chance of being infected with E. cuniculi compared to omnivores. Antibodies to Chlamydia abortus and Coxiella burnetii were not detected in any of the 74 tested zoo animals. The sera of 39 wild rodents found in the zoo were also examined; they were negative for all three parasites. The parasite T. gondii was detected by PCR in the tissue of two mute swans (Cygnus olor), three eastern house mice (Mus musculus), one yellow-necked field mouse (Apodemus flavicollis), and one striped field mouse (A. agrarius). Positive samples were genotyped by a single multiplex PCR assay using 15 microsatellite markers; one sample from a mute swan was characterized as type II. This micro-epidemiological study offers a better understanding of pathogens in zoo animals and an understanding of the role of zoos in biosurveillance.
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Paştiu AI, Cozma-Petruț A, Mercier A, Balea A, Galal L, Mircean V, Pusta DL, Bogdan L, Györke A. Prevalence and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in naturally infected backyard pigs intended for familial consumption in Romania. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:586. [PMID: 31842955 PMCID: PMC6915976 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3842-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Foodborne toxoplasmosis in humans can be due to the exposure to tissue cysts of Toxoplasma gondii through the consumption of meat, including pork, of infected animals. Traditional Romanian food habits include pork as the preferred meat, while backyard pig rearing remains a common practice in many rural areas of Romania. The aims of the present study were to estimate the prevalence of T. gondii infection in naturally infected backyard pigs slaughtered for familial consumption and to genetically characterize the T. gondii strains obtained. METHODS Paired blood and heart samples were collected from 94 backyard pigs, home slaughtered for private consumption. Serum samples were analyzed using the immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) for anti-T. gondii antibody detection. Heart samples were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the 529-bp repeat region (REP529) for T. gondii detection. In addition, heart samples from IFAT positive animals were bioassayed in mice. The T. gondii isolates were genotyped by the analysis of 15 microsatellite markers. RESULTS The results showed that almost half of the pigs investigated were T. gondii seropositive (46.8%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 36.4-57.4%) and in more than a quarter of the pigs (26.6%, 95% CI: 18.0-36.7%), the parasite was detected by PCR. Three (3/44) T. gondii strains were isolated from hearts of seropositive pigs and they all belonged to genotype II. CONCLUSIONS The present study showed the presence of T. gondii infection in backyard pigs in Romania, which suggests that consumption of pork from animals reared and slaughtered at home may pose a potential threat to human health and should be given attention. In addition, to our knowledge, this is the first study to provide data concerning T. gondii strains circulating in pigs from Romania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamaria Ioana Paştiu
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Cluj Romania
- Department of Genetics and Hereditary Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Cluj Romania
| | - Anamaria Cozma-Petruț
- Department of Bromatology, Hygiene, Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Pasteur Street, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Cluj Romania
| | - Aurélien Mercier
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France
- Centre National de Référence Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center, CHU Limoges, 2 Martin Luther King Street, 87042 Limoges, France
| | - Anamaria Balea
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Cluj Romania
| | - Lokman Galal
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France
- Centre National de Référence Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center, CHU Limoges, 2 Martin Luther King Street, 87042 Limoges, France
| | - Viorica Mircean
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Cluj Romania
| | - Dana Liana Pusta
- Department of Genetics and Hereditary Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Cluj Romania
| | - Liviu Bogdan
- Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Pathology of Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Cluj Romania
| | - Adriana Györke
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Cluj Romania
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Human toxoplasmosis: a systematic review for genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii in clinical samples. Epidemiol Infect 2018; 147:e36. [PMID: 30394261 PMCID: PMC6518561 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268818002947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) as an obligate intracellular protozoan with a worldwide distribution can infect virtually all warm-blooded animals and humans. This study aims to provide a summary of the available data on genotypes of T. gondii in human. Five databases including MEDLINE in PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched for the T. gondii genotyping in human during 1995-August 2017. Next, we screened all the articles based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Overall, 26 studies were eligible regarding genotyping T. gondii in human samples. In clonal genotyping, 167 out of 286 cases (58%) were infected with type II. Genetic characterisation of T. gondii isolates displayed that type II was the most predominant genotype in human with the prevalence of 64.3%, 62.1% and 41.7% in patients with AIDS, congenital and ocular toxoplasmosis, respectively. In ToxoDB genotyping, most individuals were infected with genotypes #9 and #65 (21.2%). Based on these results, genotype profile of T. gondii isolates is different throughout the world. The strains in Asian and African countries are characterised by low genetic diversity, while in North and South America a wide diversity of this parasite is found. In countries without any data (e.g. Australia, Western and Southern Africa and Western Asia), identification of T. gondii genotypes might discover higher genetic diversity.
