Occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in sheep naturally infected and slaughtered in abattoirs in Pernambuco, Brazil

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Occurrence of Toxoplasmosis in Animals Slaughtered in Brazilian Abattoirs

Toxoplasmosis is mainly transmitted to human beings through the consumption of contaminated food, and several outbreaks caused by infected meat consumption have been reported in Brazil. We performed a systematic literature review on the prevalence and risk factors for toxoplasmosis in slaughtered animals and performed a meta-analysis of its prevalence for different species and regions. Furthermore, we also discussed the infectivity of seropositive animals, risk factors, and preventive strategies. In the meta-analysis, the overall prevalence estimates for poultry, ostrich, goats, swine, equids, sheep, and bovines were 42.4, 40.4, 23.0, 19.9, 19.1, 17.3, and 16.2%, respectively. Regarding the Brazilian regions, the highest prevalence values were detected for bovines and equids in the South (32.3 and 34.4%, respectively) and swine, goats, sheep, and poultry in the Northeast (29.3, 23.0, 22.9, and 69.8%%, respectively). High proportions of Toxoplasma gondii viability in bioassay conducted on seropositive animals were seen for sheep (34/40 = 85%) and swine (12/15 = 80%). Toxoplasma gondii infections are widespread on Brazilian farms, and the summarized data allow the establishment of high-priority areas and/or species for the adoption of preventive strategies to control this parasite at different levels of the food chain.

High Toxoplasma gondii frequency of infection in the genital tract of ewes previously positive for the parasite DNA in meat, in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia

The aim of the present study was to estimate the molecular prevalence of T. gondii along various segments of the genital tract of confirmed chronically infected ewes. Genital tracts were collected from 42 ewes; meat samples from the same ewes were previously confirmed positive for T. gondii DNA. The whole DNA was extracted from 4 parts of the genital tract (ovary, horns, body of the uterus and vagina). PCR was used to amplify a 114 base-pairs of T. gondii B1 gene. For all studied samples, 95.2 % had at least one infected genital part. Toxoplasma gondii infection was confirmed by sequencing 20 amplicons randomly chosen. The majority of infected animals has 4 T. gondii-infected genital anatomical parts. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed a cluster of adult animals (>24 months) with positive PCR in the ovaries and the vagina and another cluster of Barbarine animals having positive PCR in the horns and body of the uterus. General linear model confirmed PCA results and showed a significant higher prevalence of T. gondii in the ovaries and vagina of older animals (p = 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively) and a higher prevalence of T. gondii in the horns of the uterus of Barbarine animals (p = 0.03). Toxoplasma gondii seems to highly persist along the various segments of the ewe's genital tract but further investigations are necessary to link such prevalence with the pathological implications.

Economic and public health importance of Toxoplasma gondii infections in sheep: 2009-2020

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, control, and genetic diversity of T. gondii in sheep in the past decade. There is debate and uncertainty concerning repeat congenital infection as evidenced by finding T. gondii DNA in progeny of chronically infected sheep. However, there is no concrete evidence that T. gondii is the cause of repeated abortions in sheep. Recent data concerning pathogenesis of abortion in acutely infected sheep are reviewed. PCR-RFLP typing of T. gondii DNA derived from viable T. gondii isolates or tissues of infected sheep revealed low genetic diversity in sheep in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America but high diversity in South America. This review will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists, veterinarians, and public health workers.

Toxoplasma gondii in small ruminants in northeastern areas of Colombia: Seroprevalence and risk factors

Sheep and goats are susceptible to infections with Toxoplasma gondii and could play an important role in the transmission of the zoonotic parasite to human. We conducted a cross sectional study to estimate the seroprevalence and to assess the risk factors for T. gondii seropositivity in small ruminants under traditional husbandry systems. This study was carried out from November 2015 to April 2016 in randomly selected small ruminants (n = 1038) from 48 farms located in Colombia, in the departments of northern Cesar in the north and La Guajira in the south. An indirect ELISA was used to detect IgG antibodies to T. gondii in the animals. A standardized questionnaire was used to obtain information on putative risk factors. We conducted the association analyses by using univariable and multivariate logistic regression and report odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (C.I). The overall seroprevalence in small ruminants was 23.5% (C.I: 21–26.2%). Sheep showed a higher seroprevalence (25.1% C.I: 22.4–28.6%) than goats (18.4% C.I: 22.4–28.6%). The association analysis recognized as risk factors for T. gondii seropositivity farming pigs in addition to small ruminants (OR = 1.96 C.I: 1.414–2.743), the inexistence of manure heap (OR = 2.254 C.I: 1.480–3.433) and drinking water from locally aqueducts (OR = 1.489 C.I: 1.006–2.204). The results of the study confirmed that exposure to T. gondii is common in sheep and goats in dry Caribbean regions of Colombia.

Molecular etiopathology of naturally occurring reproductive diseases in female goats

AIM

The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular etiopathology of occurrence of reproductive diseases in female goats. Reproductive diseases in goats account for major economic losses to goat farmers in terms of valuable loss of offspring and animal productivity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 660 female genitalia were examined for pathological conditions (macroscopic and microscopic lesions). The etiopathological study was carried out for the presence of pathogenic organisms such as Brucella, Chlamydia, and Campylobacter in the uterus and ovary. Based on the microscopic lesions, suspected samples were subjected to diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for various etiological agents employing 16srRNA genus specific primers for Campylobacter and Chlamydophila and OMP31 gene-based PCR for Brucella melitensis and nested PCR using ITS-1 gene primers for Toxoplasma gondii. For Brucella suspected samples, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was also performed.

RESULTS

In studied female genitalia, 108 (16.30%) showed gross abnormalities with overall 23.32% occurrence of pathological conditions (macroscopic and microscopic lesions). Pathological involvement of the uterus was the highest 68 (62.96%), followed by the ovaries 27 (25%) and other organs. Major uterine condition observed was endometritis (5.60%). In uterine infections, 35 (5.30%) samples were found positive for Campylobacter spp., 12 (1.81%) samples for B. melitensis, and 3 (0.45%) samples were positive for Chlamydophila spp. Among the samples positive for B. melitensis by PCR, 3 were found positive by IHC also. Corynebacterium ovis was detected by PCR using specific primers in a case of hydrosalpinx. It was concluded that many pathological lesions in female genitalia of functional significance play a major role in infertility in goats.

CONCLUSION

The present study concluded that many pathological lesions in female genitalia of functional significance play a major role in infertility in goats.