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Scherrer P, Ryser-Degiorgis MP, Frey CF, Basso W. Toxoplasma gondii Infection in the Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber) in Switzerland: Seroprevalence, Genetic Characterization, and Clinicopathologic Relevance. J Wildl Dis 2024; 60:126-138. [PMID: 37909405 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-23-00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a coccidian parasite able to infect all warm-blooded animals and humans. Rodents are one of the most important intermediate hosts for T. gondii, but little is known about infection in beavers and its clinical relevance. Toxoplasmosis was not considered an important waterborne disease until recently, but with increased outbreaks in humans and animals this perspective has changed. Serum samples from 247 Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber) collected from 2002 to 2022 were tested for antibodies to T. gondii by a commercial ELISA. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 113 (45.8%) beavers. Higher weight and proximity to urban areas were found to be significant predictors for seropositivity. Additionally, T. gondii DNA was detected in 23/41 brain tissue samples by real-time PCR. Histopathologic examination of brain sections revealed inflammatory changes in 26/40 beavers, mainly characterized by encephalitis, meningitis, choroid plexitis, or a combination of them. In six of these cases the lesions were in direct association with parasitic stages. With an adapted nested PCR multilocus sequence typing and in silico restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis approach, three different T. gondii genotypes were detected in brain samples: the clonal Type II strain (ToxoDB 1), a Type II variant (ToxoDB 3), and a novel genotype exhibiting both Type II and I alleles in a further animal. Toxoplasma gondii infections in beavers have epidemiologic and clinical significance. The high seroprevalence indicates frequent contact with the parasite, and as competent intermediate hosts they may play an important role, contributing to maintaining the life cycle of T. gondii in semiaquatic habitats. In addition, although most beavers appear to develop subclinical to chronic disease courses, acute and fatal outcomes, mainly characterized by encephalitis and generalized infection, do also occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Scherrer
- Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Bern, Laenggassstrasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Bern, Laenggassstrasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marie-Pierre Ryser-Degiorgis
- Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Bern, Laenggassstrasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Caroline F Frey
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Bern, Laenggassstrasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Walter Basso
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Bern, Laenggassstrasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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2
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Antolová D, Stanko M, Jarošová J, Miklisová D. Rodents as Sentinels for Toxoplasma gondii in Rural Ecosystems in Slovakia-Seroprevalence Study. Pathogens 2023; 12:826. [PMID: 37375516 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060826] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous intracellular parasite with felids as definitive hosts and a broad range of intermediate hosts. Rodents are considered suitable sentinels for prevalence studies of many infections, including toxoplasmosis. This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of T. gondii in rodents from different localities of Slovakia and investigate the correlation between the seropositivity and the species, age, sex, and sexual activity of animals. Altogether, 1009 wild rodents belonging to 9 species were trapped in 2015 and 2019, and antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 6.7% of the animals. Seropositivity was detected in seven species, ranging from 0.0% in Micromys minutus and Apodemus sylvaticus to 7.7% in A. flavicollis. The females reached significantly higher seropositivity (9.7%) than the males (3.8%), and the adults were positive significantly more often (9.2%) than the subadults (4.9%). The seropositivity differed also among localities, with significantly higher positivity detected in suburban and touristic areas (12.2%) than in localities with a lower level of human activities (5.5%). This study showed that the occurrence of T. gondii varies significantly in rodent species and habitats with various environmental conditions and different levels of anthropic use. Several biological and ecological factors, e.g., soil contamination, soil conditions, the susceptibility of rodent species etc., may influence this variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Antolová
- Institute of Parasitology SAS, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Michal Stanko
- Institute of Parasitology SAS, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Júlia Jarošová
- Institute of Parasitology SAS, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Dana Miklisová
- Institute of Parasitology SAS, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
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Veronesi F, Deak G, Diakou A. Wild Mesocarnivores as Reservoirs of Endoparasites Causing Important Zoonoses and Emerging Bridging Infections across Europe. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020178. [PMID: 36839450 PMCID: PMC9964259 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesocarnivores are small- or mid-sized carnivore species that display a variety of ecologies and behaviours. In Europe, wild mesocarnivores are represented by the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), the golden jackal (Canis aureus), the European wildcat (Felis silvestris), the Mustelidae of the genera Meles, Martes, Mustela, Lutra, the invasive species of raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), raccoons (Procyon lotor), and American mink (Neogale vison). These abundant animals thrive in various habitats and often develop their activity close to human settlements. Thus, they may play an important role in the introduction, maintenance, and transmission of major parasitic zoonoses and promote bridging infections with domestic animals. Against this background, this article reports and discusses some of the most important endoparasites of wild mesocarnivores living in Europe, on the basis of their actual role as reservoirs, spreaders, or sentinels. The data derived from epizootiological studies in different European countries, and the proven or speculated implications of the detected endoparasites in human and domestic animals' health, are discussed. Through older and recent literature review, the state-of-the-art knowledge on the occurrence and prevalence of the parasites under consideration is presented, showing further, warranted investigations and the need for surveillance and vigilance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizia Veronesi
- Parasitology Laboratory of the University Teaching Hospital, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, 06124 Perugia, Italy
- Correspondence: (F.V.); (G.D.); (A.D.)
| | - Georgiana Deak
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Correspondence: (F.V.); (G.D.); (A.D.)
| | - Anastasia Diakou
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Correspondence: (F.V.); (G.D.); (A.D.)
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Stensgaard A, Sengupta M, Chriel M, Nielsen S, Petersen H. Sero-prevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild cervids in Denmark. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 17:288-294. [PMID: 35342710 PMCID: PMC8943336 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite capable of infecting possibly all warm-blooded animals including humans, and is one of the most widespread zoonotic pathogens known. Free-ranging wildlife can be valuable sentinels for oocyst contaminated environments, as well as a potential source for human foodborne infection with T. gondii. Here we aimed to determine the sero-prevalence of T. gondii in Danish wild deer populations and examine risk factors associated with increased exposure to the parasite. Blood samples were collected from 428 cervids (87 fallow deer (Dama dama), 272 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 55 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and 14 sika deer (Cervus Nippon) from 23 hunting sites in Denmark. The animals were shot during the hunting season 2017/2018, and screened for antibodies against T. gondii using a commercial ELISA kit. One hundred and five (24.5%) cervids were sero-positive. Sero-prevalence was significantly different between species (p < 0.05), with odds of sero-positivity being 4.5 times higher in roe deer than fallow deer, and 3.0 times higher in red deer than in fallow deer. A significant increase in sero-prevalence with age was observed, driven by a significant increase in risk in adult red deer compared to calves (OR: 13.22; 95% CI: 5.96–33.7). The only other significant risk factor associated with wild cervid T. gondii sero-positivity was fencing, with the highest exposure associated with deer from non-fenced hunting areas (OR: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.05–4.99). This study documented a widespread exposure to T. gondii in Danish cervids. Therefore the meat of the wild deer, in particular from roe deer and red deer, should be considered a significant risk of T. gondii infections to humans, if not properly cooked. Further, molecular studies to confirm the presence of infective parasitic stages in the muscles of deer used for consumption is recommended. We document a widespread exposure to T. gondii in wild cervid species from Danish hunting estates. The overall sero-prevalence of T. gondii in wild Danish cervids was 24.5% (N = 428). Sero-prevalence was significantly different between the cervid species. Risk factors associated with sero-positivity were age, species and fencing practices. Undercooked deer meat should be considered a risk of T. gondii infections to humans.
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Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild omnivorous and carnivorous animals in Central Europe – a brief overview. Vet Parasitol 2022; 304:109701. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2022.109701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Biochemical Studies of Mitochondrial Malate: Quinone Oxidoreductase from Toxoplasma gondii. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22157830. [PMID: 34360597 PMCID: PMC8345934 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22157830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that causes toxoplasmosis and infects almost one-third of the global human population. A lack of effective drugs and vaccines and the emergence of drug resistant parasites highlight the need for the development of new drugs. The mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) is an essential pathway for energy metabolism and the survival of T. gondii. In apicomplexan parasites, malate:quinone oxidoreductase (MQO) is a monotopic membrane protein belonging to the ETC and a key member of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and has recently been suggested to play a role in the fumarate cycle, which is required for the cytosolic purine salvage pathway. In T. gondii, a putative MQO (TgMQO) is expressed in tachyzoite and bradyzoite stages and is considered to be a potential drug target since its orthologue is not conserved in mammalian hosts. As a first step towards the evaluation of TgMQO as a drug target candidate, in this study, we developed a new expression system for TgMQO in FN102(DE3)TAO, a strain deficient in respiratory cytochromes and dependent on an alternative oxidase. This system allowed, for the first time, the expression and purification of a mitochondrial MQO family enzyme, which was used for steady-state kinetics and substrate specificity analyses. Ferulenol, the only known MQO inhibitor, also inhibited TgMQO at IC50 of 0.822 μM, and displayed different inhibition kinetics compared to Plasmodium falciparum MQO. Furthermore, our analysis indicated the presence of a third binding site for ferulenol that is distinct from the ubiquinone and malate sites.
