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Sato AP, da Silva TCE, de Pontes TP, Konell AL, de Barros LD, Varaschin MS, de Oliveira IM, Sanches AWD, Locatelli-Dittrich R. Molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in seabirds collected along the coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA = BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY : ORGAO OFICIAL DO COLEGIO BRASILEIRO DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2024; 33:e003624. [PMID: 38656050 PMCID: PMC11065398 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612024019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are two closely related protozoans that infect a wide range of animals, including birds. However, the occurrence of N. caninum and T. gondii in seabirds is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the presence of T. gondii and N. caninum DNA in tissue samples of seabirds. Tissue samples of the pectoral muscles, heart, and brain were collected from 47 birds along the coastline of Santa Catarina State, SC, Brazil. The DNA was extracted from the tissues and screened using nested-PCR (nPCR) targeting internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1). T. gondii DNA was detected in tissues from seven seabirds (7/47, 14.8%), kelp gull (Larus dominicanus) (5/21), and Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) (2/8). N. caninum DNA was detected in tissues of nine seabirds (9/47, 19.1%), the kelp gull (L. dominicanus) (4/21), Manx shearwater (P. puffinus) (2/8), neotropic cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) (1/4), brown booby (Sula leucogaster) (1/5), and white-chinned petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis) (1/1); however, no co-infection was observed. In conclusion, this study showed the circulation of N. caninum and T. gondii in seabirds along the coastline of Santa Catarina State. Further studies are required to clarify the role of these birds in the epidemiology of neosporosis and toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Paula Sato
- Departmento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brasil
| | - Tiffany Christiny Emmerich da Silva
- Projeto de Monitoramento de Praias da Bacia de Santos - PMP-BS, Unidade de Estabilização de Aves Marinhas, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí - UNIVALI, Penha, SC, Brasil
| | - Thamires Pires de Pontes
- Projeto de Monitoramento de Praias da Bacia de Santos - PMP-BS, Unidade de Estabilização de Aves Marinhas, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí - UNIVALI, Penha, SC, Brasil
| | | | - Luiz Daniel de Barros
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Veterinária e Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Lavras - UFLA, Lavras, MG, Brasil
| | - Mary Suzan Varaschin
- Laboratório de Patologia Veterinária, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Lavras - UFLA, Lavras, MG, Brasil
| | - Ivam Moreira de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Patologia Veterinária, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Lavras - UFLA, Lavras, MG, Brasil
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Kinsey EN, Korte C, Gouasmia S, L'Ollivier C, Dubey JP, Dumètre A, Darnault CJ. Detection, fate and transport of the biohazardous agent Toxoplasma gondii in soil water systems: Influence of soil physicochemical properties, water chemistry and surfactant. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2023; 15:597-613. [PMID: 37740249 PMCID: PMC10667666 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
A series of laboratory experiments were conducted to study the fate and transport of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in soils as a function of soil physicochemical properties and soil water chemistry properties. Soil columns were homogeneously packed with loamy sand soils (Lewiston and Greenson series) and sandy loam soils (Sparta and Gilford series), and subject to hydrologic conditions characterized by the absence and presence of an anionic surfactant-Aerosol 22 in the artificial rainfall. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was utilized for the detection and enumeration of oocysts in soil leachates to evaluate their breakthrough and in soil matrices to examine their spatial distribution. Differences in the rate and extent of transport of oocysts were observed as a function of physical and chemical parameters tested. The breakthrough of oocysts was observed for all the soils irrespective of the presence of surfactant. However, in the absence of surfactant, the predominant fate of oocysts in soils subject to simulated rainfall was their retention in the soil profile. The presence of surfactant induced a change in the fate of oocysts in these soils exposed to rainfall simulation as the predominant fate of oocysts was found to be in the soil leachates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin N. Kinsey
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth SciencesClemson UniversityAndersonSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Caroline Korte
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth SciencesClemson UniversityAndersonSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Sohib Gouasmia
- Aix Marseille UniversityMarseilleFrance
- IHU‐Méditerranée InfectionMarseilleFrance
| | - Coralie L'Ollivier
- Aix Marseille UniversityMarseilleFrance
- IHU‐Méditerranée InfectionMarseilleFrance
- AP‐HM, Parasitology LaboratoryTimone HospitalMarseilleFrance
| | - Jitender P. Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases LaboratoryBeltsville Agricultural Research CenterBeltsvilleMarylandUSA
| | | | - Christophe J.G. Darnault
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth SciencesClemson UniversityAndersonSouth CarolinaUSA
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Zhu S, Camp L, Patel A, VanWormer E, Shapiro K. High prevalence and diversity of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in feral cat feces from coastal California. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011829. [PMID: 38100522 PMCID: PMC10756541 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite that can cause severe morbidity and mortality in warm-blooded animals, including marine mammals such as sea otters. Free-ranging cats can shed environmentally resistant T. gondii oocysts in their feces, which are transported through rain-driven runoff from land to sea. Despite their large population sizes and ability to contribute to environmental oocyst contamination, there are limited studies on T. gondii oocyst shedding by free-ranging cats. We aimed to determine the frequency and genotypes of T. gondii oocysts shed by free-ranging domestic cats in central coastal California and evaluate whether genotypes present in feces are similar to those identified in sea otters that died from fatal toxoplasmosis. We utilized a longitudinal field study of four free-ranging cat colonies to assess oocyst shedding prevalence using microscopy and molecular testing with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). T. gondii DNA was confirmed with primers targeting the ITS1 locus and positive samples were genotyped at the B1 locus. While oocysts were not visualized using microscopy (0/404), we detected T. gondii DNA in 25.9% (94/362) of fecal samples. We genotyped 27 samples at the B1 locus and characterized 13 of these samples at one to three additional loci using multi locus sequence typing (MLST). Parasite DNA detection was significantly higher during the wet season (16.3%, 59/362) compared to the dry season (9.7%; 35/362), suggesting seasonal variation in T. gondii DNA presence in feces. High diversity of T. gondii strains was characterized at the B1 locus, including non-archetypal strains previously associated with sea otter mortalities. Free-ranging cats may thus play an important role in the transmission of virulent T. gondii genotypes that cause morbidity and mortality in marine wildlife. Management of free-ranging cat colonies could reduce environmental contamination with oocysts and subsequent T. gondii infection in endangered marine mammals and people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Lauren Camp
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Anika Patel
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth VanWormer
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
- School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Karen Shapiro
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
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Ren H, Mao G, Zhang Y, Zhu N, Liang Q, Jiang Y, Yang Y. Isolation and Characterization of a Viable Toxoplasma gondii from Captive Caracal ( Caracal caracal). Pathogens 2023; 12:1412. [PMID: 38133295 PMCID: PMC10747901 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12121412] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread protozoan parasite that infects most warm-blooded animals, and felids can serve as intermediate and definitive hosts. Pathological diagnosis and serological and etiological investigations were conducted on a captive caracal (Caracal caracal) carcass collected from China in 2022. Pathological diagnosis revealed that cardiac insufficiency, pulmonary edema, hepatic failure, and renal insufficiency were the causes of the caracal's death. A modified agglutination test (cut-off: 1:25) revealed that IgG antibodies against T. gondii were present in the myocardium juice (1:1600), ascitic fluid (1:3200), and hydropericardium (1:800). A viable T. gondii (TgCaracalCHn2) strain was isolated from the tissue samples (heart, brain, spleen, and skeletal muscle) of this caracal using a mouse bioassay. The genotype of TgCaracalCHn2 was ToxoDB#5 (Type II variant), as determined via RFLP-PCR. The strain was avirulent in Swiss mice and matched the prediction of ROP18 and ROP5 gene alleles of TgCaracalCHn2 (2/2). Mild tissue cysts (203 ± 265) were observed in mice brains after inoculation with TgCaracalCHn2 tachyzoites. ToxoDB#5 is the dominant genotype in North American wildlife, and this is the first documented isolation of T. gondii ToxoDB#5 from China. This indicates that caracal plays an important role in the transmission of this T. gondii genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjie Ren
