Prevalence of Antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, Sarcocystis neurona, Besnoitia darlingi, and Neospora caninum in North American Opossums, Didelphis virginiana, from Southern Louisiana

A 3.5-year-old, castrated male, giant schnauzer was presented with alopecic pustular dermatitis. Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia had been diagnosed 45 days previously. At the time of presentation, the dog was receiving prednisone, azathioprine, and cyclosporine. Cutaneous protozoosis was diagnosed, and postmortem examination revealed protozoa within cutaneous, cardiac, pancreatic, and pulmonary tissues. The protozoa divided by endodyogeny, had the morphology of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) tachyzoites, and stained positively with T. gondii polyclonal antibodies but not with antibodies to Neospora caninum or Sarcocystis neurona. Immunosuppression may have predisposed this dog to disseminated toxoplasmosis.

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Exposure of free-living jaguars to Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Sarcocystis neurona in the Brazilian Pantanal

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ◽

10.1590/s1984-29612014077 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 547-553 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Selma Samiko Miyazaki Onuma ◽

Andréia Lima Tomé Melo ◽

Daniel Luis Zanella Kantek ◽

Peter Gransden Crawshaw-Junior ◽

Ronaldo Gonçalves Morato ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Neospora Caninum ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Free Living ◽

Sarcocystis Neurona ◽

Mato Grosso ◽

Apicomplexan Parasites ◽

Wide Range ◽

Coccidian Parasites ◽

Brazilian Pantanal

Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Sarcocystis neurona are related apicomplexan parasites that cause reproductive and neurological disorders in a wide range of domestic and wild animals. In the present study, the immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) was used to investigate the presence of antibodies against T. gondii, N. caninum and S. neurona in the sera of 11 free-living jaguars (Panthera onca) in two protected areas in the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Ten jaguars (90.9%) showed seropositivity for T. gondii, eight (72.7%) for S. neurona, and seven (63.6%) for N. caninum antigens. Our findings reveal exposure of jaguars to these related coccidian parasites and circulation of these pathogens in this wild ecosystem. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first serological detection of N. caninum and S. neurona in free-living jaguars.

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Prevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona, Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in horses from Argentina

Veterinary Parasitology ◽

10.1016/s0304-4017(99)00127-2 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 86 (1) ◽

pp. 59-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 62

Author(s):

J.P. Dubey ◽

M.C. Venturini ◽

L. Venturini ◽

J. McKinney ◽

M. Pecoraro

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Neospora Caninum ◽

Sarcocystis Neurona

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Serosurvey for Leishmania spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma cruzi and Neospora caninum in neighborhood dogs in Curitiba-Paraná, Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ◽

10.1590/s1984-29612016062 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 504-510 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Caroline Constantino ◽

Maysa Pellizzaro ◽

Edson Ferraz Evaristo de Paula ◽

Thállitha Samih Wischral Jayme Vieira ◽

Ana Pérola Drulla Brandão ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Trypanosoma Cruzi ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Neospora Caninum ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Human Movement ◽

Human Movements ◽

Public Areas ◽

Leishmania Spp ◽

Protozoan Infections

Abstract Neighborhood dogs may act as reservoirs for several zoonotic protozoan infections, particularly in urban areas, thus constituting a potential public health threat. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the exposure of neighborhood dogs to four protozoan pathogens in public areas with high levels of human movement in Curitiba, southern Brazil. Blood samples from 26 neighborhood dogs were screened by means of the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for Leishmania spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma cruzi and Neospora caninum, and a questionnaire was answered by the respective keeper. A total of 8/26 dogs (30.7%) seroreactive to T. gondii, 3/26 (11.5%) to N. caninum and 2/26 (7.7%) to both were identified. All the samples were seronegative for T. cruzi and Leishmania spp. Pathogen seroreactivity was not associated with the daily human movements or other epidemiological variables investigated (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the low seroprevalence for T. gondii and N. caninum indicated low environmental and food risk for animal infection and the seronegativity for Leishmania spp. and T. cruzi may reflect the absence of these pathogens in urban areas of Curitiba. Moreover, neighborhood dogs may be used as environmental sentinels for the presence of protozoan pathogens and their vectors.

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