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7
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Castro-Scholten S, Cano-Terriza D, Jiménez-Ruiz S, Almería S, Risalde MA, Vicente J, Acevedo P, Arnal MC, Balseiro A, Gómez-Guillamón F, Escribano F, Puig-Ribas M, Dubey JP, García-Bocanegra I. Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii in wild ruminants in Spain. Zoonoses Public Health 2021; 68:884-895. [PMID: 34227234 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii which infects warm-blooded species worldwide. Humans can be infected through ingestion of tissue cysts from raw or undercooked meat, including game meat. A nationwide large-scale cross-sectional study was conducted to assess exposure to T. gondii in seven wild ruminant species in Spain. A total of 2,040 serum samples from 77 sampling sites randomly distributed in the five bioregions (BRs) covering mainland Spain were tested for antibodies against T. gondii using the modified agglutination test. The overall seroprevalence was 22.0% (449/2,040). Seroprevalence by species in decreasing order was as follows: 39.6% (141/356) in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 37.1% (138/372) in fallow deer (Dama dama), 16.6% (92/553) in red deer (Cervus elaphus), 14.0% (26/186) in Southern chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica), 11.5% (24/209) in mouflon (Ovis aries musimon), 7.8% (27/346) in Iberian wild goat (Capra pyrenaica) and 5.6% (1/18) in Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia). Seropositivity was detected in 74.0% (57/77) of the sampling sites. Results indicate widespread but not homogeneous exposure to T. gondii in wild ruminant populations in Spain during the last two decades and highlight differences related to animal species and spatial distribution of these species in this country; this implies potential consequences of T. gondii for animal health, conservation and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Castro-Scholten
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), Universidad de Córdoba (UCO), Córdoba, Spain
| | - David Cano-Terriza
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), Universidad de Córdoba (UCO), Córdoba, Spain
| | - Saúl Jiménez-Ruiz
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), Universidad de Córdoba (UCO), Córdoba, Spain.,Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (UCLM-CSIC-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Sonia Almería
- Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment (OARSA), Laurel, MD, USA
| | - María A Risalde
- Departamento de Anatomía y Anatomía Patológica Comparadas y Toxicología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), Universidad de Córdoba (UCO), Córdoba, Spain.,Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Grupo de Virología Clínica y Zoonosis, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Joaquín Vicente
- Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (UCLM-CSIC-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pelayo Acevedo
- Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (UCLM-CSIC-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - María C Arnal
- Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza (UNIZAR), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Ana Balseiro
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León (ULE), León, Spain.,Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-Universidad de León), León, Spain
| | - Félix Gómez-Guillamón
- Programa de Vigilancia Epidemiológica de la Fauna Silvestre, Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Desarrollo Sostenible (CAGPDS), Málaga, Spain
| | - Fernando Escribano
- Programa de Conservación y Recuperación de Fauna Silvestre, Dirección General de Medio Natural, Consejería de Agua, Agricultura, Pesca y Medio Ambiente, Murcia, Spain
| | - María Puig-Ribas
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Wildlife Conservation Medicine Research Group (WildCoM), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jitender P Dubey
- Animal Parasitic Disease Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, USA
| | - Ignacio García-Bocanegra
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), Universidad de Córdoba (UCO), Córdoba, Spain
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8
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Almería S, Cano-Terriza D, Prieto P, Dubey JP, Jiménez-Martín D, Castro-Scholten S, Paniagua J, García-Bocanegra I. Seroprevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild ungulates that cohabit in a natural park with human-animal interaction in the Mediterranean ecosystem. Zoonoses Public Health 2021; 68:263-270. [PMID: 33619865 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The possibility of Toxoplasma gondii transmitted from game meat to humans is of public health concern. Here we determined seroprevalence and risk factors associated with T. gondii in large game ungulates that cohabit in Sierras de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas Natural Park (SCSV-NP) (Southern Spain), a natural park with high human-animal interaction. Antibodies against T. gondii in 328 wild ungulates were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT ≥ 1:25). Antibodies were found in 39 (11.9%, 95% CI: 8.4-15.4) wild ungulates, with seroprevalence levels of 20.8% in wild boars (Sus scrofa) (5/24), 19.0% in fallow deer (Dama dama) (12/63), 13.9% in Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica hispanica) (14/101), 7.9% in red deer (Cervus elaphus) (6/76), and 3.1% in mouflons (Ovis aries musimon) (2/64). Significantly higher seroprevalence was observed in fallow deer and wild boars compared to mouflons. Animals living close to urban areas (<2 km) had 4.6-times higher risk compared to those living at >5 km of urban areas. The results indicate high circulation of T. gondii in wild ungulates in SCSV-NP, which is of animal and public health concern. The increased seroprevalence of T. gondii detected in wildlife ungulates living close to urban areas may increase human infection in those areas if meat from infected animals is consumed raw or undercooked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Almería
- Division of Virulence Assessment, Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Nutrition (CFSAN), Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment (OARSA), Laurel, MD, USA
| | - David Cano-Terriza
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Paloma Prieto
- Sierras de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas Natural Park, Junta de Andalucía, Cazorla (Jaén), Spain
| | - Jitender P Dubey
- Animal Parasitic Disease Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, USA
| | - Débora Jiménez-Martín
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Sabrina Castro-Scholten
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Jorge Paniagua
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Ignacio García-Bocanegra
- Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
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PCR Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in European Wild Rabbit ( Oryctolagus cuniculus) from Portugal. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8121926. [PMID: 33291701 PMCID: PMC7761901 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8121926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildlife plays an important role in the epidemiological cycle of Toxoplasma gondii. The European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) can be a source of infection to wild and domestic hosts, including human beings. Additionally, as an herbivorous animal, the European wild rabbit may also be a sentinel of environmental contamination with T. gondii and, consequently, an indicator of the potential transmission of this parasite. The purpose of the present work was to detect T. gondii DNA in European wild rabbit from central Portugal, as well as the possible implications for public health. Heart and diaphragm samples were obtained from 28 rabbits hunted in central Portugal. Nested PCR separately amplified the 5′ and 3′ ends of the surface antigen 2 (SAG2) gene. T. gondii DNA was detected in 19 out of the 28 sampled animals, resulting in a prevalence of 67.9%. These results show that T. gondii infection occurs in European wild rabbit and therefore may pose a potential risk for humans if consumed as raw or undercooked meat. Measures should be taken in order to prevent infection by this zoonotic parasite and for the conservation of wildlife. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study performed by means of PCR on T. gondii in European wild rabbit meat samples.
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Niehaus C, Spínola M, Su C, Rojas N, Rico-Chávez O, Ibarra-Cerdeña CN, Foley J, Suzán G, Gutiérrez-Espeleta GA, Chaves A. Environmental factors associated With Toxoplasma gondii Exposure in Neotropical Primates of Costa Rica. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:583032. [PMID: 33195604 PMCID: PMC7642457 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.583032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) has been found in more than 350 species of homoeothermic vertebrates in diverse climates and geographic areas. In most animals, T. gondii produces mild or asymptomatic infection. However, acute and hyperacute toxoplasmosis is associated with high mortality rates observed in Neotropical primates (NP) in captivity. These primates are distributed in 20 countries across the Americas, and although infection has been reported in certain countries and species, toxoplasmosis in the wild and its impact on NP population survival is unknown. Differences among species in exposure rates and disease susceptibility may be due in part to differences in host behavior and ecology. Four species of NP are found in Costa Rica, i.e., howler (Alouatta palliata), spider (Ateles geoffroyi), capuchin (Cebus imitator), and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri oerstedii). This study reports NP exposure to T. gondii using the modified agglutination test in 245 serum samples of NP (198 wild and 47 from captivity) from Costa Rica. Associations of serostatus with environmental (forest cover, annual mean temperature), anthropogenic (human population density), and biological (sex) variables in howler and capuchin monkeys were evaluated. The seroprevalence among wild NP was 11.6% (95% CI = 7.7–17.34), compared with 60% in captive monkeys (95% CI = 44.27–73.63), with significant differences between species (X2 = 20.072; df = 3, p = 0.000164), suggesting an effect of behavior and ecology. In general, antibody titers were low for wild NP (<1:128) and high for captive NP (>1:8192), suggesting higher exposure due to management factors and increased life span in captivity. Seropositivity in howler monkeys was positively related to forest cover and inversely related to annual rainfall. For capuchins, annual rainfall was inversely related to seropositivity. Surveillance of T. gondii exposure in NP in captivity and in the wild is required to understand drivers of the infection and develop novel strategies to protect them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Niehaus
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.,Posgrado Regional en Ciencias Veterinarias Tropicales, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica
| | - Manuel Spínola
- Instituto Internacional de Conservación y Manejo de Vida Silvestre, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Norman Rojas
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica
| | - Oscar Rico-Chávez
- Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Carlos N Ibarra-Cerdeña
- Departamento de Ecología Humana, Centro de Investigaciones y de Estudios de Avanzados del IPN (Cinvestav), Unidad Mérida, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Janet Foley
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Gerardo Suzán
- Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Andrea Chaves
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.,Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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11
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Ahlers AA, Wolf TM, Aarrestad O, Windels SK, Olson BT, Matykiewicz BR, Dubey JP. Survey of Toxoplasma gondii Exposure in Muskrats in a Relatively Pristine Ecosystem. J Parasitol 2020; 106:346-349. [PMID: 32294183 DOI: 10.1645/19-126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Waterborne transmission of Toxoplasma gondii is assumed to be enhanced in areas with human-altered landscapes (e.g., urbanization, agriculture) and increased populations of non-native domestic and feral cats (Felis catus). However, little is known concerning T. gondii exposure risks in more natural watersheds (e.g., reduced human footprint, no domestic or feral cats) to establish a baseline for comparisons. In this study, muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) were used as sentinels to assess baseline T. gondii exposure in a relatively pristine watershed in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem, northern Minnesota, during the summers of 2018-2019. Toxoplasma gondii antibodies were assayed in sera of live-trapped muskrats (n = 70) using a modified agglutination test. None of our samples were positive for T. gondii antibodies (P = 0.00, 95% Wald Score Confidence Interval = 0.00-0.05). This study establishes a baseline to compare T. gondii waterborne transmission risks in other human-modified watersheds.