- College of Animal Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Gaohui Mao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Niuping Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Qunchao Liang
- Henan Yinji Jiabao Amusement Park Management Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou 452300, China
| | - Yibao Jiang
- College of Animal Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Yurong Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
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Li MY, Gao XN, Ma JY, Elsheikha HM, Cong W. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the global prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild marine mammals and associations with epidemiological variables. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:e1213-e1230. [PMID: 35195942 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild marine mammals is a growing problem and is associated with adverse impacts on marine animal health and public health. This systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression estimates the global prevalence of T. gondii infection in wild marine mammals and analyzes the association between T. gondii infection and epidemiological variables. PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Data databases were searched until 30 May 2021. Eighty-four studies (n = 14,931 wild marine mammals from 15 families) were identified from literature. The overall pooled prevalence of T. gondii infection was 22.44% (3,848/14,931; 95% confidence interval (CI): 17.29% - 8.04%). The prevalence in adult animals 21.88% (798/3119; 95% CI: 13.40 -31.59) was higher than in the younger age groups. North America had a higher prevalence 29.92% (2756/9243; 95% CI: 21.77 - 38.77) compared with other continents. At the country level, the highest prevalence was found in Spain 44.26% (19/88; 95%CI: 5.21 - 88.54). Regarding climatic variables, the highest prevalence was found in areas with a mean annual temperature >20°C 36.28% (171/562; 95% CI: 6.36 - 73.61) and areas with an annual precipitation >800 mm 26.92% (1341/5042; 95% CI: 18.20 - 36.59). The subgroup and meta-regression analyses showed that study-level covariates, including age, country, continent, and mean temperature, partly explained the between-study heterogeneity. Further studies are needed to investigate the source of terrestrial to aquatic dissemination of T. gondii oocysts, the fate of this parasite in marine habitat and its effects on wild marine mammals. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man-Yao Li
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China
| | - Xiao-Nan Gao
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China
| | - Jun-Yang Ma
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China
| | - Hany M Elsheikha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | - Wei Cong
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China
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Poulle ML, Le Corre M, Bastien M, Gedda E, Feare C, Jaeger A, Larose C, Shah N, Voogt N, Göpper B, Lagadec E, Rocamora G, Geers R, Aubert D, Villena I, Lebarbenchon C. Exposure of pelagic seabirds to Toxoplasma gondii in the Western Indian Ocean points to an open sea dispersal of this terrestrial parasite. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255664. [PMID: 34407103 PMCID: PMC8372946 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that uses felids as definitive hosts and warm-blooded animals as intermediate hosts. While the dispersal of T. gondii infectious oocysts from land to coastal waters has been well documented, transmission routes to pelagic species remain puzzling. We used the modified agglutination test (MAT titre ≥ 10) to detect antibodies against T. gondii in sera collected from 1014 pelagic seabirds belonging to 10 species. Sampling was carried out on eight islands of the Western Indian Ocean: Reunion and Juan de Nova (colonized by cats), Cousin, Cousine, Aride, Bird, Europa and Tromelin islands (cat-free). Antibodies against T. gondii were found in all islands and all species but the great frigatebird. The overall seroprevalence was 16.8% [95% CI: 14.5%-19.1%] but significantly varied according to species, islands and age-classes. The low antibody levels (MAT titres = 10 or 25) detected in one shearwater and three red-footed booby chicks most likely resulted from maternal antibody transfer. In adults, exposure to soils contaminated by locally deposited oocysts may explain the detection of antibodies in both wedge-tailed shearwaters on Reunion Island and sooty terns on Juan de Nova. However, 144 adults breeding on cat-free islands also tested positive. In the Seychelles, there was a significant decrease in T. gondii prevalence associated with greater distances to cat populations for species that sometimes rest on the shore, i.e. terns and noddies. This suggests that oocysts carried by marine currents could be deposited on shore tens of kilometres from their initial deposition point and that the number of deposited oocysts decreases with distance from the nearest cat population. The consumption of fishes from the families Mullidae, Carangidae, Clupeidae and Engraulidae, previously described as T. gondii oocyst-carriers (i.e. paratenic hosts), could also explain the exposure of terns, noddies, boobies and tropicbirds to T. gondii. Our detection of antibodies against T. gondii in seabirds that fish in the high sea, have no contact with locally contaminated soils but frequent the shores and/or consume paratenic hosts supports the hypothesis of an open-sea dispersal of T. gondii oocysts by oceanic currents and/or fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Lazarine Poulle
- Epidémio-Surveillance et Circulation des Parasites dans les Environnements (ESCAPE), EA 7510, CAP SANTE, Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, Reims, France
- CERFE, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Boult-aux-Bois, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Matthieu Le Corre
- UMR Ecologie marine tropicale des océans Pacifique et Indien (ENTROPIE), CNRS IRD, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Université de la Réunion, Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
| | - Matthieu Bastien
- Epidémio-Surveillance et Circulation des Parasites dans les Environnements (ESCAPE), EA 7510, CAP SANTE, Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, Reims, France
- UMR Ecologie marine tropicale des océans Pacifique et Indien (ENTROPIE), CNRS IRD, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Université de la Réunion, Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
- Université de La Réunion, UMR Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (PIMIT), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
| | - Elsa Gedda
- Epidémio-Surveillance et Circulation des Parasites dans les Environnements (ESCAPE), EA 7510, CAP SANTE, Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Chris Feare
- WildWings Bird Management, Haslemere, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Audrey Jaeger
- UMR Ecologie marine tropicale des océans Pacifique et Indien (ENTROPIE), CNRS IRD, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Université de la Réunion, Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
| | | | - Nirmal Shah
- Center for Environment and Education, Nature Seychelles, Roche Caïman, Mahé, Seychelles
| | | | | | - Erwan Lagadec
- Université de La Réunion, UMR Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (PIMIT), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
| | - Gérard Rocamora
- Island Biodiversity and Conservation Centre, University of Seychelles, Anse Royale, Seychelles
- Island Conservation Society, Mahé, Seychelles
| | - Régine Geers
- Epidémio-Surveillance et Circulation des Parasites dans les Environnements (ESCAPE), EA 7510, CAP SANTE, Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, Reims, France
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre National de Référence de la Toxoplasmose, Centre de Ressources Biologiques Toxoplasma, CHU Reims, Reims, France
| | - Dominique Aubert
- Epidémio-Surveillance et Circulation des Parasites dans les Environnements (ESCAPE), EA 7510, CAP SANTE, Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, Reims, France
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre National de Référence de la Toxoplasmose, Centre de Ressources Biologiques Toxoplasma, CHU Reims, Reims, France
| | - Isabelle Villena
- Epidémio-Surveillance et Circulation des Parasites dans les Environnements (ESCAPE), EA 7510, CAP SANTE, Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, Reims, France
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre National de Référence de la Toxoplasmose, Centre de Ressources Biologiques Toxoplasma, CHU Reims, Reims, France
| | - Camille Lebarbenchon
- Université de La Réunion, UMR Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (PIMIT), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
