Comparison of the modified agglutination test and real-time PCR for detection of Toxoplasma gondii exposure in feral cats from Phillip Island, Australia, and risk factors associated with infection

Introduction: Toxoplasmosis is of dual importance in both public and veterinary health due to the respective risk of transplacental transmission in primo-infected pregnant women and economic losses caused by abortions in mammals. One of the main routes of Toxoplasma gondii transmission to humans is the consumption of raw or undercooked meats containing parasitic cysts. Here, we performed the first epidemiological study to determine the seroprevalence and the risk factors of toxoplasmosis in livestock in Lebanon. Methodology: Using a modified agglutination test with a cut-off of 1:40, we tested the positivity rate of Immunoglobulin G antibodies in the sera of 100 sheep and 80 goats collected from 18 different livestock farms located in North Lebanon between March and June 2018. Results: Anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies were detected in 42% of sheep and 34% of goats. Adults (> 1 year) were significantly more infected by T. gondii than the lambs (< 1 year) in both species (p < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings indicated that food animals are highly exposed to T. gondii in Lebanon and could be potentially a major risk factor of T. gondii infection to humans. Consequently, national prophylactic strategies should be implemented to control and to prevent T. gondii transmission between animals and humans.

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A comparison of real-time PCR and reverse line blot hybridization in detecting feline haemoplasmas of domestic cats and an analysis of risk factors associated with haemoplasma infections

BMC Veterinary Research ◽

10.1186/1746-6148-8-103 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 103 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Karla Georges ◽

Chuckwudozi Ezeokoli ◽

Tennille Auguste ◽

Nisshi Seepersad ◽

Akua Pottinger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Real Time ◽

Real Time Pcr ◽

Blot Hybridization ◽

Reverse Line Blot ◽

Domestic Cats ◽

Factors Associated

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Toxoplasma gondii and pre-treatment protocols for polymerase chain reaction analysis of milk samples: a field trial in sheep from Southern Italy

Italian Journal of Food Safety ◽

10.4081/ijfs.2017.6501 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alice Vismarra ◽

Elena Barilli ◽

Maura Miceli ◽

Carlo Mangia ◽

Cristina Bacci ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Real Time ◽

Dna Extraction ◽

Real Time Pcr ◽

Southern Italy ◽

Raw Milk ◽

Type I ◽

Treatment Protocols ◽

Milk Samples ◽

Pre Treatment

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. Ingestion of raw milk has been suggested as a risk for transmission to humans. Here the authors evaluated pre-treatment protocols for DNA extraction on T. gondii tachyzoite-spiked sheep milk with the aim of identifying the method that resulted in the most rapid and reliable PCR positivity. This protocol was then used to analyze milk samples form sheep from three different farms in southern Italy, including Real Time PCR for DNA quantification and PCR-RFLP for genotyping. The pre-treatment protocol using EDTA and Tris-HCl to remove casein gave the best results in the least amount of time compared to the others on spiked milk samples. One sample of 21 collected from sheep farms was positive on one-step PCR, Real Time PCR and resulted in a Type I genotype at one locus (SAG3). Milk usually contains a low number of tachyzoites and this could be a limiting factor for molecular identification. Our preliminary data has evaluated a rapid, cost-effective and sensitive protocol to treat milk before DNA extraction. The results of the present study also confirm the possibility of T. gondii transmission through consumption of raw milk and its unpasteurized derivatives.

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QUANTIFICAZIONE MEDIANTE REAL-TIME PCR DI GENI DI TOXOPLASMA GONDII IN PAZIENTI AIDS CON ENCEFALITE TOXOPLASMICA (ET) RIATTIVATA

Microbiologia Medica ◽

10.4081/mm.2004.3769 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

Author(s):

S. Seraceni ◽

N. Eudes ◽

F. Peyron ◽

M. Giuliodori ◽

D. Marchetti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Real Time ◽

Real Time Pcr

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Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in a free-ranging giant anteater

Ciência Rural ◽

10.1590/0103-8478cr20161127 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 47 (8) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Thais Oliveira Morgado ◽

Francielle Cristina Kagueyama ◽

Janaina Marcela Assunção Rosa ◽

Melissa Debesa Belizário ◽

Richard de Campos Pacheco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Agglutination Test ◽

Zoonotic Infection ◽

Chronic Infections ◽

Chain Reaction ◽

Positive Serology ◽

Modified Agglutination Test ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

Free Ranging ◽

First Time

ABSTRACT: Toxoplasmosis is caused by Toxoplasma gondii, an obligatory intracellular protozoan, which establishes acute and chronic infections in birds and mammals, including humans. This note reports, for the first time, the detection and sequencing of DNA from T. gondii in the peripheral blood of a young free range giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla). For the diagnosis, the following methods were used: polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and positive serology (1:800) by means of the modified agglutination test (MAT). Since this species may be consumed by humans and predated by wild felids, its importance is emphasized as a probable source of zoonotic infection, in addition to its possible participation in the infection enzootic cycle. Although, parasitemia has been confirmed in this specimen, it presented no clinical sign of infection.