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Affiliation(s)
- A A Ahlers
- Kansas State University, Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources, 1712 Claflin Road, Manhattan, Kansas 66506
| | - T M Wolf
- University of Minnesota, Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, 1988 Fitch Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
| | - O Aarrestad
- University of Minnesota, Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, 1988 Fitch Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
| | - S K Windels
- United States National Park Service, Voyageurs National Park, 360 Highway 11 East, International Falls, Minnesota 56649
| | - B T Olson
- United States National Park Service, Voyageurs National Park, 360 Highway 11 East, International Falls, Minnesota 56649
| | - B R Matykiewicz
- Kansas State University, Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources, 1712 Claflin Road, Manhattan, Kansas 66506
| | - J P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705
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12
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Valenzuela-Moreno LF, Cedillo-Peláez C, Rico-Torres CP, Hernández-Rodríguez MA, Carmona-Muciño MDC, Farfán-Morales JE, Correa D, Caballero-Ortega H. Toxoplasma gondii infection in European mouflons ( Ovis musimon) and captive wild felines from Puebla, México. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2020; 13:1-6. [PMID: 32760649 PMCID: PMC7390760 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The presence of Toxoplasma gondii in zoos is cause of alert because many susceptible species kept in captivity die of clinical toxoplasmosis. Moreover, excretion of T. gondii oocysts by infected captive wild felines into the facilities could pose a risk to workers. Herbivores in wild collections can serve as sentinels of local transmission, since they get infected by the consumption of oocysts present in ground or water. Both herbivores and felids may reveal the parasite variants which are circulating in the region. We determined the seroprevalence of T. gondii in European mouflons (n = 55) and wild felines (n = 15) from a private zoological collection located in the Eastern region of México, as well as the incidence in 41 of the mouflons using ELISA. The prevalence of T. gondii in mouflons was 14.5% (n = 55) and 17.1% (n = 41) in 2011 and 19.5% in 2012. The estimated incidence was 9.8%–12.2%. In wild felines the frequency was 80%. Four sero-positive animals (two mouflons and the two oldest African lions) were euthanized. Histopathology, conventional PCR (for B1 and SeqRep529 loci) and molecular characterization were carried out. All euthanized animals were positive to T. gondii by PCR. We identified a triple infection (I + II + III) in the brain of a mouflon. In conclusion, a high infective pressure of T. gondii in the collection was found, supported by changes in its prevalence in European mouflons. A high prevalence of infection in wild felines was determined. At least four genotypes of T. gondii are present in herbivores and carnivores, and one mouflon had a mixed infection. High infective pressure of T. gondii in mouflons and wild felines of a private collection in Puebla, Mexico. Four genotypes of T. gondii are present in herbivores and carnivores. A triple infection was found in one mouflon. First prospective cross-sectional study, not using serum banks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Fernando Valenzuela-Moreno
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Colonia Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Delegación Coyoacán, C.P, 04530, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Carlos Cedillo-Peláez
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Colonia Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Delegación Coyoacán, C.P, 04530, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Claudia Patricia Rico-Torres
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Colonia Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Delegación Coyoacán, C.P, 04530, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | | | | | - José Eduardo Farfán-Morales
- Departamento de Anatomía Patológica, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Colonia Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Delegación Coyoacán, C.P, 04530, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Dolores Correa
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Colonia Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Delegación Coyoacán, C.P, 04530, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Heriberto Caballero-Ortega
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Colonia Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Delegación Coyoacán, C.P, 04530, Ciudad de México, Mexico
- Corresponding author. Insurgentes Sur 3700-C, Colonia Insurgentes-Cuicuilco, Delegación Coyoacán, C.P, 04530, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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13
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Fernández-Escobar M, Millán J, Chirife AD, Ortega-Mora LM, Calero-Bernal R. Molecular survey for cyst-forming coccidia (Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Sarcocystis spp.) in Mediterranean periurban micromammals. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:2679-2686. [PMID: 32588173 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06777-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Rodents and other micromammals constitute important reservoirs of infectious diseases; their role in the life cycle of apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, and Sarcocystis spp. still needs clarification. In the present study, we analyzed by PCR and Sanger sequencing methods the presence of specific parasite DNA within brain and heart tissues of 313 individuals of five synanthropic small mammal species (Apodemus sylvaticus, Mus spretus, M. musculus, Rattus rattus, and Crocidura russula) collected in Barcelona metropolitan area (NE Spain). In addition, PCR-RFLP and microsatellites were also used as tools for genotypic characterization of T. gondii and N. caninum, respectively. Specific DNA of T. gondii, N. caninum, and Sarcocystis spp. was detected in 0.3% (n = 1), 1.3% (n = 4), and 3.8% (n = 12) of the animals, respectively. No mixed infections were observed. Crocidura russula stood out as the main host for Sarcocystis spp. Toxoplasma gondii-specific DNA detected in a house rat was genetically characterized by PCR-RFLP, presenting type II and III alleles (SAG1 [II], SAG3 [II], GRA6 [II], c22-8 [III], Apico [III]). Also, unsuccessful DNA sequencing and microsatellite typing were attempted in N. caninum-positive samples, which suggested a lack of PCR specificity and open avenues to speculate the host competence of rodents for N. caninum. Likewise, Sarcocystis spp. identity was studied by alignment and phylogenetic analyses of cox1 and 28S rRNA sequences from the 14 positive samples. It resulted in at least three unknown organisms closely similar (95.7-100% cox1-sequence homology) to Sarcocystis pantherophisi from the Eastern rat snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) (KU891603), suggesting together with 28S rRNA sequences analyses, three Sarcocystis sp. with a life cycle conformed by rodents as intermediate host (IH) and snakes as definitive hosts (DH) infecting the periurban micromammals surveyed. Prevalence figures found in this first survey carried out in Spain agree with other international studies focused on periurban areas. Further surveys should be conducted in farms and their surroundings in order to unravel the role of wild micromammals in the epidemiology of such protozoan parasites affecting our livestock, and therefore human population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Fernández-Escobar
- SALUVET Group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Millán
- Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, Miguel Servet 177, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain.,Fundación ARAID, Avda. de Ranillas, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | - Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET Group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Calero-Bernal
- SALUVET Group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
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14
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Bier NS, Stollberg K, Mayer‐Scholl A, Johne A, Nöckler K, Richter M. Seroprevalence of
Toxoplasma gondii
in wild boar and deer in Brandenburg, Germany. Zoonoses Public Health 2020; 67:601-606. [DOI: 10.1111/zph.12702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Seyhan Bier
- Department for Biological Safety German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) Berlin Germany
| | - Kaya Stollberg
- Department for Safety in the Food Chain German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) Berlin Germany
| | - Anne Mayer‐Scholl
- Department for Biological Safety German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) Berlin Germany
| | - Annette Johne
- Department for Biological Safety German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) Berlin Germany
| | - Karsten Nöckler
- Department for Biological Safety German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) Berlin Germany
| | - Martin Richter
- Department for Biological Safety German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) Berlin Germany
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15
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Galal L, Stragier C, Boumédiène F, Hamidović A, Maugrion O, Dardé ML, Mercier A. Combining spatial analysis and host population genetics to gain insights into the mode of transmission of a pathogen: The example of Toxoplasma gondii in mice. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2020; 78:104142. [PMID: 31841702 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2019.104142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous highly prevalent zoonotic protozoan. Cats are the definitive hosts, while all other warm-blooded animals are intermediate hosts for this parasite. Commensal rodents, being the main prey of cats, are probably the major reservoir for T. gondii in the domestic environment. Rodents can acquire infection after ingestion of oocysts that have sporulated in the environment. However, experimental evidence shows that vertical transmission can be sufficient for the perpetuation of transmission between generations of mice. In natural settings, the relative epidemiological importance of vertical transmission over oral transmission is a matter of debate and raises the question of the possibility of a T. gondii cycle in the absence of cats. In the present study, we took advantage of an extensive survey of commensal rodents in Dakar, Senegal, where the house mouse is the predominant putative reservoir of T. gondii. Mice genotypes and spatial location through GPS referencing of all trapping localizations were investigated in relation to T. gondii infection in eight sites of the city of Dakar and on Goree Island. In each sampling site, the occurrence of over-prevalence zones of T. gondii infection was investigated through Kulldorf's statistic using SaTScan software. Genetic structure and relatedness between mice were investigated within each over-prevalence zone, in order to find clues of transmission between related mice. Within each of the four over-prevalence zones identified across nine sites, infected mice belonged to more than one genetic group. No association between the degree of relatedness and the occurrence of T. gondii infection could be detected. These findings suggest an environmental source of infection for mice associated with localized putative foci of environmental contamination and support an oral route of infection for mice from Dakar rather than a cycle based on vertical transmission. However, further investigations based on a denser sampling in different epidemiological contexts are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lokman Galal
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges 87025, France.