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Zhu S, Shapiro K, VanWormer E. Dynamics and epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii oocyst shedding in domestic and wild felids. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:2412-2423. [PMID: 34153160 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Oocyst shedding in domestic and wild felids is a critical yet understudied topic in Toxoplasma gondii ecology and epidemiology that shapes human and animal disease burden. We synthesized published literature dating from the discovery of felids as the definitive hosts of T. gondii in the 1960s through March 2021 to examine shedding prevalence, oocyst genotypes, and risk factors for shedding. Oocyst shedding prevalence in many geographic regions exceeded the commonly accepted 1% reported for domestic cats; crude prevalence from cross-sectional field studies of domestic cat shedding ranged from 0% in Australia to 18.8% in Africa, with greater variation in reports of oocyst shedding in free-ranging, wild felids. Shedding in wild felid species has primarily been described in captive animals, with attempted detection of oocyst shedding reported in at least 31 species. Differences in lifestyle and diet play an important role in explaining shedding variation between free-ranging unowned domestic cats, owned domestic cats and wild felids. Additional risk factors for shedding include the route of infection, diet, age and immune status of the host. It is widely reported that cats only shed oocysts after initial infection with T. gondii, but experimental studies have shown that repeat oocyst shedding can occur. Factors associated with repeat shedding are common amongst free-ranging felids (domestic and wild), which are more likely to eat infected prey, be exposed to diverse T. gondii genotypes, and have coinfections with other parasites. Repeat shedding events could play a significant yet currently ignored role in shaping environmental oocyst loading with implications for human and animal exposure. Oocyst presence in the environment is closely linked to climate variables such as temperature and precipitation, so in quantifying risk of exposure, it is important to consider the burden of T. gondii oocysts that can accumulate over time in diverse environmental matrices and sites, as well as the spatial heterogeneity of free-ranging cat populations. Key directions for future research include investigating oocyst shedding in under-sampled regions, genotyping of oocysts detected in faeces and longitudinal studies of oocyst shedding in free-ranging felids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Karen Shapiro
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Elizabeth VanWormer
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.,School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
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8
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Viscardi M, Santoro M, Cozzolino L, Borriello G, Fusco G. A type II variant of Toxoplasma gondii infects the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in southern Italy. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:874-880. [PMID: 33527733 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is a widespread zoonosis capable to affect a wide range of warm-blooded vertebrates. In the past two decades, T. gondii emerged as a significant aquatic pathogen with some pathogenic atypical genotypes isolated and characterized from stranded marine mammals. In contrast, no information is available for mammals in freshwater environment. Although otters are considered highly susceptible to T. gondii infection, to date molecular evidence of T. gondii in Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) does not exist. We report the first molecular evidence of T. gondii in a free-ranging Eurasian otter from southern Italy and characterized the present strain as a genotype type II variant, with all loci type II except PK1 (locus sequence corresponding to type II variant B), B1 (locus sequence corresponding to type II/X A) and C29-2 (locus with SNPs). Our results indicate circulation of a type II variant in freshwater environment which suggests potential risk of transmission to animals and humans. The finding of a potential pathogenic strain is of great concern for future conservation programmes of the critically endangered Eurasian otter in southern Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Viscardi
- Department of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
| | - Mario Santoro
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Loredana Cozzolino
- Department of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
| | - Giorgia Borriello
- Department of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
| | - Giovanna Fusco
- Department of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
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9
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Dubey JP, Murata FHA, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OCH. Recent epidemiologic and clinical Toxoplasma gondii infections in wild canids and other carnivores: 2009-2020. Vet Parasitol 2020; 290:109337. [PMID: 33476902 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. The present review summarizes worldwide information on the prevalence of clinical and subclinical infections, epidemiology, diagnosis, and genetic diversity of T. gondii in wild canids and other carnivores for the past decade. Seroprevalence estimates of T. gondii worldwide were tabulated for each host. Seroprevalence in wild foxes was very high compared with farmed Arctic foxes. Economic and public health aspects of some of the carnivore species raised for fur and meat (raccoon dogs, mink) are discussed. Diagnostic efficacies of different serological methods and PCR methods are discussed. Clinical toxoplasmosis was observed mainly in carnivores concurrently infected with immunosuppressive Canine Distemper Virus infection. Abortion and blindness were noted in mink. Genetic diversity of isolates using DNA derived from 162 (89 viable T. gondii isolates and 73 DNA extracted from tissues) of wild carnivores from several countries is discussed. However, 69 of the 162 T. gondii isolates were strains from USA and these were genetically diverse with predominance of ToxoDB genotypes #4 and #5 (haplogroup 12). Only limited information is available concerning genotyping of T. gondii isolates from other countries; none of the 93 T. gondii isolates from other countries (Brazil, China, France, Grenada) were haplogroup 12.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitender P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA.
| | - Fernando H A Murata
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA
| | - Camila K Cerqueira-Cézar
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA
| | - Oliver C H Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA
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10
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Krecek RC, Rabinowitz PM, Conrad PA. Demystifying and Demonstrating the Value of a One Health Approach to Parasitological Challenges. Vet Parasitol 2020; 287:109202. [PMID: 33045550 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The One Health approach recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and ecosystem health and encourages collaboration between diverse disciplines to address complex health problems. In this paper, 3 academics, with diverse training, experience and backgrounds who each work on different pathogenic parasites, will share their stories of tackling parasitic challenges by applying a One Health approach. The pathogenic parasites to be discussed include the helminth Taenia solium and protozoans Giardia, Theileria, Babesia, Neospora and Toxoplasma species. The 3 narratives focus on research and clinical case-based challenges and illustrate where collaboration between human, animal, and environmental health scientists either has or could lead to improved control of human and animal health as well as important research discoveries. The need for better evaluation of interventions and scientific evidence to support changes in clinical practice and encourage enhanced collaboration between human and veterinary clinicians, as well as new governmental policies to improve public and wildlife health, are described. The need for a range of evidence-based metrics to monitor the success and impact of the One Health approach to veterinary parasitology is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosina C Krecek
- 4302 Berwick Place, College Station, Texas 77845, United States; Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, South Africa
| | - Peter M Rabinowitz
- Departments of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Global Health, Family Medicine, University of Washington Center for One Health Research, 1959 NE Pacific Street HSB F551, Box 357234, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Patricia A Conrad
- One Health Institute and Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, 1 Shields Avenue, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
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11
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Dubey JP, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Murata FHA, Kwok OCH, Yang YR, Su C. All about toxoplasmosis in cats: the last decade. Vet Parasitol 2020; 283:109145. [PMID: 32645556 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. Toxoplasmosis continues to be of public health concern. Cats (domestic and wild felids) are the most important host in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis because they are the only species that can excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts in feces. Cats can excrete millions of oocysts and a single cat can spread infection to many hosts. The present paper summarizes information on prevalence, persistence of infection, clinical signs, and diagnosis of T. gondii infections in domestic and wild cats for the past decade. Special emphasis is paid to genetic diversity of T. gondii isolates from cats. Review of literature indicates that a unique genotype (ToxoDB genotype #9 or Chinese 1) is widely prevalent in cats in China and it has been epidemiologically linked to outbreaks of clinical toxoplasmosis in pigs and deaths in humans in China; this genotype has rarely been detected in other countries. This review will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists, veterinarians, and public health workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA.