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Lukášová R, Kobédová K, Halajian A, Bártová E, Murat JB, Rampedi KM, Luus-Powell WJ. Molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in birds from South Africa. Acta Trop 2018; 178:93-96. [PMID: 29092798 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
There are not any records on the detection of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in tissues of wild birds in the African continent. The aim of the study was to investigate the occurrence of DNA from these protozoan parasites in brain tissue samples collected in years 2014-2015 from 110 wild and domestic birds of 15 orders. Birds came mainly from the province of Limpopo (n=103); the other seven birds came from other five provinces of South Africa. Parasite DNAs were detected by PCR in animal brains. While all samples were negative for N. caninum, T. gondii DNA was detected in three (2.7%) birds: a Red-eyed Dove (Streptopelia semitorquata), a Laughing Dove (S. senegalensis) and a Southern-Yellow-billed Hornbill (Tockus leucomelas), all from Limpopo province. Positive samples were selected for genotyping by a 15 microsatellite markers method in a single multiplex PCR assay. Only the sample from the Red-eyed Dove was successfully genotyped and characterized as type II. This is the first detection of T. gondii in tissue of native African wild birds and the first study focusing on N. caninum in birds from South Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radka Lukášová
- University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Kobédová
- University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ali Halajian
- Department of Biodiversity, University of Limpopo, Sovenga 0727, South Africa
| | - Eva Bártová
- University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jean-Benjamin Murat
- INSERM, UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Université de Limoges, 87025 Limoges, France; National Reference Centre for Toxoplasmosis, Biological Resource Center for Toxoplasma, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Limoges, Limoges, France
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Zhang N, Wang S, Wang D, Li C, Zhang Z, Yao Z, Li T, Xie Q, Liu S, Zhang H. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and risk factors in domestic sheep in Henan province, central China. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 23:53. [PMID: 27882868 PMCID: PMC5134671 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2016064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 11/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Sheep are highly susceptible to infections with Toxoplasma gondii and play a major role in the transmission of toxoplasmosis to humans. In the present study, 779 serum samples from sheep were collected from Henan province, central China from March 2015 to May 2016, and antibodies to T. gondii were detected by modified agglutination test (MAT). The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii in sheep was 12.71% (99/779). The risk factors significantly associated with T. gondii seroprevalence were the geographical origin, age, presence of cats, and the rearing system. This is the first report of T. gondii infection in sheep in Henan province, central China, and of an association of seropositivity to T. gondii with risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nian Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China - Xinxiang Assegal Medical Examination Institute, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Shuai Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Dong Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Chaoying Li
- Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Zhenchao Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Zhijun Yao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Tingting Li
- The Fourth Clinical College, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Qing Xie
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Shiguo Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
| | - Haizhu Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China
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Is Toxoplasma gondii type related to clinical outcome in human congenital infection? Systematic and critical review. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2016; 35:1079-88. [PMID: 27146878 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-016-2656-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
In human congenital toxoplasmosis the effects of parasite burden and pregnancy time at infection on clinical outcome are well known, but there is controversy regarding the role of Toxoplasma gondii type. Through a systematic review of the literature, we aimed to discern if T. gondii type has a role on clinical outcome in human congenital toxoplasmosis. We built up a database of congenital toxoplasmosis from reports of cases, case series and screening-based cohorts, which had information about parasite type, gestation time at maternal infection and/or clinical outcome in the product. Then, we obtained frequencies for loci used to genotype geographical origin of cases and types found. Also, odds ratios were calculated for association between time of maternal infection or parasite type on outcome. Type II parasites were the most common in Europe, Asia and Africa, while in America there were mainly atypical strains. More newborns with clinical problems were born from mothers infected during the first half of gestation than from those acquiring the parasite after week 24, regardless of parasite genotype (92.9 vs. 16.1 %, OR = 67.9, CI95 25.4-181.6). Type I and atypical parasites were associated with clinical problems as opposed to types II and III, regardless of pregnancy period at infection (86.9 vs. 72.9 %, OR = 2.47, CI95 1.1-5.4). A significant and remarkable tendency of type I parasites to be present during early pregnancy was also observed (94.4 vs. 5.6 %, P < 0.009). In addition to parasite burden and period of gestation, T. gondii genotype seems involved in CT clinical outcome.