| | - Claire Stragier
- BIOPASS (IRD-CBGP, ISRA, UCAD), Campus de Bel-Air, BP 1386, CP 18524 Dakar, Senegal
| | - Farid Boumédiène
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges 87025, France
| | - Azra Hamidović
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges 87025, France
| | - Océane Maugrion
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges 87025, France
| | - Marie-Laure Dardé
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges 87025, France; Centre National de Référence Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center, CHU Limoges, 87042 Limoges, France
| | - Aurélien Mercier
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges 87025, France; Centre National de Référence Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center, CHU Limoges, 87042 Limoges, France
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16
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Seltmann A, Schares G, Aschenborn OHK, Heinrich SK, Thalwitzer S, Wachter B, Czirják GÁ. Species-specific differences in Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Besnoitia besnoiti seroprevalence in Namibian wildlife. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:7. [PMID: 31915056 PMCID: PMC6950991 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3871-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Knowledge about parasitic infections is crucial information for animal health, particularly of free-ranging species that might come into contact with livestock and humans. Methods We investigated the seroprevalence of three tissue-cyst-forming apicomplexan parasites (Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Besnoitia besnoiti) in 506 individuals of 12 wildlife species in Namibia using in-house enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (indirect ELISAs applying purified antigens) for screening and immunoblots as confirmatory tests. We included six species of the suborder Feliformia, four species of the suborder Caniformia and two species of the suborder Ruminantia. For the two species for which we had most samples and life-history information, i.e. cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus, n = 250) and leopards (Panthera pardus, n = 58), we investigated T. gondii seroprevalence in relation to age class, sex, sociality (solitary, mother-offspring group, independent sibling group, coalition group) and site (natural habitat vs farmland). Results All but one carnivore species (bat-eared fox Otocyon megalotis, n = 4) were seropositive to T. gondii, with a seroprevalence ranging from 52.4% (131/250) in cheetahs to 93.2% (55/59) in African lions (Panthera leo). We also detected antibodies to T. gondii in 10.0% (2/20) of blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus). Adult cheetahs and leopards were more likely to be seropositive to T. gondii than subadult conspecifics, whereas seroprevalence did not vary with sex, sociality and site. Furthermore, we measured antibodies to N. caninum in 15.4% (2/13) of brown hyenas (Hyaena brunnea) and 2.6% (1/39) of black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas). Antibodies to B. besnoiti were detected in 3.4% (2/59) of African lions and 20.0% (4/20) of blue wildebeest. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that Namibian wildlife species were exposed to apicomplexan parasites at different prevalences, depending on parasite and host species. In addition to serological work, molecular work is also needed to better understand the sylvatic cycle and the clear role of wildlife in the epidemiology of these parasites in southern Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Seltmann
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany. .,Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Gereon Schares
- Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Ortwin H K Aschenborn
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Sonja K Heinrich
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Bettina Wachter
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gábor Á Czirják
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
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17
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Cubas-Atienzar AI, Hide G, Smith JE. Mat Seroprevalence Infers Low Rates of Toxoplasma gondii in Domestic Pigs from Yucatan, Mexico. J Parasitol 2019. [DOI: 10.1645/18-188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Isabel Cubas-Atienzar
- Biomedical Research Center, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, U.K
| | - Geoff Hide
- Biomedical Research Center, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, U.K
| | - Judith Elisabeth Smith
- Biomedical Research Center, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, U.K
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18
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Patel KK, Burrows E, Heuer C, Asher GW, Wilson PR, Howe L. Investigation of Toxoplasma gondii and association with early pregnancy and abortion rates in New Zealand farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus). Parasitol Res 2019; 118:2065-2077. [PMID: 31187222 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06355-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This study tested for association between Toxoplasma gondii and pregnancy and abortion to investigate sub-optimal reproduction in farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus). Sera from a sub-sample (n = 2304) of pregnant and non-pregnant hinds in early gestation at first pregnancy scan (scan 1) and approximately at the end of second trimester at second pregnancy scan (scan 2) were tested for T. gondii antibodies using a validated ELISA. Foetuses and/or uteri from pregnant, non-pregnant, and aborting hinds at scan 1, scan 2, or weaning were tested for T. gondii DNA by nested PCR. At scan 1, 31.1% of 861 rising two-year-old (R2) and 28.3% of 357 mixed-aged (MA, ≥ 2 years) hinds were sero-positive. There was no association between scan 1 serology and non-pregnancy at animal (R2, p = 0.05 and MA, p = 0.43) or herd level (R2, p = 0.37). Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in 3/18 placenta and 4/18 foetal brains from aborting R2 hinds and 15/157 R2 and 3/21 MA uteri from non-pregnant hinds at scan 1. At scan 2, sero-prevalence was higher (odds ratio = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.04-2.48) in aborted (34.3% of 268) than in non-aborted (23.5% of 446) R2 hinds (p = 0.03) and 7.9% of abortions between scans were attributable to T. gondii exposure. Within-herd sero-prevalence at scan 2 was positively associated with daily abortion rate in R2 herds with aborted hinds (p < 0.001) but not in MA herds (p = 0.07). Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in 27/169 uteri, 2/20 cotyledons, and 1/5 foetal brains from aborted hinds at scan 2 and in uteri from 5/33 hinds not rearing a calf to weaning. Toxoplasma gondii RFLP genotyping of five loci revealed a unique type I/III genotype pattern, TgRDNZ1, in a foetal brain sample, not been previously reported in deer. These findings provide serological and molecular evidence that T. gondii infection is associated with abortion in red deer, possibly in all three trimesters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kandarp Khodidas Patel
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand. .,School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, South Australia, 5371, Australia.