| | - C K Cerqueira-Cézar
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - F H A Murata
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - O C H Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Y R Yang
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, PR China
| | - C Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-0845, USA
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12
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White-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) are a reservoir of a diversity of Toxoplasma gondii strains in the USA and pose a risk to consumers of undercooked venison. Parasitology 2020; 147:775-781. [PMID: 32178743 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182020000451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
To assess the role of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus, WTD) in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis, we conducted a national survey of WTD across the USA for Toxoplasma gondii infection. To do this, we combined serology with parasite isolation to evaluate the prevalence and genetic diversity of T. gondii in this game species. From October 2012 to March 2019, serum and tissues were collected from 914 WTD across the USA. Serum samples were screened for antibodies to T. gondii, and then the tissues of seropositive WTD were bioassayed in mice. Antibodies were detected in 329 (36%) of 914 WTD tested by the modified agglutination test (positive reaction at 1:25 or higher). Viable T. gondii was isolated from the heart of 36 WTD from 11 states. Three of the 36 isolates were pathogenic but not highly virulent to outbred Swiss Webster mice and all 36 isolates could be propagated further in cell culture and were genotyped. For genotyping, DNA extracted from cell culture-derived tachyzoites was characterized by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) using the genetic markers SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and Apico. Genotyping revealed seven ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotypes, including 24 isolates for genotype #5 (haplogroup 12), four isolates for #2 (type III, haplogroup 3), three isolates for genotypes #1 (type II, haplogroup 2), two isolates for genotypes #3 (type II, haplogroup 2) and one isolate each for #39, #221 and #224. Genotype #5 was the most frequently isolated, accounting for 66.6% (24 of 36) of the isolates. Combining the 36 isolates from this study with previously reported 69 isolates from WTD, 15 genotypes have been identified. Among these, 50.4% (53/105) isolates belong to genotype #5. Our results indicate moderate genetic diversity of T. gondii in WTD. The results also indicate that undercooked venison should not be consumed by humans or fed to cats.
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13
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Santoro M, Viscardi M, Boccia F, Borriello G, Lucibelli MG, Auriemma C, Anastasio A, Veneziano V, Galiero G, Baldi L, Fusco G. Parasite Load and STRs Genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii Isolates From Mediterranean Mussels ( Mytilus galloprovincialis) in Southern Italy. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:355. [PMID: 32210944 PMCID: PMC7066981 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic food-borne disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a land-derived protozoan parasite that infects a broad range of terrestrial and aquatic hosts. T. gondii may reach coastal waters via contaminated freshwater runoff and its oocysts may enter into the marine food web. Marine invertebrates as mussels being filter feeders are exposed and may concentrate T. gondii oocysts representing a potential source of infection for animals and humans. The present works investigated the prevalence, parasite burden and genotypes of T. gondii in the Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from southern Italy. We sampled a total of 382 individual Mediterranean mussels from May to August 2018 from seven production sites in the Gulf of Naples (Campania region). An additional sample including 27 farmed Mediterranean mussels was obtained in February 2018 from a mollusk depuration plant in Corigliano Calabro (Calabria region). T. gondii DNA was detected in 43 out of 409 (10.5%) Mediterranean mussels from seven out of eight sampling sites. The number of T. gondii copies/g in the digestive gland ranged from 0.14 to 1.18. Fragment analysis of Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) at 5 microsatellite loci was performed from 10 T. gondii PCR positive samples revealing the presence of five distinct genotypes including one corresponding to type I and four atypical genotypes. These findings suggest potential implications of epidemiological importance for human and animal health because both type I and atypical genotypes could be highly pathogenic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Santoro
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Maurizio Viscardi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
| | - Federica Boccia
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
| | - Giorgia Borriello
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
| | | | | | - Aniello Anastasio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Veneziano
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Giorgio Galiero
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
| | - Loredana Baldi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
| | - Giovanna Fusco
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy
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14
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Amouei A, Sarvi S, Sharif M, Aghayan SA, Javidnia J, Mizani A, Moosazadeh M, Shams N, Hosseini SA, Hosseininejad Z, Nayeri Chegeni T, Badali H, Daryani A. A systematic review of Toxoplasma gondii genotypes and feline: Geographical distribution trends. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019; 67:46-64. [PMID: 31464067 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is well known for its ability to virtually infect all warm-blooded vertebrates. Although felines as the definitive hosts have an important role in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis, there are few descriptions of genetic diversity in the world. The present review study aimed to describe the population structure of T. gondii in these animal species. For the purpose of the study, five English language databases reporting data on T. gondii genotyping in cats were searched within March-June 2019. This study is registered on the site of CAMARADES-NC3Rs (15-Jan-2018). The searching process resulted in the inclusion of 50 reports published from 1992 to June 2019. The data revealed that 47,390 samples were genotyped into 662 T. gondii DNA/isolates. Globally, atypical genotypes were predominant (47.7%, n = 316); in addition, Type II clonal strains were the second most common genotype (37%, n = 244). These results suggested an epidemic population structure in America and Asia, and a clonal population structure in Europe and Africa. Genotype #3 was found to be dominant in Africa, Europe and Oceania continents. Furthermore, genotypes #9 and #5 were prevalent in Asia and America, respectively. Additionally, genotypes #2, #3, #5 and #20 were common genotypes in domestic and sylvatic cycles from family Felidae. Collectively, this systematic review indicated a large degree of genetic diversity and circulation of mouse-virulent T. gondii strains in this family. However, further studies are necessary to better understand the population structure of T. gondii in these animal species and determine the significance of their features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afsaneh Amouei
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahabeddin Sarvi
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran
| | - Mehdi Sharif
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran.,Department of Basic Sciences Faculty of Medicine, Sari Branch Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran
| | - Sargis A Aghayan
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute of Biology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Javad Javidnia
- Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran
| | - Azadeh Mizani
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahmood Moosazadeh
- Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Nemat Shams
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Seyed Abdollah Hosseini
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Zahra Hosseininejad
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Tooran Nayeri Chegeni
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Hamid Badali
- Invasive Fungi Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Daryani
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran
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15
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Shapiro K, VanWormer E, Packham A, Dodd E, Conrad PA, Miller M. Type X strains of Toxoplasma gondii are virulent for southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) and present in felids from nearby watersheds. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191334. [PMID: 31431162 PMCID: PMC6732395 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Why some Toxoplasma gondii-infected southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) develop fatal toxoplasmosis while others have incidental or mild chronic infections has long puzzled the scientific community. We assessed robust datasets on T. gondii molecular characterization in relation to detailed necropsy and histopathology results to evaluate whether parasite genotype influences pathological outcomes in sea otters that stranded along the central California coast. Genotypes isolated from sea otters were also compared with T. gondii strains circulating in felids from nearby coastal regions to assess land-to-sea parasite transmission. The predominant T. gondii genotypes isolated from 135 necropsied sea otters were atypical Type X and Type X variants (79%), with the remainder (21%) belonging to Type II or Type II/X recombinants. All sea otters that died due to T. gondii as a primary cause of death were infected with Type X or X-variant T. gondii strains. The same atypical T. gondii strains were detected in sea otters with fatal toxoplasmosis and terrestrial felids from watersheds bordering the sea otter range. Our results confirm a land–sea connection for virulent T. gondii genotypes and highlight how faecal contamination can deliver lethal pathogens to coastal waters, leading to detrimental impacts on marine wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Shapiro
- Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,One Health Institute, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Elizabeth VanWormer
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA.,School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Andrea Packham
- Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Erin Dodd
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Patricia A Conrad
- Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,One Health Institute, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Melissa Miller
- One Health Institute, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
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16
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Robertson LJ, Clark CG, Debenham JJ, Dubey J, Kváč M, Li J, Ponce-Gordo F, Ryan U, Schares G, Su C, Tsaousis AD. Are molecular tools clarifying or confusing our understanding of the public health threat from zoonotic enteric protozoa in wildlife? Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2019; 9:323-341. [PMID: 31338293 PMCID: PMC6626983 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases are frequently zoonotic, often originating in wildlife, but enteric protozoa are considered relatively minor contributors. Opinions regarding whether pathogenic enteric protozoa may be transmitted between wildlife and humans have been shaped by our investigation tools, and have led to oscillations regarding whether particular species are zoonotic or have host-adapted life cycles. When the only approach for identifying enteric protozoa was morphology, it was assumed that many enteric protozoa colonized multiple hosts and were probably zoonotic. When molecular tools revealed genetic differences in morphologically identical species colonizing humans and other animals, host specificity seemed more likely. Parasites from animals found to be genetically identical - at the few genes investigated - to morphologically indistinguishable parasites from human hosts, were described as having zoonotic potential. More discriminatory molecular tools have now sub-divided some protozoa again. Meanwhile, some infection events indicate that, circumstances permitting, some "host-specific" protozoa, can actually infect various hosts. These repeated changes in our understanding are linked intrinsically to the investigative tools available. Here we review how molecular tools have assisted, or sometimes confused, our understanding of the public health threat from nine enteric protozoa and example wildlife hosts (Balantoides coli - wild boar; Blastocystis sp. - wild rodents; Cryptosporidium spp. - wild fish; Encephalitozoon spp. - wild birds; Entamoeba spp. - non-human primates; Enterocytozoon bieneusi - wild cervids; Giardia duodenalis - red foxes; Sarcocystis nesbitti - snakes; Toxoplasma gondii - bobcats). Molecular tools have provided evidence that some enteric protozoa in wildlife may infect humans, but due to limited discriminatory power, often only the zoonotic potential of the parasite is indicated. Molecular analyses, which should be as discriminatory as possible, are one, but not the only, component of the toolbox for investigating potential public health impacts from pathogenic enteric protozoa in wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy J. Robertson
- Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, PO Box 369 Sentrum, 0102, Oslo, Norway
| | - C. Graham Clark
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - John J. Debenham
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, PO Box 369 Sentrum, 0102, Oslo, Norway
| | - J.P. Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA
| | - Martin Kváč
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Junqiang Li
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Francisco Ponce-Gordo
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Una Ryan
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Gereon Schares
- Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-1937, USA
| | - Anastasios D. Tsaousis
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID Group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
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17
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Coupe A, Howe L, Shapiro K, Roe WD. Comparison of PCR assays to detect Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in green-lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus). Parasitol Res 2019; 118:2389-2398. [PMID: 31197544 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06357-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is recognised as an important pathogen in the marine environment, with oocysts carried to coastal waters in overland runoff. Currently, there are no standardised methods to detect T. gondii directly in seawater to assess the extent of marine ecosystem contamination, but filter-feeding shellfish may serve as biosentinels. A variety of PCR-based methods have been used to confirm presence of T. gondii DNA in marine shellfish; however, systematic investigations comparing molecular methods are scarce. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate analytical sensitivity and specificity of two nested-PCR (nPCR) assays targeting dhps and B1 genes and two real-time (qPCR) assays targeting the B1 gene and a 529-bp repetitive element (rep529), for detection of T. gondii. These assays were subsequently validated for T. gondii detection in green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) haemolymph using oocyst spiking experiments. All assays could reliably detect 50 oocysts spiked into mussel haemolymph. The lowest limit of detection was 5 oocysts using qPCR assays, with the rep529 primers performing best, with good correlation between oocyst concentrations and Cq values, and acceptable efficiency. Assay specificity was evaluated by testing DNA from closely related protozoans, Hammondia hammondi, Neospora caninum, and Sarcocystis spp. Both nPCR assays were specific to T. gondii. Both qPCR assays cross-reacted with Sarcocystis spp. DNA, and the rep529 primers also cross-reacted with N. caninum DNA. These studies suggest that the rep529 qPCR assay may be preferable for future mussel studies, but direct sequencing is required for definitive confirmation of T. gondii DNA detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Coupe
- Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11 - 222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand. .,EpiCentre, Wool Building, University Avenue, Massey University Manawatū Campus, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
| | - Laryssa Howe
- Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11 - 222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Karen Shapiro
- One Health Institute and School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Wendi D Roe
- Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11 - 222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
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18
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Shapiro K, Bahia-Oliveira L, Dixon B, Dumètre A, de Wit LA, VanWormer E, Villena I. Environmental transmission of Toxoplasma gondii: Oocysts in water, soil and food. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2019; 15:e00049. [PMID: 32095620 PMCID: PMC7033973 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2019.e00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite that can cause morbidity and mortality in humans, domestic animals, and terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. The environmentally robust oocyst stage of T. gondii is fundamentally critical to the parasite's success, both in terms of its worldwide distribution as well as the extensive range of infected intermediate hosts. Despite the limited definitive host species (domestic and wild felids), infections have been reported on every continent, and in terrestrial as well as aquatic environments. The remarkable resistance of the oocyst wall enables dissemination of T. gondii through watersheds and ecosystems, and long-term persistence in diverse foods such as shellfish and fresh produce. Here, we review the key attributes of oocyst biophysical properties that confer their ability to disseminate and survive in the environment, as well as the epidemiological dynamics of oocyst sources including domestic and wild felids. This manuscript further provides a comprehensive review of the pathways by which T. gondii oocysts can infect animals and people through the environment, including in contaminated foods, water or soil. We conclude by identifying critical control points for reducing risk of exposure to oocysts as well as opportunities for future synergies and new directions for research aimed at reducing the burden of oocyst-borne toxoplasmosis in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Shapiro
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, One Shields Ave, 4206 VM3A, University of California, Davis, CA 95616-5270, USA
| | - Lillian Bahia-Oliveira
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Macaé, RJ, Brazil
| | - Brent Dixon
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, A.L. 2204E, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Aurélien Dumètre
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD 257, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Luz A. de Wit
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95050, USA
| | - Elizabeth VanWormer
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, VBS 111, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Isabelle Villena
- EA 7510, UFR Medicine, University Reims Champagne-Ardenne, National Reference Center on Toxoplasmosis, Hospital Maison Blanche, Reims, France
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19
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Aguirre AA, Longcore T, Barbieri M, Dabritz H, Hill D, Klein PN, Lepczyk C, Lilly EL, McLeod R, Milcarsky J, Murphy CE, Su C, VanWormer E, Yolken R, Sizemore GC. The One Health Approach to Toxoplasmosis: Epidemiology, Control, and Prevention Strategies. ECOHEALTH 2019; 16:378-390. [PMID: 30945159 PMCID: PMC6682582 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-019-01405-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
One Health is a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort that seeks optimal health for people, animals, plants, and the environment. Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is an intracellular protozoan infection distributed worldwide, with a heteroxenous life cycle that practically affects all homeotherms and in which felines act as definitive reservoirs. Herein, we review the natural history of T. gondii, its transmission and impacts in humans, domestic animals, wildlife both terrestrial and aquatic, and ecosystems. The epidemiology, prevention, and control strategies are reviewed, with the objective of facilitating awareness of this disease and promoting transdisciplinary collaborations, integrative research, and capacity building among universities, government agencies, NGOs, policy makers, practicing physicians, veterinarians, and the general public.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Alonso Aguirre
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr. MSN: 5F2, Fairfax, VA, 22030-4400, USA.