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Vijaykumar BR, Lekshmi SU, Sai Kant R, Vaigundan D, Mahadevan A, Rajendran C, Shankar SK, Jayshree RS. Genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from autopsy proven cases of AIDS associated cerebral toxoplasmosis in South India. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2016; 39:106-112. [PMID: 26802459 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2016.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T.gondii) infection can be devastating in the immunodeficient causing high morbidity and mortality. Due to limited availability of both diagnostic facilities and Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), toxoplasmosis continues to be a significant problem amongst Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients in India. While scanty literature is available on T. gondii isolates in animals in India, little is known about the genetic diversity of the parasite in humans. Therefore, the present study investigated the genetic diversity of T. gondii in 25 confirmed cases of cerebral toxoplasmosis developing on the background of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/AIDS. PCR DNA sequencing was performed at four important genetic loci of T. gondii: BTUB, GRA6, alternative SAG2 (alt SAG2) and SAG3 on DNA from tissues obtained at postmortem. The amplified products from all the cases were successfully sequenced except at one locus for one case. Results of the present study suggest that majority of the patients (22/25; 88%) in South India are infected with strains that are recombinants of type II/III and/or strains representing T. gondii different from the archetypal lineages I, II, and III. In addition, clonal types III, MAS, and MAS variant genotypes were encountered. No clonal type I or II was seen in the present study. In addition, variants were observed at alt SAG2 and SAG3 but BTUB and GRA6 were highly conserved. Single nucleotide polymorphisms were observed mainly at two loci which are coding for surface antigens at alt SAG2 and SAG3. In conclusion, the present study reveals genetic diversity in India amongst strains of T. gondii from clinical cases of toxoplasmosis which is in accordance with other recent studies showing a high rate of genetic diversity in this parasite across the globe. There is a need to genotype T. gondii from different forms of toxoplasmosis in humans in India.
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Affiliation(s)
- B R Vijaykumar
- Department of Microbiology, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Dr. M. H. Marigowda Road, Bangalore 560029, India.
| | - Swathi U Lekshmi
- Department of Microbiology, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Dr. M. H. Marigowda Road, Bangalore 560029, India.
| | - R Sai Kant
- Department of Microbiology, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Dr. M. H. Marigowda Road, Bangalore 560029, India.
| | - D Vaigundan
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Sri Devaraj Urs Academy of Higher Education and Research, Tamaka, Kolar 563101, India.
| | - Anita Mahadevan
- Department of Neuropathology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Dr. M. H. Marigowda Road, Bangalore 560029, India.
| | - C Rajendran
- Defence Food Research Laboratory, Defence Research & Development Organisation, Siddhartha Nagar, Mysore 570011, India.
| | - S K Shankar
- Department of Neuropathology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Dr. M. H. Marigowda Road, Bangalore 560029, India.
| | - R S Jayshree
- Department of Microbiology, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Dr. M. H. Marigowda Road, Bangalore 560029, India.
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10
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Genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from Portugal, Austria and Israel reveals higher genetic variability within the type II lineage. Parasitology 2015; 142:948-57. [PMID: 25677825 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182015000050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
This study compared genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from Portugal, Austria and Israel. For this, we genotyped 90 T. gondii isolates (16 from Portugal, 67 from Austria and 7 from Israel) using 10 nested PCR-restriction length polymorphism (RFLP) genetic markers and 15 microsatellite (MS) markers. By PCR-RFLP typing, 7 isolates from Portugal chickens were identified as type II (ToxoDB #1 or #3), 4 were type III (ToxoDB #2) and the remaining 4 isolates have unique genotype pattern were designated as ToxoDB #254. One mouse virulent isolate from a bovine fetus (Bos taurus) in Portugal was type I (ToxoDB #10) at all loci and designated as TgCowPr1. All 67 isolates from Austria and 7 from Israel were type II (ToxoDB #1 or #3). By MS typing, many additional genetic variations were revealed among the type II and type III isolates. Phylogenetic analysis showed that isolates from the same geographical locations tend to cluster together, and there is little overlapping of genotypes among different locations. This study demonstrated that the MS markers can provide higher discriminatory power to reveal association of genotypes with geographical locations. Future studies of the type II strains in Europe by these MS markers will be useful to reveal transmission patterns of the parasite.