| | - Elizabeth Burrows
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Cord Heuer
- EpiCentre, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | | | - Peter Raymond Wilson
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Laryssa Howe
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
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19
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Galal L, Hamidović A, Dardé ML, Mercier M. Diversity of Toxoplasma gondii strains at the global level and its determinants. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2019; 15:e00052. [PMID: 32095622 PMCID: PMC7033991 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2019.e00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The population structure of Toxoplasma gondii is characterized by contrasting geographic patterns of strain diversity at different spatial scales: global, regional and even local scales in some regions. The determinants of this diversity pattern and its possible evolutionary mechanisms are still largely unexplored. This review will focus on three main dichotomies observed in the population structure of the parasite: (1) domestic versus wild, (2) South America versus the rest of the world and (3) intercontinental clonal lineages versus regional or local clonal lineages. Here, the impact in terms of public health of this remarkably contrasting geographic diversity of T. gondii populations is discussed, with emphasis on the role of globalization of exchanges that could lead to rapid evolution of T. gondii population spatial structure and new challenges in a One Health context. Recombination events drive the evolution of population structure of Toxoplasma gondii. The population structure of Toxoplasma is different in wild and domestic environments. Virulence of Toxoplasma strains in reservoir hosts influences selection of local strains. Globalization of exchanges will impact the population structure of the parasite. Clinicians should be aware of more pathogenic strains imported from the wild environment or from South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Galal
- INSERM, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, UMR 1094, Institut d'Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, GEIST, 87000 Limoges, France
| | - A Hamidović
- INSERM, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, UMR 1094, Institut d'Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, GEIST, 87000 Limoges, France
| | - M L Dardé
- INSERM, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, UMR 1094, Institut d'Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, GEIST, 87000 Limoges, France.,Centre National de Référence Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center, CHU Limoges, 87042 Limoges, France
| | - M Mercier
- INSERM, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, UMR 1094, Institut d'Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, GEIST, 87000 Limoges, France.,Centre National de Référence Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center, CHU Limoges, 87042 Limoges, France
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20
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Causes of Mortality and Lesions Observed Post mortem in European Moles (Talpa europaea) in Cornwall, South-west England. J Comp Pathol 2018; 167:18-25. [PMID: 30898293 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2018.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Revised: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
European moles (Talpa europaea) are a common species in the UK, but there are few published data on the causes of mortality in these animals. An opportunistic post-mortem study was carried out on 44 moles found dead or dying in Cornwall, UK. Assessment of muscle condition and fat reserves, where possible, indicated that most (27 of 37, 73%) were in good nutritive condition. The majority had died of trauma (n = 40, 91%), the principal cause of which was predation (n = 36, 81.8%) by foxes and domestic cats and dogs. The carcases were in a variable state of preservation, but 28 cases were suitable for histopathological examination. This revealed lesions in the lungs of 92.8 % (26 of 28) of the animals. The commonest lesions comprised localized infiltration of the parenchyma by macrophages and eosinophils and in most cases the lesions were unlikely to have been of clinical significance; in two cases they were associated with infection by a parasitic nematode. One mole showed severe pneumonitis and hepatitis caused by infection with Toxoplasma gondii. Adiaspiromycosis was diagnosed in two moles, one by direct microscopical examination of the lung and one by histopathology; the lesions were not considered to be of clinical significance. Severe pleurisy and pericarditis caused by infection with Streptobacillus moniliformis was seen in a mole that had suffered bite wounds to a foot previously. Cholangitis due to infection by a protozoal parasite, provisionally identified as Cyclospora talpae, was a common histopathological finding (11 of 28, 39.3%); infection by the parasite did not appear to affect body condition adversely. Miscellaneous conditions identified were ulcerative dermatitis associated with gram-positive cocci (n = 1), extra medullary haemopoiesis in spleens (six of 12, 50%) and mineralized foci in pulmonary blood vessels (three of 28, 10.7%). No significant pathology was seen in the kidneys. This study suggests that the health status of moles in Cornwall is generally good and predation is a common cause of mortality. Pulmonary disease, associated in some cases with nematode infections, is also prevalent, but probably of little clinical significance. There is a high prevalence of cholangitis due to infection with a protozoan parasite believed to be C. talpae. Other diseases identified include adiaspiromycosis, streptobacillosis and toxoplasmosis.
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Diversity of Toxoplasma gondii strains shaped by commensal communities of small mammals. Int J Parasitol 2018; 49:267-275. [PMID: 30578812 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Commensal rodent species are key reservoirs for Toxoplasma gondii in the domestic environment. In rodents, different T. gondii strains show variable patterns of virulence according to host species. Toxoplasma gondii strains causing non-lethal chronic infections in local hosts will be more likely to persist in a given environment, but few studies have addressed the possible role of these interactions in shaping the T. gondii population structure. In addition, the absence of validated techniques for upstream detection of T. gondii chronic infection in wild rodents hinders exploration of this issue under natural conditions. In this study, we took advantage of an extensive survey of commensal small mammals in three coastal localities of Senegal, with a species assemblage constituted of both native African species and invasive species. We tested 828 individuals for T. gondii chronic infection using the modified agglutination test for antibody detection in serum samples and a quantitative PCR assay for detection of T. gondii DNA in brain samples. The infecting T. gondii strains were genotyped whenever possible by the analysis of 15 microsatellite markers. We found (i) a very poor concordance between molecular detection and serology in the invasive house mouse, (ii) significantly different levels of prevalence by species and (iii) the autochthonous T. gondii Africa 1 lineage strains, which are lethal for laboratory mice, only in the native African species of commensal small mammals. Overall, this study highlights the need to reconsider the use of MAT serology in natural populations of house mice and provides the first known data about T. gondii genetic diversity in invasive and native species of small mammals from Africa. In light of these results, we discuss the role of invasive and native species, with their variable adaptations to different T. gondii strains, in shaping the spatial structure of T. gondii genetic diversity in Africa.
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Heddergott M, Steinbach P, Pohl D, Frantz AC. First report on the sero-epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in German roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Parasite 2018; 25:52. [PMID: 30251952 PMCID: PMC6154261 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2018052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
While the roe deer (Capreolus capeolus) is the most important game species in Germany and its venison is popular, there is limited knowledge about the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in this animal population in the country, and in wild ungulates in Germany generally. Between 2013 and 2015, we collected 295 blood samples from roe deer belonging to a central German population. Sera were analysed using a modified agglutination test (MAT, cut-off 1:20), and antibodies were detected in 86 of the 295 samples (29%). Seroprevalence values differed significantly between the different age classes, with antibodies more frequently observed in adults. In contrast, seroprevalence did not differ significantly between the sexes or collection years. Venison is frequently consumed raw or undercooked and may be a potential source of human infection with T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike Heddergott
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Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle 2160
Luxembourg Luxembourg
| | - Peter Steinbach
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University of Göttingen, Faculty of Chemistry 37077
Göttingen Germany
| | - Daniel Pohl
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University of Würzburg, Department of Mathematics 97074
Würzburg Germany
| | - Alain C. Frantz
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Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle 2160
Luxembourg Luxembourg
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Tracking Toxoplasma gondii in freshwater ecosystems: interaction with the invasive American mink (Neovison vison) in Spain. Parasitol Res 2018; 117:2275-2281. [PMID: 29785616 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-5916-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Water-borne transmission may play an important role in the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii. Mammals closely related to freshwater ecosystems, such as the American mink (Neovison vison), are potentially valuable sentinels for T. gondii. To assess the importance of freshwater ecosystems in T. gondii epidemiology, sera of 678 American minks collected during the 2010 to 2015 Spanish national eradication campaigns were tested for the presence of T. gondii antibodies using the modified agglutination test (MAT, cut-off 1:25). A high prevalence of samples, 78.8% (CI95%: 75.5-81.8), were seropositive. In addition, a specific real-time PCR was performed in 120 brain samples and the parasite DNA was detected in 9.2% (CI95%: 5.2-15.7). Significant differences in seroprevalence were detected among bioregions, with the highest levels detected in coastal areas, and by age. The higher seroprevalence observed in older animals (80.0% adults versus 68.7% juveniles) confirms the importance of the horizontal transmission. These results indicate a widespread presence of T. gondii oocysts in freshwater ecosystems from Spain and further support the importance of water-borne transmission in the epidemiology of T. gondii.
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Heddergott M, Osten-Sacken N, Steinbach P, Frantz AC. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-living European mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon) hunted in central Germany. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 25:21. [PMID: 29633709 PMCID: PMC5892174 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2018020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Despite increasing consumption of mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon) meat in Germany, there is currently no surveillance of Toxoplasma gondii infection in populations of these animals and generally little knowledge about the prevalence of this protozoan in German wild ungulates. Between 2011 and 2015, we collected 138 blood samples from a free-living mouflon population in central German and tested sera for the presence of T. gondii antibodies using a modified agglutination test (MAT, cut-off 1:20). Antibodies were detected in 31 of the 138 samples (22.46%). There was a significant difference in seroprevalence between the different age classes, with antibodies to T. gondii more frequent in adults. In contrast, there was no significant difference in seroprevalence depending on sex and year of sample collection. Game meat is frequently consumed as raw or undercooked meat and may therefore represent a potential source of human infection with T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike Heddergott
- Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle, 2160 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Natalia Osten-Sacken
- Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle, 2160 Luxembourg, Luxembourg - Fondation Faune Flore, 2160 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Peter Steinbach
- University of Göttingen, Faculty of Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alain C Frantz
- Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle, 2160 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
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Deksne G, Segliņa Z, Ligere B, Kirjušina M. The Pine marten (Martes martes) and the Stone marten (Martes foina) as possible wild reservoirs of Toxoplasma gondii in the Baltic States. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2017; 9:70-74. [PMID: 31014846 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2017.05.004] [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: 09/15/2016] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an important zoonotic parasite that infects a wide spectrum of mammals. Moreover, its presence in wild carnivores is indicative of environmental contamination by the parasite. A total of 186 marten (152 pine marten; 34 stone marten) meat juice samples from Latvia and Lithuania were tested for T. gondii seroprevalence. Samples were tested for T. gondii specific antibodies by a commercial ELISA and antibodies were found in 121 (65.1%) samples. Higher prevalence (67.8%) occurred in pine martens compared to that of stone martens (52.9%). Adult pine martens had a 2.0 (95% CI 0.9-4.7) times higher odds ratio to test seropositive than juvenile Pine martens. In addition, a significant positive correlation (r=0.75; P=0.05) was observed between T. gondii seroprevalence in martens and the number of estimated Eurasian lynx as a possible definitive host within the game administrative unit. The present study suggests that the high seroprevalence of T. gondii in Pine and Stone martens could indicate a high incidence of the parasite in the intermediate and definitive host population and in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunita Deksne
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment BIOR, Riga, Latvia.
