Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Pinnipeds under Human Care and in Wild Pinnipeds

Toxoplasma gondii infection has been reported in numerous species of marine mammals, some of them with fatal consequences. A serosurvey for T. gondii infection was conducted in pinnipeds from an oceanographic park in Portugal (n = 60); stranded pinnipeds on the Portuguese coast (n = 10); and pinnipeds captured in Lorenzensplate, Germany (n = 99). Sera from 169 pinnipeds were tested for the presence of antibodies to T. gondii by the modified agglutination test with a cut-off titre of 25. An overall seroprevalence of 8.9% (95% confidence interval: 5.1–14.2) was observed. Antibody titres of 25, 50, 100, 1600 and ≥3200 were found in five (33.3%), two (13.3%), five (33.3%), one (6.7%) and two (13.3%) animals, respectively. Pinnipeds under human care had a seroprevalence of 20.0% (12/60), in contrast to 2.8% (3/109) in wild pinnipeds (p < 0.001). General results suggest a low exposure of wild pinnipeds to T. gondii, while the seroprevalence found in pinnipeds under human care highlights the importance of carrying out further studies. This is the first serological survey of T. gondii in pinnipeds in Portugal and the first infection report in South African fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus).

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Serological evidence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in captive marine mammals in Mexico

Veterinary Parasitology ◽

10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.08.036 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 184 (2-4) ◽

pp. 321-324 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

C. Alvarado-Esquivel ◽

R. Sánchez-Okrucky ◽

J.P. Dubey

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Marine Mammals ◽

Serological Evidence ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii Infection

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Cross-sectional survey of Toxoplasma gondii infection in colony cats from urban Florence (Italy)

Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery ◽

10.1016/j.jfms.2009.09.001 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 351-354 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Francesca Mancianti ◽

Simona Nardoni ◽

Gaetano Ariti ◽

Dario Parlanti ◽

Giovanna Giuliani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Modified Agglutination Test ◽

Faecal Samples ◽

Key Species ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii Infection

Cats are the key species in the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection, even if the proportion of subjects excreting oocysts is low. The aim of the present paper was to obtain information about seroprevalence, oocyst shedding rate and presence of T gondii DNA in faeces collected from an urban population of colony cats in Florence (Tuscany). Fifty European shorthair feral cats were examined for anti- T gondii specific antibodies by a modified agglutination test (MAT), and for oocysts by microscopic examination and for faecal protozoal DNA, by means of a nested polymerase chain reaction (n-PCR) protocol. Twenty-two out of 50 serum samples (44%) were MAT positive. T gondii oocysts were not detected in any of the examined faecal samples. Eight out of 50 faecal specimens (16%) were n-PCR positive and sequencing of the bands was specific for T gondii. Detection by combination of the two methods was higher than single techniques and enhanced the detection of T gondii up to 48%. Our results suggest that the use of MAT plus PCR in faeces may be the best choice for diagnosis of feline toxoplasmosis. Further studies to ascertain the real infectivity of the copro-PCR positive subjects are required.

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Immunohistochemical and serological aspects of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Neotropical primates

Semina Ciências Agrárias ◽

10.5433/1679-0359.2017v38n3p1375 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 38 (3) ◽

pp. 1375

Author(s):

Marta Regina Grumann ◽

Zigomar Da Silva ◽

José Roberto Da Silva Filho ◽

Marcio Machado Costa ◽

Maria Isabel Botelho Vieira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Immunohistochemical Study ◽

Rio Grande ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Serological Survey ◽

Neotropical Primates ◽

Rio Grande Do Sul ◽

Indirect Hemagglutination ◽

Unknown Reason ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii Infection

Toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by the intracellular coccidian Toxoplasma gondii that infects most warm-blooded vertebrates, is widely distributed and fatal for primates, which are peculiarly susceptible for unknown reason(s). Owing to the increasing number of Neotropical mammal deaths where in T. gondii were detected in analyzed tissues, the present immunohistochemical study analyzed the distribution patterns of immunostainings related to this parasite on primates necropsied at the Laboratório de Patologia Animal of Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF), between the years of 2000 and 2014. Furthermore, a serological survey for the disease was conducted for 21 primates from the UPF Zoo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, belonging to genera Sapajus and Alouatta. In a immunohistochemical test performed using streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase, 26.53% positivity was detected in 98 primates. Immunostainings revealed that infection differed among the lung (76.92%), liver (58.33%), heart (50%), brain (42.30%), and kidney (23.07%) tissues. Serology performed through indirect hemagglutination showed reactivity in 85.7% of the animals, all belonging to Sapajus sp., while the three primates that did not show reactivity (14.3%) belonged to Alouatta sp.