| | - Travis Longcore
- Spatial Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, 3616 Trousdale Parkway, AHF B55, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Michelle Barbieri
- NMFS/PIFSC/PSD/Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program, 1845 Wasp Boulevard, Building 176, Honolulu, HI, 96818, USA
| | - Haydee Dabritz
- Community Health Branch, Yolo County Health & Human Services Agency, 137 N Cottonwood St, Woodland, CA, 95695, USA
| | - Dolores Hill
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center Road Building 307-C Room 134, BARC East, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Patrice N Klein
- United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, 201 14th Street, SW, Washington, DC, 20250, USA
| | | | - Emily L Lilly
- Virginia Military Institute, 303D Maury-Brooke Hall, Lexington, VA, 24450, USA
| | - Rima McLeod
- The University of Chicago, AMB N310, (MC 2114) 5841 South Maryland Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | | | - Caroline E Murphy
- The Wildlife Society, 425 Barlow Place, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Chunlei Su
- M409 Walters Life Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Elizabeth VanWormer
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 406 Hardin Hall, 3310 Holdrege Street, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
| | - Robert Yolken
- Stanley Neurovirology Laboratory, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Grant C Sizemore
- American Bird Conservancy, 4301 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 451, Washington, DC, 20008, USA
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High Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in an Urban Caracal ( Caracal caracal) Population in South Africa. J Wildl Dis 2019. [PMID: 30920906 DOI: 10.7589/2018-09-229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We investigated Toxoplasmosis gondii antibody seroprevalence in free-ranging caracals (Caracal caracal) in Cape Town, South Africa, from 2014 to 2017. Seropositivity was 83% (24/29), which is substantially higher than that detected in sympatric feral domestic cat (Felis catus) populations. The impact of this pathogen on local human and wildlife communities may be of concern.
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21
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Verma SK, Knowles S, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OC, Jiang T, Su C, Dubey JP. An update on Toxoplasma gondii infections in northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) from Washington State, USA. Vet Parasitol 2018; 258:133-137. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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22
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Jiang T, Shwab EK, Martin RM, Gerhold RW, Rosenthal BM, Dubey JP, Su C. A partition of Toxoplasma gondii genotypes across spatial gradients and among host species, and decreased parasite diversity towards areas of human settlement in North America. Int J Parasitol 2018; 48:611-619. [PMID: 29577892 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2017] [Revised: 12/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii counts among the most consequential food-borne parasites, and although the parasite occurs in a wide range of wild and domesticated animals, farms may constitute a specific and important locus of transmission. If so, parasites in animals that inhabit agricultural habitats might be suspected of harbouring genetically distinct parasite types. To better understand habitat effects pertinent to this parasite's transmission, we compiled and analysed existing genotypic data of 623 samples from animals across a proximity gradient from areas of human settlement to the wilderness in North America. To facilitate such analysis, T. gondii isolates were divided into three groups: (i) from farm-bound animals (with the most limited home ranges on farms); (ii) from free-roaming animals (with wider home ranges on or near farms); and (iii) from wildlife. In addition, parasite genotype distribution in different animal species was analysed. We observed no absolute limitation of any of five major genotypes to any one habitat; however, the frequency of four genotypes decreased across the gradient from the farm-bound group, to the free-roaming group, then the wildlife, whereas a fifth genotype increased along that gradient. Genetic diversity was greater in free-roaming than in farm-bound animals. The genotypic composition of parasites in wildlife differed from those in farm-bound and free-roaming animals. Furthermore, parasite genotypes differed among host species. We conclude that T. gondii genotype distributions are influenced by the spatial habitat and host species composition, and parasite diversity decreases towards areas of human settlement, elucidating facts which may influence transmission dynamics and zoonotic potential in this ubiquitous but regionally variable parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Jiang
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - E Keats Shwab
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Robbie M Martin
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Richard W Gerhold
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; Center for Wildlife Health, Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Benjamin M Rosenthal
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Jitender P Dubey
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
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23
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First report of Toxoplasma gondii sporulated oocysts and Giardia duodenalis in commercial green-lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus) in New Zealand. Parasitol Res 2018; 117:1453-1463. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-5832-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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24
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Schares G, Herrmann D, Maksimov P, Matzkeit B, Conraths F, Moré G, Preisinger R, Weigend S. Chicken line-dependent mortality after experimental infection with three type IIxIII recombinant Toxoplasma gondii clones. Exp Parasitol 2017; 180:101-111. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2016.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Revised: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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25
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Martínez-Flores WA, Palma-García JM, Caballero-Ortega H, Del Viento-Camacho A, López-Escamilla E, Martínez-Hernández F, Vinuesa P, Correa D, Maravilla P. Genotyping Toxoplasma gondii with the B1 Gene in Naturally Infected Sheep from an Endemic Region in the Pacific Coast of Mexico. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2017; 17:495-502. [PMID: 28530509 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2016.2085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite with a broad ecological valence, which has been detected in a wide range of hosts and landscapes. Although the genus is considered monospecific, in recent years it has been demonstrated to exhibit more genetic variability than previously known. In Mexico, there are few genotyping studies, which suggest that classical, autochthonous, and atypical strains are circulating. The goal of this study was to describe T. gondii genetic diversity in naturally infected sheep from Colima, Mexico. This is a good site to study ecological aspects of this parasite since it is located between the Nearctic and Neotropical ecozones and it includes domestic and wild risks for transmission. We analyzed 305 tissue samples of semicaptive sheep from six coastal and central zones of Colima and border zones of Michoacán. We used an 803 bp amplicon of the B1 gene to genotype T. gondii and seroprevalence was determined by ELISA. Indexes for genetic diversity and genetic differentiation were calculated and compared with reference strains from North America (NA) and South America (SA). Twenty-three tissue samples were positive for the B1 gene by PCR, which were sequenced. Crude prevalence was 24.4%. The genetic analysis showed 16 variable sites along the 803 bp region that grouped all sequences into 13 haplotypes in the phylogenetic tree. Bayesian and haplotype network analysis showed nine new B1-types, of which three were frequent and six had unique alleles. Comparisons among sequence sets revealed that the Mexican population had lower differentiation than SA and an intermediate genetic variability between South America and North America. The B1 gene analysis showed new T. gondii haplotypes in naturally infected sheep; therefore, this marker could be initially used in molecular screening studies to identify potentially virulent genotypes of this parasite using natural host samples directly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - José Manuel Palma-García
- 2 Centro Universitario de Investigación y Desarrollo Agropecuario, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad de Colima , Colima, México
| | | | - Alejandra Del Viento-Camacho
- 2 Centro Universitario de Investigación y Desarrollo Agropecuario, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad de Colima , Colima, México
| | - Eduardo López-Escamilla
- 1 Departamento de Ecología de Agentes Patógenos, Hospital General "Dr. Manuel Gea González," Ciudad de México, México