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11
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COLOSI HA, JALALI-ZADEH B, COLOSI IA, SIMON LM, COSTACHE CA. Influence of Toxoplasma gondii Infection on Male Fertility: A Pilot Study on Immunocompetent Human Volunteers. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2015; 10:402-9. [PMID: 26622295 PMCID: PMC4662740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study was conducted to investigate the influence of Toxoplasma gondii infection on spermatic and hormonal parameters in a pilot sample of immunocompetent human male subjects. METHODS This cross sectional, observational pilot study on 60 immunocompetent human male subjects aged between 18 and 60 yr old was conducted between 2012 -2013. Blind evaluation of serological markers of past T. gondii infection (TOX-IgG, TOX-IgM) was performed, along with individual spermiograms and determinations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone serum levels. RESULTS The overall prevalence of past T. gondii infection in the investigated immunocompetent male subjects was 25%. No statistically significant influence of T. gondii infection on sperm characteristics (ejaculate quantity, sperm count, motility, morphology) and serum levels of FSH or testosterone were found. Among possible predictors of a modified spermiogram studied by multiple logistic regression along with the T. gondii infection (age, smoking, alcohol consumption, fertility influencing malformations, infections, trauma or medication), only the presence of varicocele in the medical history of the studied subjects was found to significantly participate in the prediction of a modified spermiogram (P=0.0154). A necessary sample size of 994 subjects was computed in order to achieve a test power of 0.8 (80%) to discriminate an effect size of 8.89% estimated by our pilot study. CONCLUSIONS Although our investigation did not demonstrate an influence of latent T. gondii infection on spermatic and hormonal parameters of immunocompetent male humans, the absence of such an influence cannot be affirmed, due to the limited sample size of our pilot study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Horaţiu Alexandru COLOSI
- Dept. of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | | | - Ioana Alina COLOSI
- Dept. of Microbiology, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania,
| | - Laura Mihaela SIMON
- Dept. of Microbiology, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Carmen Anca COSTACHE
- Dept. of Microbiology, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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12
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Toxoplasmosis as a travel risk. Travel Med Infect Dis 2014; 12:592-601. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2014.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2014] [Revised: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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13
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Abstract
Infections by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii are widely prevalent in humans and other animals worldwide. However, information from eastern European countries is sketchy. In many eastern European countries, including Romania, it has been assumed that chronic T. gondii infection is a common cause of infertility and abortion. For this reason, many women in Romania with these problems were needlessly tested for T. gondii infection. Most papers on toxoplasmosis in Romania were published in Romanian in local journals and often not available to scientists in other countries. Currently, the rate of congenital infection in Romania is largely unknown. In addition, there is little information on genetic characteristics of T. gondii or prevalence in animals and humans in Romania. In the present paper we review prevalence, clinical spectrum and epidemiology of T. gondii in humans and animals in Romania. This knowledge should be useful to biologists, public health workers, veterinarians and physicians.