| | - Zanda Segliņa
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment BIOR, Riga, Latvia
| | - Bettija Ligere
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment BIOR, Riga, Latvia
| | - Muza Kirjušina
- Institute of Life Sciences and Technology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
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Rostami A, Riahi SM, Fakhri Y, Saber V, Hanifehpour H, Valizadeh S, Gholizadeh M, Pouya RH, Gamble HR. The global seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii among wild boars: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Vet Parasitol 2017; 244:12-20. [PMID: 28917302 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
This systematic review and meta-analysis study was performed to evaluate the worldwide seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii among wild boar. We searched PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus, EBSCOhost and Google Scholar databases for studies reporting T. gondii seroprevalence in wild boars between January 1995 and March 2017. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. We estimated the pooled seroprevalence of T. gondii in wild boars using a random-effects model, and evaluated overall seroprevalence in different geographical areas. A total of 43 articles that included 16788 wild boar from 23 countries fulfilled our eligibility criteria. Of these, 4759 wild boar had been defined T. gondii seropositive and we estimated the pooled worldwide seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in wild boars to be 23% (95% CI: 19-27%). The pooled seroprevalence in North America (32%, 20-45%; odds ratio [OR] 2.09) and Europe (26%, 21-30%; OR 1.72), was higher than Asia (13%, 5-23%). The lowest seroprevalence was estimated in South America (5%, 3-8%). An increased seropositivity was observed with elevation in geographical latitude. In subgroup analyses, the pooled seroprevalence of T. gondii was higher in wild boar older than 12 months of age (28%, 22-35%; OR 1.57) compared to those up to 12 months of age (20%, 16-25%). Our findings suggest that wild boar have an important role in human infection and the epidemiological cycle of T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Rostami
- Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran; Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Seyed Mohammad Riahi
- Faculty of Health, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Yadollah Fakhri
- Student Research Committee, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vafa Saber
- Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Hooman Hanifehpour
- Department of Biological Control and Vaccine, FDA (Food and Drug Administration), Tehran, Iran
| | - Soghra Valizadeh
- Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
| | - Majid Gholizadeh
- Department of Microbiology, Khazar University, Mahmood Abad, Iran
| | | | - H Ray Gamble
- National Academy of Sciences, 500 5th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, USA
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de Lima DCV, Santos ADS, da Silva LTR, de Melo RPB, da Silva JG, Júnior JWP, Mota RA. Occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic rabbits of Northeastern Brazil. Acta Parasitol 2016; 61:500-7. [PMID: 27447212 DOI: 10.1515/ap-2016-0066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The present study aimed to conduct a serosurvey of toxoplasmosis in domestic rabbits of Northeastern Brazil. Blood samples and tissue fragments (brain, heart and diaphragm) were collected from 150 and 54 rabbits from the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, respectively. The serum samples were subjected to serological analysis (Modified Agglutination Test - MAT) and the tissue samples were assessed by PCR and histopathological analysis. Data collected through questionnaires were subjected to analysis of risk factors. According to the MAT and the PCR results, 6.7% (10/150; CI 3.2%-11.9%) of the rabbits were positive for anti-T. gondii antibodies and 9.25% (5/54) of the tissue fragments were positive for T. gondii DNA, respectively. Lesions associated with T. gondii infection, mainly characterized by granuloma, mononuclear cell infiltrates, degeneration areas and necrosis in brain and heart, were detected in the histopathological analysis. The risk factors associated with T. gondii infection identified in the present study were homemade food (odds ratio = 39.00) and contact between cats and rabbits (odds ratio = 52.00). This is the first report of toxoplasmosis in rabbits of Northeastern Brazil. The management problems identified in the present study must be corrected to reduce the frequency of positive animals in herds of rabbits.
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Herrero L, Gracia MJ, Pérez-Arquillué C, Lázaro R, Herrera M, Herrera A, Bayarri S. Toxoplasma gondii: Pig seroprevalence, associated risk factors and viability in fresh pork meat. Vet Parasitol 2016; 224:52-59. [PMID: 27270390 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Revised: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
This study was conducted on 161 fattening pig farms located in Aragón (Northeast Spain). Serum samples from 1200 pigs were tested for antibodies against T. gondii by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Antibodies to T. gondii (≥1:20) were detected in 301 pigs (24.52%). The seroprevalence observed in the present study indicates a widespread exposure to T. gondii, as seropositive pigs were found in 96.67% of the farms studied although low pig titers were determined. Risk factors associated with T. gondii seroprevalence were presence of cats in or around the farms, presence of dogs around the facilities, low number of animals in the farms, poor hygiene and bad maintenance of the farms. Finally, it was observed that where rodent baits were used, Toxoplasma prevalence was lower. Risk management measures including control of cats and rodents on the farms, among others, could help to reduce the observed prevalence levels. By mouse bioassay, T. gondii was detected in 73.7% and isolated from 42.1% of seropositive pigs and a significant relation between the titers of pigs and the presence and viability of T. gondii in the tissues was found. The detection of T. gondii is not possible by currently practiced meat inspection. Nevertheless, the increased probability of detecting viable forms of T. gondii in tissues of pigs with titers ≥1: 80 could be used as the cutoff for discriminating higher risk animals, and could be used as an effective control tool for the industry of cured meat products. In practical terms, we propose that this value could be used as a critical limit in the HACCP system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Herrero
- Departamento de Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2-(Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - María Jesús Gracia
- Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2-(Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Consuelo Pérez-Arquillué
- Departamento de Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2-(Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Regina Lázaro
- Departamento de Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2-(Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Marta Herrera
- Departamento de Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2-(Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Antonio Herrera
- Departamento de Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2-(Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Susana Bayarri
- Departamento de Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2-(Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain.
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Schares G, Ziller M, Herrmann D, Globokar M, Pantchev N, Conraths F. Seasonality in the proportions of domestic cats shedding Toxoplasma gondii or Hammondia hammondi oocysts is associated with climatic factors. Int J Parasitol 2016; 46:263-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2015.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Revised: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Spread and genotype of Toxoplasma gondii in naturally infected alpine chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra). Parasitol Res 2016; 115:2115-20. [PMID: 26960960 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-4981-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The complex life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii involves many animal species, raising zoonotic, economic, and conservation issues. This complexity is reflected in the molecular structure of T. gondii, whose different genotypes differ in pathogenicity. Among the intermediate hosts of T. gondii, wild ungulates may be a source of human infection. Despite intense hunting activity and the consumption of raw or undercooked meat, little information is available on the spread of T. gondii and the distribution of its genotypes in these species, including the alpine chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra). Ninety-three sera and 50 brain tissues from chamois were sampled (1) to investigate the spread of T. gondii with serological and molecular analyses, and (2) to genotype the strains with a restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the SAG2 locus. The prevalence of T. gondii was low on both serological (3.2 %) and molecular (2 %) analyses, and infections were concentrated in individuals >1 year old. These findings demonstrate the sporadic presence of the protozoan in this species on consistent diagnostic tests. Horizontal transmission seems to be the main route of infection, and cats are the only definitive host in the study area. This prevalence suggests that the environment of the chamois is less contaminated with oocysts than environments close to human settlements. The SAG2 type II genotype was detected in this species for the first time. Although this genotype is predominant in human toxoplasmosis, these results suggest that the chamois is a minor source of human infection.
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Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Alpine Red Deer (Cervus elaphus): Its Spread and Effects on Fertility [corrected]. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0138472. [PMID: 26405785 PMCID: PMC4583299 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to the depth of knowledge on the pathological effects of parasitism in domestic animals, the impact of the vast majority of parasites on wildlife hosts is poorly understood and, besides, information from domestics is rarely usable to disclose the parasites' impact on free-ranging populations' dynamics. Here we use Toxoplasmosis as a study model since, until now, the infection process and the protozoan's effects in natural conditions has received little attention. We analysed 81 sera from red deer (Cervus elaphus) sampled in Italian Alps and through generalized linear models we evaluated (1) the epidemiological factors influencing T. gondii infection dynamics; (2) its impact on female fertility [corrected]. High seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was recorded in yearling (1 year-old; prevalence = 52.4%) and adult (>2 year-old; prevalence = 51.3%) red deer, while calves (<1 year-old) did not contract the infection suggesting horizontal transmission as the main route of infection. The stable prevalence between yearlings and adults and the higher serological titres of younger individuals lead to two alternative infection processes suggesting a difference between age classes or in acquiring the infection or in responding to the pathogen. No associations between T. gondii serological titres and pregnancy status was observed indicating no direct effect on the probability of being pregnant; nevertheless a relation between females' higher serological titres and lower foetal development emerged, suggesting potential effects of the parasite infection on deer reproduction. The results demonstrate high seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in free-ranging red deer and, furthermore, the effect on foetal development suggests the potential impact of the parasite on red deer fertility and thus on its population dynamics.
