Prevalence and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Meat Animals and Meat Products Destined for Human Consumption†

2015 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 457-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
MIAO GUO ◽  
JITENDER P. DUBEY ◽  
DOLORES HILL ◽  
ROBERT L. BUCHANAN ◽  
H. RAY GAMBLE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
The United States ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Quantitative Risk Assessment ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Feed Water ◽  
Farm Type ◽  
Undercooked Meat

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that is responsible for approximately 24% of all estimated deaths attributed to foodborne pathogens in the United States. Human infection results from accidental ingestion of oocysts from the environment, in water, or on insufficiently washed produce or from consumption of raw or undercooked meat products that contain T. gondii tissue cysts. This review focused on studies of T. gondii in meat because many human T. gondii infections are acquired through consumption of raw or undercooked meat. Prevalence of T. gondii is higher in conventionally reared pigs, sheep, and poultry than in cattle and is greater in meat products from organic than from conventionally reared meat animals because of outdoor access, which poses substantially greater opportunities for exposure to infected rodents, wildlife, and oocyst-contaminated feed, water, or environmental surfaces. Risk factors related to T. gondii exposure for livestock include farm type, feed source, presence of cats, methods of rodent and bird control, methods of carcass handling, and water quality. This review serves as a useful resource and information repository for informing quantitative risk assessment studies for T. gondii infection in humans through meat consumption.

scholarly journals Toxoplasma gondii in sheep and goat livers: Risks for human consumption

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 1387 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. BAHRAMI ◽  
M. ZAREI ◽  
M. GHORBANPOUR ◽  
S. KARAMI
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Zoonotic Diseases ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Sheep And Goats ◽  
Baseline Information ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Undercooked Meat

Toxoplasmosis is one of the most important zoonotic diseases worldwide and is caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. Besides vertical transmission during pregnancy, humans can become infected post-natally either by oral uptake of sporulated Toxoplasma oocysts or through ingestion of tissue cysts upon consumption of raw or undercooked meat. The aim of this study was to approximate the risk of human infection via liver consumption by estimating the seroprevalence and molecular prevalence of T. gondii in slaughtered sheep and goats in Iran. In the present study, livers from 150 sheep and 150 goats were collected at slaughter. In- house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed in T. gondii liver juice. Parasite-specific polymerase chain reaction was carried out on all samples obtained from liver tissues. Antibodies against T. gondii were detected by in-house ELISA in 32.6% sheep and 48% goat livers and 8% and 11.3% of sheep and goat livers were positive for the presence of T. gondii DNA, respectively. The results of this study provide baseline information on the presence of T. gondii in sheep and goats livers and imply an important human health and hygienic risk associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked liver from these animal species.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and associated risk factors in domestic pigs raised from Cuba

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julio César Castillo-Cuenca ◽  
Álvaro Martínez-Moreno ◽  
José Manuel Diaz-Cao ◽  
Angel Entrena-García ◽  
Jorge Fraga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Weaning Pigs ◽  
Associated Risk Factors

AbstractA cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and associated risk factors in pigs in the largest pork-producing region in Cuba. Serum samples from 420 pigs, including 210 sows and 210 post-weaning pigs, were tested for antibodies against T. gondii using a commercial indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Anti-T. gondii antibodies were detected in 56 animals (13.3%, 95% CI: 10.1–16.6). A generalized estimating equations model revealed that the risk factors associated with higher seropositivity in pigs were altitude (higher in farm’s location < 250 m above sea level (masl) versus ≥ 250 masl) and age (higher in sows compared to post-weaning pigs). The results indicated that this protozoan parasite is widely distributed on pig farms in the study area, which is a public health concern since the consumption of raw or undercooked pork meat products containing tissue cysts is considered one of the main routes of T. gondii transmission worldwide. Control measures should be implemented to reduce the risk of exposure to T. gondii in pigs in Cuba.

scholarly journals Prevalence and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in certified and non-certified pig breeding farms in the Toledo microregion, PR, Brazil

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 152-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piassa Franciele Rossandra ◽  
Jacqueline Baptista de Araújo ◽  
Ronaldo César da Rosa ◽  
Rodrigo José Mattei ◽  
Rodrigo Costa da Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Rodent Control ◽  
Reproductive Disorders ◽  
Toxoplasma Infection ◽  
Pork Products ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii Infection ◽  
Breeding Farms

Toxoplasma gondii infection has been diagnosed in pigs all over the world. Economical losses are generally related to reproductive disorders. Toxoplasma infection is also a matter of public health because tissue cysts of the parasite may remain in pork and pork products, and become sources of human infection. The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency and risk factors associated with Toxoplasma infection in certified and non-certified pig breeding farms in the Toledo microregion, in the State of Paraná, Brazil which includes the cities of Toledo, Nova Santa Rosa, Sao José das Palmeiras and Sao Pedro do Iguaçu. Relative frequency of infection was 13.4%, independently of the type of farm. Logistic regression analysis showed that the following factors were associated with infection: absence of workers exclusive for each area of the farm, access of other animals to feeders and drinkers, lack of lids in drinkers, lack of rodent control measures, mean piglet number and weight at weaning per female.