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Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Encephalitozoon cuniculi among domestic rabbits in central China

Parasite ◽

10.1051/parasite/2018010 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 25 ◽

pp. 9 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Shuai Wang ◽

Zhijun Yao ◽

Lingjuan Li ◽

Yaoqian Pan ◽

Pengju Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Central China ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Meat Production ◽

Health Issues ◽

Encephalitozoon Cuniculi ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Modified Agglutination Test ◽

Domestic Rabbits

Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are frequently reared for meat production in China. The aim of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Encephalitozoon cuniculi, and risk factors of infection in domestic rabbits raised in Henan province, central China. 1,213 serum samples of domestic rabbits were collected and tested for anti-T. gondii and anti-E. cuniculi antibodies using a modified agglutination test (MAT) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The serum positive rates of T. gondii and E. cuniculi were 128/1,213 (10.55%) and 235/1,213 (19.37%), respectively. Co-infection of T. gondii and E. cuniculi was demonstrated in 84 specimens; 44 rabbits were seropositive for T. gondii alone, while 151 rabbits were seropositive for E. cuniculi alone. The main risk factors simultaneously associated with T. gondii and E. cuniculi infection were the age of the rabbit, the type of food, and the rabbit rearing system. Serum positive rates of T. gondii and E. cuniculi among domestic rabbits were high, indicating the possibility of public health issues.

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Variation in Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence: effects of site, sex, species and behaviour between insular and mainland macropods

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr19041 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 47 (8) ◽

pp. 540 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Patrick L. Taggart ◽

Bronwyn A. Fancourt ◽

David Peacock ◽

Charles G. B. Caraguel ◽

Milton M. McAllister

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Wildlife Conservation ◽

Road Mortality ◽

High Seroprevalence ◽

Feral Cats ◽

Macropus Eugenii ◽

Modified Agglutination Test ◽

Latent Disease ◽

Multiple Species ◽

Indirect Impacts

Context Feral cats threaten wildlife conservation through a range of direct and indirect effects. However, most studies that have evaluated the impacts of feral cats on species of conservation significance have focussed on direct impacts such as predation; few studies have considered the indirect impacts of cat-borne disease. Toxoplasma gondii, a cat-borne parasite, causes both acute and latent disease in a range of wildlife species, and macropods are particularly susceptible. Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third largest island and supports a high density of feral cats and high seroprevalence of T. gondii in multiple species, relative to the mainland. This suggests that Kangaroo Island has a high environmental contamination with the parasite and a high risk of infection for other species. Aims We aimed to describe T. gondii seroprevalence in culled and road-killed macropods, so as to assess the effects of island versus mainland location, sex, species and behaviour. Methods Macropod sera were tested for T. gondii IgG antibodies using a commercially available modified agglutination test. Key results The seroprevalence of T. gondii in culled western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) was significantly higher on the island (20%, 11/54 positive) than on the mainland (0%, 0/61 positive). There was no difference in T. gondii seroprevalence between culled and road-killed (21%, 21/102 positive) kangaroos from the island. The seroprevalence of T. gondii was significantly higher in female (32%, 12/38 positive) than in male (13%, 8/60 positive) kangaroos, but we observed no sex effect in tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii), and no effect of species. Conclusions The higher T. gondii seroprevalence in insular macropods supports previous reports of higher T. gondii exposure in other Kangaroo Island fauna. The lack of difference in T. gondii seroprevalence between culled and road-killed kangaroos suggests that T. gondii-positive animals are not more vulnerable to road mortality, in contrast to that suggested previously. Implications Our findings suggest greater potential adverse conservation impacts owing to toxoplasmosis on the island than on the mainland. In light of a recent study demonstrating higher cat abundance on the island than on the mainland, the higher observed T. gondii seroprevalence in insular macropods is likely to be a consequence of higher cat density.

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Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum seropositivity in buffaloes in Paraiba State, Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ◽

10.1590/s1984-29612015066 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 459-463 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Arthur Willian de Lima Brasil ◽

Roberta Nunes Parentoni ◽

Thais Ferreira Feitosa ◽

Camila de Sousa Bezerra ◽

Vinicius Longo Ribeiro Vilela ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Odds Ratio ◽

Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test ◽

Neospora Caninum ◽

Fluorescent Antibody ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Management Systems ◽

Intensive Management ◽

Factors Associated

Abstract The aims of this survey were to determine the frequency of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora caninum antibodies and to identify the risk factors associated with seropositivity among buffaloes in the state of Paraíba, Brazil. This survey included 136 buffaloes belonging to 14 herds. To detect anti-T. gondii and anti-N. caninum antibodies, the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) was used. Among the 136 samples analyzed, 17 (12.5%) were positive for anti-T. gondii antibodies with titers ranging from 64 to 1,024, and 26 (19.1%) for anti-N. caninum with titers from 200 to 1,600. Animals seropositive for both T. gondii and N. caninum were found in 10 of the 14 herds (71.4%). Semi-intensive management systems (odds ratio = 2.99) and presence of pigs (odds ratio = 4.33) were identified as risk factors for T. gondii and N. caninum, respectively. It can be suggested that T. gondii and N. caninum are widespread in buffaloes in Paraíba, and that additional surveys are needed in order to ascertain the importance of these agents for this species and for pigs, and the influence of the farming type on occurrences of seropositive animals.

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