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Abstract
In wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) on an estate in Perthshire, central Scotland, the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii was 18/548 (3·3%). The wild rabbit could be a T. gondii reservoir and it has potential value as a sentinel of T. gondii in environmental substrates. Toxoplasma gondii was associated with female sex (P < 0·001) and with relatively heavy infections by Eimeria stiedae (P = 0·036). It was not associated with the intensity of coccidial oocysts, the severity of myxomatosis caused by the virus Myxomatosis cuniculi, the intensity of roundworm eggs, the year or season, rabbit age or distance from farm buildings. Coinfections could have been affected by gestational down regulation of type 1 T helper cells. A sudden influx or release of T. gondii oocysts might have occurred. This is the first report of T. gondii in any wild herbivore in Scotland and also the first report of lapine T. gondii as a coinfection with E. stiedae, M. cuniculi and helminths.
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Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Exposure in Semiaquatic Mammals in a Freshwater Ecosystem. J Wildl Dis 2015; 51:488-92. [DOI: 10.7589/2014-03-071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Prevalence and Genotype Identification ofToxoplasma gondiiin Wild Animals from Southwestern Spain. J Wildl Dis 2015; 51:233-8. [DOI: 10.7589/2013-09-233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Qin SY, Zhang XX, Cong W, Zhou DH, Wang JL, Yin MY, Tan QD, Zhao Q, Zhu XQ. Seroprevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic sika deer (Cervus nippon) in northeastern China. Acta Trop 2014; 140:184-7. [PMID: 25201489 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2014.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Revised: 08/21/2014] [Accepted: 08/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii, which can infect warm-blooded animals and humans. A serological survey was undertaken to examine the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with T. gondii infection in sika deer in northeastern China. 114 (13.46%, 95% CI 11.16-15.76) out of 847 serum samples were positive to T. gondii by modified agglutination test (MAT) at a 1:25 cut-off, with titers of 1:25 in 44, 1:50 in 32, 1:100 in 17, 1:500 in 11, 1:1500 or higher in 10. These samples were collected between November 2012 and October 2013 from Inner Mongolia, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces in China. However, statistically significant differences were not observed between T. gondii seroprevalence and genders or regions of sika deer in the logistic regression analysis (P>0.05) and left out of the final model. Seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in male sika deer was 14.07% (95% CI 11.14-17.01), slightly higher than that in the female (12.38%) (95% CI 8.69-16.06) and seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in Harbin, Changchun city, Jilin city and Chifeng city were 12.02% (95% CI 7.60-16.44), 15.51% (95% CI 11.52-19.50), 12.27% (95% CI 7.23-17.31) and 12.50% (95% CI 7.38-17.63), respectively. Seasons of sampling were considered as main risk factors associated with T. gondii infection, autumn (15.32%) were more than two times (OR=1.98, 95% CI=1.18-3.33, P=0.01) at risk of acquiring T. gondii infection compared to winter (8.37%). Our results indicated a widespread exposure to T. gondii among sika deer in China. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in sika deer in China.
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Prevalence ofToxoplasma gondiiin localized populations ofApodemus sylvaticusis linked to population genotype not to population location. Parasitology 2014; 142:680-90. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182014001760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYToxoplasma gondiiis a globally distributed parasite infecting humans and warm-blooded animals. Although many surveys have been conducted forT. gondiiinfection in mammals, little is known about the detailed distribution in localized natural populations. In this study, host genotype and spatial location were investigated in relation toT. gondiiinfection. Wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) were collected from 4 sampling sites within a localized peri-aquatic woodland ecosystem. Mice were genotyped using standardA. sylvaticusmicrosatellite markers andT. gondiiwas detected using 4 specific PCR-based markers: SAG1, SAG2, SAG3 and GRA6 directly from infected tissue. Of 126 wood mice collected, 44 samples were positive giving an infection rate of 34·92% (95% CI: 27·14–43·59%). Juvenile, young adults and adults were infected at a similar prevalence, respectively, 7/17 (41·18%), 27/65 (41·54%) and 10/44 (22·72%) with no significant age-prevalence effect (P = 0·23). Results of genetic analysis of the mice showed that the collection consists of 4 genetically distinct populations. There was a significant difference inT. gondiiprevalence in the different genotypically derived mouse populations (P = 0·035) but not between geographically defined populations (P = 0·29). These data point to either a host genetic/family influence on parasite infection or to parasite vertical transmission.
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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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38
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Hong SH, Lee SE, Jeong YI, Kim HC, Chong ST, Klein TA, Song JW, Gu SH, Cho SH, Lee WJ. Prevalence and molecular characterizations of Toxoplasma gondii and Babesia microti from small mammals captured in Gyeonggi and Gangwon Provinces, Republic of Korea. Vet Parasitol 2014; 205:512-7. [PMID: 25178555 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.07.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2014] [Revised: 07/28/2014] [Accepted: 07/30/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
A survey was conducted to determine the distribution and prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Babesia microti infections in small mammals captured in Gyeonggi and Gangwon Provinces, Republic of Korea (ROK). The serological prevalence of T. gondii (ELISA) and B. microti (IFAT) was 2.3% (15/667) and 2.1% (14/667), respectively. DNA extracts from small mammal heart tissues were screened by PCR for T. gondii and B. microti targeting regions of the GRA5 gene and the 18S rRNA and β-tubulin genes, respectively. Only 0.17% (1/578) of Apodemus agrarius was positive of T. gondii by PCR, while 0.52% (3/578) was positive of B. microti. All other small mammal species [Micromys minutus (16), Mus musculus (3), Myodes regulus (22), Microtus fortis (6), and Crocidura lasiura (42)] were negative for both T. gondii and B. microti. Based on sequence polymorphism and phylogenetic analysis, T. gondii closely aligned with Type I, a highly virulent strain, while B. microti positive samples closely aligned with US-type B. microti and others observed in the ROK, Russia, and Japan. These results indicate that A. agrarius is a reservoir for both T. gondii and B. microti in the ROK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Hee Hong
- Division of Malaria & Parasite Diseases, Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 187 Osongsaengmyeong2-ro, Osong-up, Cheongwon-gun, Chungbuk Province 363-951, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Eun Lee
- Division of Malaria & Parasite Diseases, Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 187 Osongsaengmyeong2-ro, Osong-up, Cheongwon-gun, Chungbuk Province 363-951, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Il Jeong
- Division of Malaria & Parasite Diseases, Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 187 Osongsaengmyeong2-ro, Osong-up, Cheongwon-gun, Chungbuk Province 363-951, Republic of Korea
| | - Heung-Chul Kim
- 5th Medical Detachment, 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15247, APO AP 96205-5247, USA
| | - Sung-Tae Chong
- 5th Medical Detachment, 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15247, APO AP 96205-5247, USA
| | - Terry A Klein
- Public Health Command Region-Pacific, Camp Zama, Japan, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit 15281, APO AP 96205-5281, USA
| | - Jin-Won Song
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 136-705, Republic of Korea
| | - Se Hun Gu
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 136-705, Republic of Korea; Pacific Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 651 Ilalo Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Shin-Hyeong Cho
- Division of Malaria & Parasite Diseases, Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 187 Osongsaengmyeong2-ro, Osong-up, Cheongwon-gun, Chungbuk Province 363-951, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Ja Lee
- Division of Malaria & Parasite Diseases, Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 187 Osongsaengmyeong2-ro, Osong-up, Cheongwon-gun, Chungbuk Province 363-951, Republic of Korea.
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Presence of Salmonella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in wild boars. Epidemiol Infect 2014; 142:2542-7. [PMID: 24512817 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268814000119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The European wild boar populations are growing and spreading to new areas, which might constitute a threat to public health, since wild boar can harbour pathogens with the potential to cause serious illness in humans. Tonsils, ileocaecal lymph nodes and faecal samples were collected from 88 Swedish wild boars and analysed for the presence of the zoonotic pathogens Salmonella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Y. pseudotuberculosis and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHEC). A combination of cultivation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was used and overall, 20% of sampled individuals tested positive for Y. enterocolitica, 20% for Y. pseudotuberculosis and 10% for Salmonella spp. A total of 41% of sampled individuals tested positive for one or more of these three pathogens. No EHEC were detected. Samples PCR-positive for Salmonella spp. were cultivated further and six isolates were obtained, belonging to Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica and subspecies diarizone. The pathogens were most commonly detected in tonsil samples.