scholarly journals A quantitative risk assessment for the occurrence of campylobacter in chickens at the point of slaughter

2001 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. HARTNETT ◽  
L. KELLY ◽  
D. NEWELL ◽  
M. WOOLDRIDGE ◽  
G. GETTINBY
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Chicken Meat ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Quantitative Risk Assessment ◽  
Risk Assessment Model ◽  
Poultry Flock

A quantitative risk assessment model investigating the risk of human infection with campylobacter from the consumption of chicken meat/products is currently being formulated. Here such an approach is used to evaluate the probability that a random bird, selected at slaughter from Great Britain's national poultry flock, will be campylobacter-positive. This is determined from the probability that a flock chosen at random contains at least one colonized bird and the within-flock prevalence of such a flock at slaughter. The model indicates that the probability bird chosen at random being campylobacter-positive at slaughter is 0·53. This probability value has associated uncertainty, the 5th percentile being 0·51 and the 95th percentile 0·55. The model predicts that delaying the age at first exposure to campylobacter can have a significant impact on reducing the probability of a bird being campylobacter-positive at slaughter. However, implementation of current biosecurity methods makes this difficult to achieve.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Hawassa University comprehensive specialized and Yirgalem General Hospitals, in Southern Ethiopia

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Demissie Assegu Fenta
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Intrauterine Death ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Unpasteurized Milk ◽  
Antenatal Clinics ◽  
Undercooked Meat

Abstract Background Toxoplasmosis is caused by infection with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. It is acquired by consumption of raw or undercooked meat containing tissue cyst, food or water contaminated with oocyst and congenital infection through the placenta leading to serious congenital abnormalities in the fetus like miscarriage, stillbirth, intrauterine death and neurologic defects. Therefore; this study was aimed to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis infection and its possible risk factors associated with pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Hawassa and Yiregalem Hospitals, Southern Ethiopia. Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2016 to May 2017. The study was done in antenatal care clinics of Hawassa and Yiregalem Hospitals in Southern, Ethiopia. Five hundred pregnant women were interviewed with a pretested structured questionnaire to collect risk factors and socio-demographic data. Blood samples were collected and serum was separated and tested for anti- Toxoplasma gondii antibodies using ELISA (Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 statistical software. The risk factors were tested for significance using Bivariate and multivariate analysis. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The weighted prevalence of this study was 81.8% for the anti- Toxoplasma gondii antibody. Almost all participants (99.6%) had no information about the disease. A significant association was observed between seroprevalence and contact with domestic cats (OR = 1.206, 95% CI (1.627–2.206, P = 0.043), consumption of raw meat (OR = 0.848, 95% CI: 1.517–2.941, P = 0.019) and unpasteurized milk (OR = 0.871, 95% CI 1.531–2.221, P = 0.032). A significant association was not observed between seroprevalence and age, history of abortion, and blood transfusion. Conclusions The findings of this study demonstrated a relatively higher prevalence of seropositivity than studies reported from other countries. Existence of domestic cats at home, consumption of undercooked meat and unpasteurized milk were identified as risk factors for T. gondii infection. Therefore, a health education program to increase the mother’s knowledge about toxoplasmosis towards avoiding eating undercooked meat, contact with cats and consumption of unpasteurized milk during pregnancy is recommended. Furthermore, our results suggested that the implementation of newborn screening and follow-up testing can lead to reducing of toxoplasmosis associated complications.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-living European mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon) hunted in central Germany

Parasite ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Heddergott ◽  
Natalia Osten-Sacken ◽  
Peter Steinbach ◽  
Alain C. Frantz
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Wild Ungulates ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Age Classes ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Modified Agglutination Test ◽  
Potential Source ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Undercooked Meat

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.

scholarly journals Prevalence, molecular characterization and antimicrobial profiles of Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli O157 isolated from ruminants slaughtered in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dawood Al-Ajmi ◽  
Shafeeq Rahman ◽  
Sharmila Banu
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Shiga Toxin ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
Immunomagnetic Separation ◽  
Latex Agglutination ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Sheep And Goats ◽  
E Coli