| | - Fernando Martínez-Hernández
- 1 Departamento de Ecología de Agentes Patógenos, Hospital General "Dr. Manuel Gea González," Ciudad de México, México
| | - Pablo Vinuesa
- 4 Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Programa de Ingeniería Genómica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Cuernavaca, México
| | - Dolores Correa
- 3 Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría , Ciudad de México, México
| | - Pablo Maravilla
- 1 Departamento de Ecología de Agentes Patógenos, Hospital General "Dr. Manuel Gea González," Ciudad de México, México
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26
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Verma SK, Sweeny AR, Lovallo MJ, Calero-Bernal R, Kwok OC, Jiang T, Su C, Grigg ME, Dubey JP. Seroprevalence, isolation and co-infection of multiple Toxoplasma gondii strains in individual bobcats (Lynx rufus) from Mississippi, USA. Int J Parasitol 2017; 47:297-303. [PMID: 28238868 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2016.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Revised: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii causes lifelong chronic infection in both feline definitive hosts and intermediate hosts. Multiple exposures to the parasite are likely to occur in nature due to high environmental contamination. Here, we present data of high seroprevalence and multiple T. gondii strain co-infections in individual bobcats (Lynx rufus). Unfrozen samples (blood, heart, tongue and faeces) were collected from 35 free ranging wild bobcats from Mississippi, USA. Toxoplasma gondii antibodies were detected in serum by the modified agglutination test (1:≥200) in all 35 bobcats. Hearts from all bobcats were bioassayed in mice and viable T. gondii was isolated from 21; these strains were further propagated in cell culture. Additionally, DNA was extracted from digests of tongues and hearts of all 35 bobcats; T. gondii DNA was detected in tissues of all 35 bobcats. Genetic characterisation of DNA from cell culture-derived isolates was performed by multiplex PCR using 10 PCR-RFLP markers. Results showed that ToxoDB genotype #5 predominated (in 18 isolates) with a few other types (#24 in two isolates, and #2 in one isolate). PCR-DNA sequencing at two polymorphic markers, GRA6 and GRA7, detected multiple recombinant strains co-infecting the tissues of bobcats; most possessing Type II alleles at GRA7 versus Type X (HG-12) alleles at GRA6. Our results suggest that individual bobcats have been exposed to more than one parasite strain during their life time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiv K Verma
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Amy R Sweeny
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Matthew J Lovallo
- Game Mammals Section, Bureau of Wildlife Management, Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Ave, Harrisburg, PA 17110, USA
| | - Rafael Calero-Bernal
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Oliver C Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Tiantian Jiang
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-0845, USA
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-0845, USA
| | - Michael E Grigg
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Jitender P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA.
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27
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Investigation of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Patients of the Isfahan Province. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.5812/iji.40260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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28
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VanWormer E, Carpenter TE, Singh P, Shapiro K, Wallender WW, Conrad PA, Largier JL, Maneta MP, Mazet JAK. Coastal development and precipitation drive pathogen flow from land to sea: evidence from a Toxoplasma gondii and felid host system. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29252. [PMID: 27456911 PMCID: PMC4960600 DOI: 10.1038/srep29252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapidly developing coastal regions face consequences of land use and climate change including flooding and increased sediment, nutrient, and chemical runoff, but these forces may also enhance pathogen runoff, which threatens human, animal, and ecosystem health. Using the zoonotic parasite Toxoplasma gondii in California, USA as a model for coastal pathogen pollution, we examine the spatial distribution of parasite runoff and the impacts of precipitation and development on projected pathogen delivery to the ocean. Oocysts, the extremely hardy free-living environmental stage of T. gondii shed in faeces of domestic and wild felids, are carried to the ocean by freshwater runoff. Linking spatial pathogen loading and transport models, we show that watersheds with the highest levels of oocyst runoff align closely with regions of increased sentinel marine mammal T. gondii infection. These watersheds are characterized by higher levels of coastal development and larger domestic cat populations. Increases in coastal development and precipitation independently raised oocyst delivery to the ocean (average increases of 44% and 79%, respectively), but dramatically increased parasite runoff when combined (175% average increase). Anthropogenic changes in landscapes and climate can accelerate runoff of diverse pathogens from terrestrial to aquatic environments, influencing transmission to people, domestic animals, and wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth VanWormer
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Tim E Carpenter
- EpiCentre, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Purnendu Singh
- Department of Civil Engineering, VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Bachupally Nizampet (S.O), Hyderabad-500090, India.,Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Karen Shapiro
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Wesley W Wallender
- Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Patricia A Conrad
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - John L Largier
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, Bodega Marine Laboratory, 2099 Westside Rd, Bodega Bay, CA, 94923, USA
| | - Marco P Maneta
- Department of Geosciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr. #1296, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Jonna A K Mazet
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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29
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Elmore SA, Huyvaert KP, Bailey LL, Iqbal A, Su C, Dixon BR, Alisauskas RT, Gajadhar AA, Jenkins EJ. Multi-scale occupancy approach to estimate Toxoplasma gondii prevalence and detection probability in tissues: an application and guide for field sampling. Int J Parasitol 2016; 46:563-70. [PMID: 27155329 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2016.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2016] [Revised: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Increasingly, birds are recognised as important hosts for the ubiquitous parasite Toxoplasma gondii, although little experimental evidence exists to determine which tissues should be tested to maximise the detection probability of T. gondii. Also, Arctic-nesting geese are suspected to be important sources of T. gondii in terrestrial Arctic ecosystems, but the parasite has not previously been reported in the tissues of these geese. Using a domestic goose model, we applied a multi-scale occupancy framework to demonstrate that the probability of detection of T. gondii was highest in the brain (0.689, 95% confidence interval=0.486, 0.839) and the heart (0.809, 95% confidence interval=0.693, 0.888). Inoculated geese had an estimated T. gondii infection probability of 0.849, (95% confidence interval=0.643, 0.946), highlighting uncertainty in the system, even under experimental conditions. Guided by these results, we tested the brains and hearts of wild Ross's Geese (Chen rossii, n=50) and Lesser Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens, n=50) from Karrak Lake, Nunavut, Canada. We detected 51 suspected positive tissue samples from 33 wild geese using real-time PCR with melt-curve analysis. The wild goose prevalence estimates generated by our multi-scale occupancy analysis were higher than the naïve estimates of prevalence, indicating that multiple PCR repetitions on the same organs and testing more than one organ could improve T. gondii detection. Genetic characterisation revealed Type III T. gondii alleles in six wild geese and Sarcocystis spp. in 25 samples. Our study demonstrates that Arctic nesting geese are capable of harbouring T. gondii in their tissues and could transport the parasite from their southern overwintering grounds into the Arctic region. We demonstrate how a multi-scale occupancy framework can be used in a domestic animal model to guide resource-limited sample collection and tissue analysis in wildlife. Secondly, we confirm the value of traditional occupancy in optimising T. gondii detection probability in tissue samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey A Elmore
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada; Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
| | - Kathryn P Huyvaert
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Larissa L Bailey
