Effect of domestic freezing on the viability of Toxoplasma gondii in raw and dry-cured ham from experimentally infected pigs

Toxoplasma gondii is the causative agent of the parasitic disease toxoplasmosis, which is an important food borne zoonosis. Eating undercooked meat of infected animals has been considered the major transmission route of T. gondii to humans. The present study evaluates the efficacy of domestic freezing on the inactivation of T. gondii bradyzoites in raw and dry-cured ham. Meat (raw and dry-cured ham) of a pig experimentally orally inoculated with 4,000 oocysts of T. gondii VEG strain was subjected to domestic freezing of -20 ºC at different days. The effect was evaluated by bioassay in mice followed by qPCR. In raw ham and dry-cured ham, temperature of -20 ºC for 7 and 14 days respectively did not inactivate T. gondii . More studies are needed to find the right temperature and time needed to render the bradyzoites non-infectious for human. Meanwhile, the recommendations of freezing to inactivate T. gondii in raw or dry-cured meats must be revisited considered that it does not reduce the risk of infection.

Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Giardia duodenalis Assemblage D of Dogs in Egypt, and Its Zoonotic Implication

Background, Methods: To elucidate the prevalence and molecular characterization of Giardia infection in dogs, a cross-sectional study was performed on stray and housed dogs from different localities of Egypt. Results: A total of 986 fecal specimens were collected from dogs. The overall infection rate was 8.5%. The diarrheic dogs revealed higher prevalence of 14.43% than asymptomatic animals. The infection was more prevalent in younger dogs ( < 6 months) (9.5%) compared to older animals. Higher prevalence of infection was observed during the cold winter months (11.24%). The community owned dogs (stray dogs in the street) showed (11.75%) higher prevalence rate than pet dogs in the household environment (5.59%). Moreover, it was found that dogs fed on undercooked meat, and offal's were showing higher prevalence of giardiasis than dogs fed on canned meat. On the other hand, dogs subjected to regular grooming and good hygienic practices had lesser prevalence rate of the infection compared to unclean neglected dogs. Conclusions: The sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the amplicons of 18SrRNA gene of G. duodenalis revealed that; they were closer to assemblage D necessitating urgent attention due to their zoonotic importance.

Dampak Trichinella sp. dalam Daging Babi Terhadap Kesehatan Masyarakat

Trichinellosis/Trichinosis is one of the most common zoonotic parasites in the world caused by infection with Trichinella nematodes. The infection occurs after the larvae have been eaten in the muscles of the infected animal. Due to its spread and spread, several outbreaks of trichinosis have occurred around the world, which has caused serious public health problems. The main risk factor for trichinosis is the consumption of raw or undercooked meat from pigs and hunted meat. In the first stage of infection, adults nematode in the intestine can cause transient gastroenteritis, but the most serious symptoms are associated with the larval formation and muscle migration. a study conducted in India to investigate at the clinical and biochemical profile of Trichinella infection stated that clinical symptoms first appeared at 2-3 weeks after consuming pork and the symptoms would gradually disappear at 4-5 weeks, but there were also some who experienced myalgia. Supervision and implementing proper biosecurity in livestock areas by monitoring and surveillance of the risk of Trichinella infection in pig products and their derivatives as well as preventing transmission to humans.

Toxocariasis as a Rare Parasitic Complication of a Transthoracic Spine Surgery Procedure

Human toxocariasis is a helminthozoonosis caused by the migration of Toxocara species larvae through an organism. The infection in humans is transmitted either by direct ingestion of the eggs of the parasite, or by consuming undercooked meat infested with Toxocara larvae. This parasitosis can be found worldwide, but there are significant differences in seroprevalence in different areas, depending mainly on hot climate conditions and on low social status. However, the literature estimates of seroprevalence are inconsistent. Infected patients commonly present a range of symptoms, e.g., abdominal pain, decreased appetite, restlessness, fever, and coughing. This manuscript presents a case report of a polytraumatic patient who underwent a two-phase spinal procedure for a thoracolumbar fracture. After the second procedure, which was a vertebral body replacement via thoracotomy, the patient developed a pathologic pleural effusion. A microscopic cytology examination of this effusion revealed the presence of Toxocara species larvae. Although the patient presented no specific clinical symptoms, and the serological exams (Enzyme–linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot) were negative, the microscopic evaluation enabled a timely diagnosis. The patient was successfully treated with albendazole, with no permanent sequelae of the infection.

Detection of Toxocara cati Larvae from Ostrich and Wild Boar Meat Intended for Human Consumption

Toxocara cati is a common roundworm of cats and wild felids and, together with T. canis, it is the main causative agent of human toxocariasis. Humans may become infected by ingestion of embryonated eggs via contaminated soil, food, or water, or by ingestion of raw or undercooked meat of paratenic hosts that are infected by Toxocara larvae. In this study, we report the detection of T. cati larvae from meat samples of ostriches and wild boars. These samples were inspected by enzymatic digestion, as part of the trichinellosis surveillance. As ostrich meat is intended for “carpaccio” preparation, a traditional Italian raw meat preparation, there is the need to make the consumption of this meat safe. For this purpose, it is recommended to freeze the meat before preparation. Our findings confirmed that T. cati larvae can contaminate muscle tissues of paratenic hosts, increasing the risk of infection due to the consumption of raw or undercooked meat.