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40
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Hůrková-Hofmannová L, Qablan MA, Juránková J, Modrý D, Piálek J. A Survey ofToxoplasma gondiiandNeospora caninumInfecting House Mice from a Hybrid Zone. J Parasitol 2014; 100:139-41. [DOI: 10.1645/13-255.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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41
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Juránková J, Hůrková-Hofmannová L, Volf J, Baláž V, Piálek J. Efficacy of magnetic capture in comparison with conventional DNA isolation in a survey of Toxoplasma gondii in wild house mice. Eur J Protistol 2013; 50:11-5. [PMID: 24280460 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2013.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2013] [Revised: 08/20/2013] [Accepted: 08/21/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite with a world-wide distribution. House mice (Mus musculus) play an important role as a reservoir host in the parasite life cycle. However, their detection in mouse brain is limited because the host potentially harbours only a few tissue cysts. In order to improve the diagnosis, we tested a novel protocol for T. gondii detection in mice and compared this technique to a standard PCR-based protocol using a commercial kit for DNA isolation. Efficacy of magnetic capture for isolation of T. gondii DNA from whole host brains was tested in brain samples of laboratory mice spiked with 1 up to 10(4) tachyzoites. Real-time PCR revealed that even 1-5 tachyzoites can be detected after magnetic capture. Also this method is suitable to quantify parasite numbers in mouse brains with more than 10 tachyzoite equivalents. To assess the two techniques in wild mice, we employed a dataset consisting of 243 individuals. The prevalence of T. gondii detected by magnetic capture and qPCR and by commercial isolation and PCR was 1.2% and 0%, respectively. The magnetic capture and quantitative PCR seems to be a highly sensitive and specific diagnostic method for both laboratory research and wild population surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Juránková
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Lada Hůrková-Hofmannová
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic; Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Volf
- Department of Bacteriology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtech Baláž
- Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1-3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Piálek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno and Studenec, Czech Republic
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42
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Species or local environment, what determines the infection of rodents by Toxoplasma gondii? Parasitology 2013; 141:259-68. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182013001522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYToxoplasmosis is largely present in rural areas but its spatial distribution in this environment remains poorly known. In particular, it is unclear if areas of high density of cats, the only hosts excreting Toxoplasma gondii, constitute foci of high prevalence. To improve our understanding of the spatial distribution of T. gondii in rural areas, we performed a serological survey in rodents from two villages in France. We trapped 710 rodents including commensal rats and meadow or forest voles and mice. The presence of T. gondii was examined using PCR, mice inoculation and modified agglutination test for antibodies (MAT). We conducted multivariate and discriminant analyses to identify biological, ecological or spatial variables that could explain T. gondii serology in rodents. We then used a logistic regression to assess the relative influence of each explanatory variable. Overall seroprevalence was 4·1%. Commensal-rats were more infected (12·5%) than non-commensal species (3·7%). However, the major determinant of the risk of infection was the distance to the nearest farm (OR = 0·75 for 100 m), which explained the risk in all species or non-commensal species only. We contrast the role of species characteristics and that of the local environment, and discuss the risk of environmental contamination for humans.
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43
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Scientific Opinion on the public health hazards to be covered by inspection of meat from farmed game. EFSA J 2013. [DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2013.3264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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44
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In Romania, exposure to Toxoplasma gondii occurs twice as often in swine raised for familial consumption as in hunted wild boar, but occurs rarely, if ever, among fattening pigs raised in confinement. Parasitol Res 2013; 112:2403-7. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-013-3353-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2012] [Accepted: 02/12/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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45
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Olamendi-Portugal M, Caballero-Ortega H, Correa D, Sánchez-Alemán MA, Cruz-Vázquez C, Medina-Esparza L, Ortega-S. JA, Cantu A, García-Vázquez Z. Serosurvey of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in white-tailed deer from Northern Mexico. Vet Parasitol 2012; 189:369-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2011] [Revised: 04/11/2012] [Accepted: 04/12/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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46
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Halová D, Mulcahy G, Rafter P, Turčeková L, Grant T, de Waal T. Toxoplasma gondiiin Ireland: Seroprevalence and Novel Molecular Detection Method in Sheep, Pigs, Deer and Chickens. Zoonoses Public Health 2012; 60:168-73. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2012.01514.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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47
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García-Bocanegra I, Cabezón O, Pabón M, Gómez-Guillamón F, Arenas A, Alcaide E, Salas-Vega R, Dubey J, Almería S. Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum antibodies in Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica hispanica). Vet J 2012; 191:257-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2010.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2010] [Revised: 11/04/2010] [Accepted: 11/13/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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48
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Cabezón O, García-Bocanegra I, Molina-López R, Marco I, Blanco JM, Höfle U, Margalida A, Bach-Raich E, Darwich L, Echeverría I, Obón E, Hernández M, Lavín S, Dubey JP, Almería S. Seropositivity and risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild birds from Spain. PLoS One 2011; 6:e29549. [PMID: 22216311 PMCID: PMC3245288 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2011] [Accepted: 11/30/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic intracellular protozoan parasite of worldwide distribution that infects many species of warm-blooded animals, including birds. To date, there is scant information about the seropositivity of T. gondii and the risk factors associated with T. gondii infection in wild bird populations. In the present study, T. gondii infection was evaluated on sera obtained from 1079 wild birds belonging to 56 species (including Falconiformes (n=610), Strigiformes (n=260), Ciconiiformes (n=156), Gruiformes (n=21), and other orders (n=32), from different areas of Spain. Antibodies to T. gondii (modified agglutination test, MAT titer ≥1:25) were found in 282 (26.1%, IC(95%:)23.5-28.7) of the 1079 birds. This study constitute the first extensive survey in wild birds species in Spain and reports for the first time T. gondii antibodies in the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), short-toed snake-eagle (Circaetus gallicus), Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus), Western marsh-harrier (Circus aeruginosus), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), long-eared owl (Asio otus), common scops owl (Otus scops), Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), white stork (Ciconia ciconia), grey heron (Ardea cinerea), common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus); in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) "vulnerable" Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti), lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) and great bustard (Otis tarda); and in the IUCN "near threatened" red kite (Milvus milvus). The highest seropositivity by species was observed in the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) (68.1%, 98 of 144). The main risk factors associated with T. gondii seropositivity in wild birds were age and diet, with the highest exposure in older animals and in carnivorous wild birds. The results showed that T. gondii infection is widespread and can be at a high level in many wild birds in Spain, most likely related to their feeding behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Cabezón
- Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinaria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
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Prevalence and co-infection of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in Apodemus sylvaticus in an area relatively free of cats. Parasitology 2011; 138:1117-23. [PMID: 21756421 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182011000904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is prevalent worldwide and can infect a remarkably wide range of hosts despite felids being the only definitive host. As cats play a major role in transmission to secondary mammalian hosts, the interaction between cats and these hosts should be a major factor determining final prevalence in the secondary host. This study investigates the prevalence of T. gondii in a natural population of Apodemus sylvaticus collected from an area with low cat density (<2·5 cats/km2). A surprisingly high prevalence of 40·78% (95% CI: 34·07%-47·79%) was observed despite this. A comparable level of prevalence was observed in a previously published study using the same approaches where a prevalence of 59% (95% CI: 50·13%-67·87%) was observed in a natural population of Mus domesticus from an area with high cat density (>500 cats/km2). Detection of infected foetuses from pregnant dams in both populations suggests that congenital transmission may enable persistence of infection in the absence of cats. The prevalences of the related parasite, Neospora caninum were found to be low in both populations (A. sylvaticus: 3·39% (95% CI: 0·12%-6·66%); M. domesticus: 3·08% (95% CI: 0·11%-6·05%)). These results suggest that cat density may have a lower than expected effect on final prevalence in these ecosystems.
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50
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Opsteegh M, Swart A, Fonville M, Dekkers L, van der Giessen J. Age-related Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in Dutch wild boar inconsistent with lifelong persistence of antibodies. PLoS One 2011; 6:e16240. [PMID: 21283764 PMCID: PMC3024411 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0016240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2010] [Accepted: 12/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an important zoonotic pathogen that is best known as a cause of abortion or abnormalities in the newborn after primary infection during pregnancy. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of T. gondii in wild boar to investigate the possible role of their meat in human infection and to get an indication of the environmental contamination with T. gondii. The presence of anti-T. gondii antibodies was determined by in-house ELISA in 509 wild boar shot in 2002/2003 and 464 wild boar shot in 2007. Most of the boar originated from the "Roerstreek" (n = 673) or the "Veluwe" (n = 241). A binormal mixture model was fitted to the log-transformed optical density values for wild boar up to 20 months old to estimate the optimal cut-off value (-0.685) and accompanying sensitivity (90.6%) and specificity (93.6%). The overall seroprevalence was estimated at 24.4% (95% CI: 21.1-27.7%). The prevalence did not show variation between sampling years or regions, indicating a stable and homogeneous infection pressure from the environment. The relation between age and seroprevalence was studied in two stages. Firstly, seroprevalence by age group was determined by fitting the binary mixture model to 200 animals per age category. The prevalence showed a steep increase until approximately 10 months of age but stabilized at approximately 35% thereafter. Secondly, we fitted the age-dependent seroprevalence data to several SIR-type models, with seropositives as infected (I) and seronegatives as either susceptible (S) or resistant (R). A model with a recovery rate (SIS) was superior to a model without a recovery rate (SI). This finding is not consistent with the traditional view of lifelong persistence of T. gondii infections. The high seroprevalence suggests that eating undercooked wild boar meat may pose a risk of infection with T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke Opsteegh
- Laboratory for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, RIVM, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
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