Abstract Background: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are associated with major food illness around the world. E.coli O157, has been widely reported as the most common STEC serogroup, and has emerged as an important enteric pathogen. Further, cattle have been identified as a major E. coli O157:H7 reservoir for human infection; however, the ecology of this organism in camels, sheep and goats is less understood. The current study aims to evaluate the prevalence of E. coli serotype O157 in feces of cattle, camels, sheep and goats slaughtered in United Arab Emirates (UAE) for meat consumption. This study was carried out on fecal samples of healthy cattle (n = 137), camels (n = 140), sheep (n = 141) and goats (n = 150) during the period of September 2017 to August 2018. We have used the traditional sensitive immunomagnetic separation technique (IMS) coupled with a culture plating method for detection of E. coli O157. Non-sorbitol fermenting colonies were assessed via the latex agglutination test and the positive cultures were subjected to PCR for detection of attaching and effacing genes (eaeA), hemolysin A (hlyA) and Shiga toxin-producing genes (stx1 and stx2) and genes specific for E. coli O157:H7 (rfb O157, uid A and flic H7). All E. coli O157 isolates were analyzed for their susceptibility pattern toward 20 select antibiotics.Results: E. coli O157 was present in the fecal samples of goats, camels and cattle at 2%, 3.3%, and 1.6%, respectively. In sheep we failed to detect any E. coli O157 strains. The most prevalent E.coli O157 gene identified across all species’ isolates was stx2, while stx1 was not detected in any of the samples. ­After testing samples from camels, goats and cattle, Cefotaxime (100%), Chloramphenicol (100%), Ciprofloxacin (100%), Norfloxacin (100%) and Polymixin B (100%) showed susceptibility showed susceptibility to all E.coli O157 isolates.Conclusion: This is the first study, to our knowledge, to report on the prevalence of E. coli O157 in the slaughter animals in UAE and clearly demonstrates the presence of these pathogens in slaughtered animals, which could possibly contaminate the meat products intended for human consumption.

Toxoplasmosis

2010 ◽  
pp. 1090-1097
Author(s):  
Oliver Liesenfeld ◽  
Eskild Petersen
Keyword(s):  
Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Worldwide Distribution ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Undercooked Meat

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite with worldwide distribution that infects up to one-third of the world’s population. Human infection is acquired through ingestion in water or food of oocysts shed by cats, or by ingestion of bradyzoites released from cysts contained in uncooked or undercooked meat (e.g. sheep, swine, cattle). Following invasion in the intestine, tachyzoites rapidly disseminate throughout the host. Immune mechanisms mediate the formation of cysts, primarily in the brain, eye, and skeletal and heart muscles, where they persist for the life of the host. Presence of infection may be established by direct detection of the parasite in clinical samples (often by polymerase chain reaction, PCR) or by serological techniques....

Toxoplasmosis

2020 ◽  
pp. 1416-1424
Author(s):  
Oliver Liesenfeld ◽  
Eskild Petersen
Keyword(s):  
Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Worldwide Distribution ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Undercooked Meat

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite with worldwide distribution that infects up to one-third of the world’s population. Human infection is acquired through ingestion in water or food of oocysts shed by cats, or by ingestion of bradyzoites released from cysts contained in uncooked or undercooked meat (e.g. sheep, swine, cattle). Following invasion in the intestine, tachyzoites rapidly disseminate throughout the host. Immune mechanisms mediate the formation of cysts, primarily in the brain, eye, and skeletal and heart muscles, where they persist for the life of the host. Presence of infection can be established by direct detection of the parasite in clinical samples (often by polymerase chain reaction) or by serological techniques.

Qualitative Assessment for Toxoplasma gondii Exposure Risk Associated with Meat Products in the United States

2015 ◽  
Vol 78 (12) ◽  
pp. 2207-2219 ◽  
Author(s):  
MIAO GUO ◽  
ROBERT L. BUCHANAN ◽  
JITENDER P. DUBEY ◽  
DOLORES E. HILL ◽  
ELISABETTA LAMBERTINI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
The United States ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Severe Illness ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Exposure Risk ◽  
Hot Air ◽  
Exposure Risks

Toxoplasma gondii is a global protozoan parasite capable of infecting most warm-blooded animals. Although healthy adult humans generally have no symptoms, severe illness does occur in certain groups, including congenitally infected fetuses and newborns, immunocompromised individuals including transplant patients. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that consumption of raw or undercooked meat products is one of the major sources of infection with T. gondii. The goal of this study was to develop a framework to qualitatively estimate the exposure risk to T. gondii from various meat products consumed in the United States. Risk estimates of various meats were analyzed by a farm-to-retail qualitative assessment that included evaluation of farm, abattoir, storage and transportation, meat processing, packaging, and retail modules. It was found that exposure risks associated with meats from free-range chickens, nonconfinement-raised pigs, goats, and lamb are higher than those from confinement-raised pigs, cattle, and caged chickens. For fresh meat products, risk at the retail level was similar to that at the farm level unless meats had been frozen or moisture enhanced. Our results showed that meat processing, such as salting, freezing, commercial hot air drying, long fermentation times, hot smoking, and cooking, are able to reduce T. gondii levels in meat products. whereas nitrite and/or nitrate, spice, low pH, and cold storage have no effect on the viability of T. gondii tissue cysts. Raw-fermented sausage, cured raw meat, meat that is not hot-air dried, and fresh processed meat were associated with higher exposure risks compared with cooked meat and frozen meat. This study provides a reference for meat management control programs to determine critical control points and serves as the foundation for future quantitative risk assessments.

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