Toxoplasma gondii-Induced Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Amplify the Innate and Adaptive Response

Approximately one-third of the human population is estimated to be chronically infected with the obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii . Humans are accidental hosts that are infected with T. gondii after consumption of undercooked meat or contaminated water.

Toxoplasma gondii in pork and pigs in Serbia – a real food safety hazard

Infection with the apicomplexan protozoon Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most prevalent parasitic zoonotic infections globally, with existing seroprevalences varying between continents, countries, and even within countries and between individual communities. It is estimated that one third of the world’s human population is infected with T. gondii, with many studies showing that the dominant mode of infection is consumption of undercooked meat harbouring T. gondii tissue cysts. Prevalences of infection in food animals in different countries range from 0 to 93%. Because of the absence of clinical symptoms in infected animals, and the unfeasibility of rapid and unequivocal detection of microscopic tissue cysts in pork, infected pigs remain unrecognized, and their meat becomes an essential source of infection for humans. The data on T. gondii infection in pigs in Serbia from several studies, as well as on the detection of the parasite in different food categories, from fresh pork to heat-treated products, are discussed.

Tracking brucellosis–a re-emerging disease

Brucellosis caused by members of the genus Brucella is of major concern for animal and public health and is recognized as a re-emerging zoonotic disease. Brucellosis causes flu-like symptoms like fever, sweats, weakness, pain in muscles, joint and back, with some symptoms persisting for longer time periods. Infections occur through consumption of unpasteurized dairy products or undercooked meat, inhalation, and contact with animals. Human-to-human transmission is rare. Surveillance of this disease in animals and humans and prevention of infection risks factors are the most effective strategies to prevent brucellosis. With the progress in sequencing technologies, whole genome sequencing (WGS) has become an effective tool in surveillance, tracking of pathogens and in outbreak investigation. WGS allows identification of the source of infection and to elucidation of transmission chains, which enables authorities to implement timely and appropriate interventions.

Genetic Diversity of Toxoplasma Gondii by Serological and Molecular Analyzes in Different Sheep and Goat Tissues in Northeastern Iran

Background: Toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease caused by compilation protozoan agent Toxoplasma gondiithat led to significant financial and quality-adjusted life-year losses. Consumption of undercooked or raw meat has been regarded as a major route of transmission. The present study was conducted to determine the seroposevitity rate of T.gondii in sheep and goats by serological and molecular tests and also genotyping of obtained isolatesin northeast of Iran.Methods: Blood and tissue samples (diaphragm, heart) of 296 animals (including 168 sheep and 128 goats) were collected from slaughterhouse in Quechan city from august 2016 to April 2017. Serum samples examined by the Modified agglutination test (MAT) and the Nested-PCR method performed to amplify the fragment of the B1 gene to detect parasite DNA on diaphragm and heart tissues of seropositive animals. PCR-RFLP method of GRA6 gene was used to determine the genotype of T. gondii. Also, sequencing analysis was performed to evaluate the Toxoplasma type strains. Results: Serum positive for MAT results were found in 27.4% (46/168) of Sheep and23.4% (30/128) of goats. Positive Nested-PCR of B1 gene results in diaphragm and heart tissues of sheep and goats was 47.8% (22/46) and 26.1% (12/46), 40% (12/30) and 23.3% (7/30), respectively. Nested-PCR of GRA6 gene results were positive in 10 samples (7 sheep and 3 goats) that RFLP technique results with using MseІ enzyme revealed genotype І. Sequencing and Phylogenetic analysis revealed DNA of all samples were closely related to Toxoplasma type І.Conclusions: Concerning to highseropositivityrate of toxoplasmosis in studied region, undertaking an appropriate preventive program for reducing the prevalence of T. gondii infection by raw or undercooked meat consumption of livestock recommended. Our study supports the notion that consumption of raw and undercooked meat of these animals can be a probable source of human toxoplasmosis.

Sero-prevalence of Toxoplasmosis in patients attending to Kassala Hospital, Kassala State 2016

Toxoplasmosis is intracellular pathogen, caused by the protozoan parasite, belong to the phylum Apicomplexa. The present research aimed to determine the sero-prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii among patients attending in Kassala hospital. Blood samples were collected in blood container by using sterile syringes (300), 5 ml of venous blood was drawn and required for the laboratory examination for Latex agglutination and ELISA techniques. high prevalence of T. gondii recorded (56.7%) for Latex Agglutination technique. Age-groups (18-40) showed higher rate of infection 62.2%. Statistical analysis verified no variation according to the gender and contact with cats (P > 0.05). high prevalence calculated, for those eating undercooked meat, drinking row milk, 67.1%, 65.5% respectively. Fainaly the present study recommended to Implantation of health education program, Toxoplasmosis should be checked before donating blood and Improvement of the standard of hygienic, sanitary and disease control.