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14
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Paştiu AI, Ajzenberg D, Györke A, Şuteu O, Balea A, Rosenthal BM, Kalmár Z, Domşa C, Cozma V. Traditional goat husbandry may substantially contribute to human toxoplasmosis exposure. J Parasitol 2014; 101:45-9. [PMID: 25003793 DOI: 10.1645/13-483.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Raising goats in settings that are highly contaminated with oocysts of Toxoplasma gondii may contribute significantly to human exposure to this zoonotic parasite. Increasing consumption of young goats in countries where goats are frequently reared in backyards that are also homes to cats (the definitive host of this parasite) elevates such concern. To date, there has been little attention to either the prevalence or genotypic characteristics of T. gondii isolates in young ruminant food animals in Europe. Here, we estimated the prevalence of T. gondii goat-kids raised in backyards and slaughtered for human consumption during Easter. We collected 181 paired samples of serum and diaphragm. Serum samples were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies against T. gondii , and muscle tissues were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction to detect T. gondii DNA. Thirty-two diaphragm samples were also bioassayed in mice, and the isolates were genotyped using microsatellite markers. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in goat-kids was 33.1% (60/181; 95% confidence interval [CI] 26.3-40.5%), and T. gondii DNA was found in 6.1% (11/181; 95% CI 3.1-10.6) of the diaphragm samples. We isolated the parasite from 2 of 32 goat-kids, and the T. gondii strains belonged to genotype II. The results showed that 1/3 of 3-mo-old goats may be infected with T. gondii, and their consumption during Easter (as barbecue) may seriously compromise food safety as a result.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamaria I Paştiu
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases Department, 3-5 Mănăştur Street, cod 400372, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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15
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Evidence for genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii in selected intermediate hosts in Serbia. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2014; 37:173-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2014.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Revised: 02/27/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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16
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Štajner T, Vasiljević Z, Vujić D, Marković M, Ristić G, Mićić D, Pašić S, Ivović V, Ajzenberg D, Djurković-Djaković O. Atypical strain of Toxoplasma gondii causing fatal reactivation after hematopoietic stem cell transplantion in a patient with an underlying immunological deficiency. J Clin Microbiol 2013; 51:2686-90. [PMID: 23761151 PMCID: PMC3719651 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01077-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2013] [Accepted: 06/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In immunocompromized patients, including hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients, life-threatening toxoplasmosis may result from reactivation of previous infection. We report a case of severe disseminated toxoplasmosis that developed early after allogeneic HSCT for T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma in a 15-year-old Toxoplasma gondii-seropositive boy with Nijmegen breakage syndrome, a rare genetic DNA repair disorder associated with immunodeficiency. The donor was the patient's HLA-identical brother. Prophylaxis with cotrimoxazole was discontinued a day before the HSCT procedure. Signs of lung infection appeared as early as day 14 post-HSCT. The presence of tachyzoite-like structures on Giemsa-stained bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid smears suggested toxoplasmosis. Real-time PCR targeted at the T. gondii AF146527 gene revealed extremely high parasite burdens in both blood and BAL fluid. Although immediate introduction of specific treatment resulted in a marked reduction of the parasite load and transient clinical improvement, the patient deteriorated and died of multiple organ failure on day 39 post-HSCT. Direct genotyping of T. gondii DNA from blood and BAL fluid with the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism method revealed type II alleles with SAG1, SAG2, and GRA6 markers but alleles of both type I and type II with GRA7. Additional analysis with 15 microsatellite markers showed that the T. gondii DNA was atypical and genetically divergent from that of the clonal type I, II, and III strains. This is the first report of increased clinical severity of toxoplasmosis associated with an atypical strain in the setting of immunosuppression, which emphasizes the need to diagnose and monitor toxoplasmosis by quantitative molecular methods in cases of reactivation risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tijana Štajner
- National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Center for Parasitic Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Zorica Vasiljević
- Mother and Child Health Care Institute of Serbia Dr Vukan Čupić, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dragana Vujić
- Mother and Child Health Care Institute of Serbia Dr Vukan Čupić, Belgrade, Serbia
- School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marija Marković
- National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Center for Parasitic Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Goran Ristić
- Mother and Child Health Care Institute of Serbia Dr Vukan Čupić, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dragan Mićić
- Mother and Child Health Care Institute of Serbia Dr Vukan Čupić, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Srdjan Pašić
- Mother and Child Health Care Institute of Serbia Dr Vukan Čupić, Belgrade, Serbia
- School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vladimir Ivović
- National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Center for Parasitic Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Daniel Ajzenberg
- Centre National de Référence (CNR) Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center (BRC), Centre Hospitalier-Universitaire Dupuytren, Limoges, France
- INSERM UMR 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - Olgica Djurković-Djaković
- National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Center for Parasitic Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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