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Seroprevalence and correlates of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dairy cattle in northwest China

Acta Parasitologica ◽

10.1515/ap-2015-0087 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 60 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Qi-Dong Tan ◽

Xiao-Yu Yang ◽

Ming-Yang Yin ◽

Ling-Ying Hu ◽

Si-Yuan Qin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Dairy Cattle ◽

Epidemiological Data ◽

Northwest China ◽

Gansu Province ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Modified Agglutination Test ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii Infection

AbstractPrevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and risk factors with infection were assessed in dairy cattle from Gansu Province and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (NXHAR), northwest China. In total, 1657 serum samples were collected and assayed by the modified agglutination test. The overall seroprevalence was 4.83% at a 1:100 cut-off, with titers of 1:100 in 72, 1:200 in 4, 1:400 in 4. Among the risk factors examined, no statistically significant difference was observed between T. gondii seroprevalence and regions or age of dairy cattle in the logistic regression analysis (P>0.05) and left out of the final model. However, numbers of pregnancies of dairy cattle was considered as main risk factor associated with T. gondii infection. Dairy cattle in nulliparity group (8.89%) had 6 times (OR=6.31, 95% CI, 2.69-14.83, P<0.001) higher risk of being seropositive compared to dairy cattle in 3 or above 3 pregnancies group (1.52%), followed by 1 pregnancy group (4.27%) had nearly 3 times (OR=2.89, 95% CI, 1.11-7.52, P = 0.03) higher risk of being seropositive compared to dairy cattle in 3 or above 3 pregnancies group, although no statistical difference was found between 2 pregnancies group and 3 or above 3 pregnancies group (P = 0.70). The results of this survey indicated the presence of T. gondii infection in dairy cattle in Gansu Province and NXHAR, which enriches the epidemiological data of T. gondii infection in dairy cattle in China, and is helpful to strengthen prevention and control of T. gondii infection in dairy cattle in these two regions.

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A serological survey of Toxoplasma gondii infection in zoo animals and other animals.

The Japanese Journal of Veterinary Science ◽

10.1292/jvms1939.51.935 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 51 (5) ◽

pp. 935-940 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Koichi MURATA

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Serological Survey ◽

Zoo Animals ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii Infection

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SURVEI SEROLOGIS TOXOPLASMOSIS PADA TERNAK SAPI DI KABUPATEN PRINGSEWU MENGGUNAKAN METODE TOXOPLASMA MODIFIED AGGLUTINATION TEST (To-MAT)

JURNAL ILMIAH PETERNAKAN TERPADU ◽

10.23960/jipt.v7i3.p270-275 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 270

Author(s):

Galang B. ◽

Emantis R. ◽

Gina Dania P. ◽

Endah S.

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Agglutination Test ◽

Test Method ◽

Cattle Population ◽

Modified Agglutination Test ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii Infection

The cattle population in Lampung Province has a relatively high number when compared to several other provinces. Pringsewu is one of the districts in Lampung Province having the supplier potential of beef in Lampung. The higher the population and production, could cause a potential infection of toxoplasmosis to livestock and human. So far the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in Pringsewu District. This study was conducted to determine the level of toxoplasmosis infection in cattle in Pringsewu district. This study used the To-MAT (Toxoplasma Modified Agglutination Test) method to test Toxoplasma gondii infection in blood of cows samples. The result of the study found that at a chronic level there were 23/24 cows positively infected with T.gondii. Whereas in acute level there are 8/24 cows positively infected with T. gondii. In general, the prevalence of toxoplasmosis is 95.8%. Keywords : Toxoplasmosis, Cow, To-MAT (Toxoplasma Modified Agglutination Test) method, Infection

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First report on seroprevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in sheep and goats in North Lebanon

The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries ◽

10.3855/jidc.11425 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (09) ◽

pp. 831-836 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Dima El Safadi ◽

Dany Abi Chahine ◽

Alissar Al Tarraf ◽

Omar Raii ◽

Karim Mesto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Immunoglobulin G ◽

Agglutination Test ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Transplacental Transmission ◽

Igg Antibodies ◽

Modified Agglutination Test ◽

Toxoplasma Gondii 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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