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Asma Iqbal
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Health Canada, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, M409 Walters Life Sciences, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Brent R Dixon
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Health Canada, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Ray T Alisauskas
- Prairie and Northern Research Centre, Environment Canada, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0X4, Canada
| | - Alvin A Gajadhar
- Centre for Food-Borne and Animal Parasitology, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 116 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 2R3, Canada
| | - Emily J Jenkins
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada
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30
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Dual congenital transmission of Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona in a late-term aborted pup from a chronically infected southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis). Parasitology 2015; 143:276-88. [PMID: 26494610 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182015001377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona are protozoan parasites with terrestrial definitive hosts, and both pathogens can cause fatal disease in a wide range of marine animals. Close monitoring of threatened southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) in California allowed for the diagnosis of dual transplacental transmission of T. gondii and S. neurona in a wild female otter that was chronically infected with both parasites. Congenital infection resulted in late-term abortion due to disseminated toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasma gondii and S. neurona DNA was amplified from placental tissue culture, as well as from fetal lung tissue. Molecular characterization of T. gondii revealed a Type X genotype in isolates derived from placenta and fetal brain, as well as in all tested fetal organs (brain, lung, spleen, liver and thymus). This report provides the first evidence for transplacental transmission of T. gondii in a chronically infected wild sea otter, and the first molecular and immunohistochemical confirmation of concurrent transplacental transmission of T. gondii and S. neurona in any species. Repeated fetal and/or neonatal losses in the sea otter dam also suggested that T. gondii has the potential to reduce fecundity in chronically infected marine mammals through parasite recrudescence and repeated fetal infection.
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31
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Verma SK, Carstensen M, Calero-Bernal R, Moore SA, Jiang T, Su C, Dubey JP. Seroprevalence, isolation, first genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii, and possible congenital transmission in wild moose from Minnesota, USA. Parasitol Res 2015; 115:687-90. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4789-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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32
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Jenkins EJ, Simon A, Bachand N, Stephen C. Wildlife parasites in a One Health world. Trends Parasitol 2015; 31:174-80. [PMID: 25662272 PMCID: PMC7106350 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2015.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Revised: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
One Health emphasizes the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health. Wildlife parasites are ubiquitous; how do we decide which are One Health issues? We propose questions to help to prioritize wildlife parasites in a One Health context. We suggest principles for taking action on wildlife parasites with One Health significance.
One Health has gained a remarkable profile in the animal and public health communities, in part owing to the pressing issues of emerging infectious diseases of wildlife origin. Wildlife parasitology can offer insights into One Health, and likewise One Health can provide justification to study and act on wildlife parasites. But how do we decide which wildlife parasites are One Health issues? We explore toxoplasmosis in wildlife in the Canadian Arctic as an example of a parasite that poses a risk to human health, and that also has potential to adversely affect wildlife populations of conservation concern and importance for food security and cultural well-being. This One Health framework can help communities, researchers, and policymakers prioritize issues for action in a resource-limited world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Jenkins
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, 52 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7H 5B4, SK, Canada.
| | - Audrey Simon
- Groupe de Recherche en Épidémiologie des Zoonoses et Santé Publique, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Sicotte, CP 5000, Saint-Hyacinthe J2S 7C6, QC, Canada
| | - Nicholas Bachand
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, 52 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7H 5B4, SK, Canada
| | - Craig Stephen
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7H 5B4, SK, Canada
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33
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Dubey JP, Verma SK, Calero-Bernal R, Cassinelli AB, Kwok OCH, Van Why K, Su C, Humphreys JG. Isolation and Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii
from Black Bears (Ursus americanus
), Bobcats (Lynx rufus
), and Feral Cats (Felis catus
) from Pennsylvania. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2015; 62:410-5. [DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Revised: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jitender P. Dubey
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory; Beltsville Agricultural Research Center; Agricultural Research Service; United States Department of Agriculture; Beltsville Maryland 20705-2350
| | - Shiv K. Verma
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory; Beltsville Agricultural Research Center; Agricultural Research Service; United States Department of Agriculture; Beltsville Maryland 20705-2350
| | - Rafael Calero-Bernal
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory; Beltsville Agricultural Research Center; Agricultural Research Service; United States Department of Agriculture; Beltsville Maryland 20705-2350
| | - Ana B. Cassinelli
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory; Beltsville Agricultural Research Center; Agricultural Research Service; United States Department of Agriculture; Beltsville Maryland 20705-2350
| | - Oliver C. H. Kwok
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory; Beltsville Agricultural Research Center; Agricultural Research Service; United States Department of Agriculture; Beltsville Maryland 20705-2350
| | - Kyle Van Why
- United States Department of Agriculture; Animal Plant Health Inspection Service; Wildlife Services; Harrisburg Pennsylvania 17106-0827
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology; The University of Tennessee; Knoxville Tennessee 37996-0845
| | - Jan G. Humphreys
- Department of Biology; Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Indiana Pennsylvania 15705
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Shapiro K, VanWormer E, Aguilar B, Conrad PA. Surveillance forToxoplasma gondiiin California mussels (Mytilus californianus) reveals transmission of atypical genotypes from land to sea. Environ Microbiol 2014; 17:4177-88. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karen Shapiro
- One Health Institute; School of Veterinary Medicine; University of California; Davis CA USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; School of Veterinary Medicine; University of California; Davis CA USA
| | - Elizabeth VanWormer
- One Health Institute; School of Veterinary Medicine; University of California; Davis CA USA
| | - Beatriz Aguilar
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; School of Veterinary Medicine; University of California; Davis CA USA
| | - Patricia A. Conrad
- One Health Institute; School of Veterinary Medicine; University of California; Davis CA USA
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; School of Veterinary Medicine; University of California; Davis CA USA
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Verma SK, Su C, Dubey JP. Toxoplasma gondii
Isolates from Mouflon Sheep (Ovis ammon
) from Hawaii, USA. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2014; 62:141-3. [DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2014] [Revised: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 06/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shiv K. Verma
- United States Department of Agriculture; Agricultural Research Service; Beltsville Agricultural Research Center; Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory; Building 1001 Beltsville Maryland 20705-2350
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology; The University of Tennessee; Knoxville Tennessee 37996-0845
| | - Jitender P. Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture; Agricultural Research Service; Beltsville Agricultural Research Center; Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory; Building 1001 Beltsville Maryland 20705-2350
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