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

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 540 ◽  
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.

Regional seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in feral and stray cats (Felis catus) from Tasmania

2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bronwyn A. Fancourt ◽  
Robert B. Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Rapid Decline ◽  
Tasmanian Devil ◽  
Igg Antibodies ◽  
Feral Cat ◽  
Modified Agglutination Test ◽  
Stray Cats

Toxoplasma gondii is a cosmopolitan protozoan parasite of felids that also has significant implications for the health of wildlife, livestock and humans worldwide. In Australia, feral, stray and domestic cats (Felis catus) are the most important definitive host of T. gondii as they are the only species that can excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts that provide a major source of infection for mammals and birds. In Tasmania, the rapid decline of the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) may allow an increase in feral cat abundance, thereby increasing the risk of T. gondii infection to a range of susceptible wildlife species. At present, there is scant information on the prevalence of T. gondii infection in feral cat populations across Tasmania. We tested feral cats from 13 regions across Tasmania for the presence of T. gondii–specific IgG antibodies using a modified agglutination test. Results were combined with serosurveys from three previous studies to enable a comparison of seroprevalence among 14 regions across Tasmania. We found that 84.2% (224 of 266) of cats tested positive for T. gondii IgG antibodies. This is among the highest rates of prevalence recorded from Australia, and significantly higher than for most other countries. Adult cats had higher seroprevalence than kittens but there was no difference between sexes. In Tasmania, seroprevalence was high in 12 of 14 regions (range: 79.3–100.0%), with only two regions (Tasman Island and Southern Tasmania) recording significantly lower seroprevalence (≤50%). This suggests a high risk of infection across Tasmania, and has significant implications for wildlife conservation should feral cat abundance increase with the ongoing declines in Tasmanian devils.

Isolation and characterization of viableToxoplasma gondiiisolates revealed possible high frequency of mixed infection in feral cats (Felis domesticus) from St Kitts, West Indies

Parasitology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 136 (6) ◽  
pp. 589-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. DUBEY ◽  
L. MOURA ◽  
D. MAJUMDAR ◽  
N. SUNDAR ◽  
G. V. VELMURUGAN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Mixed Infection ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
West Indies ◽  
Rflp Markers ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Clonal Type ◽  
Modified Agglutination Test ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Pcr Rflp

SUMMARYCats are essential in the epidemiology ofToxoplasma gondiibecause they are the only hosts that can excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts in nature. Samples of serum, feces, and tissues from feral cats from St Kitts, West Indies were examined forT. gondiiinfection. Antibodies toT. gondiiwere assayed by the modified agglutination test, and found in 71 of 96 (73·9%) of cats with titres of 1:10 in six, 1: 20 in six,1:40 in seven,1: 80 in three, 1: 160 in 10, 1:320 in 13, 1:640 in nine, and 1:1,280 or higher in 17. Tissues of 10 cats were bio-assayed in mice.Toxoplasma gondiiwas isolated from tissues of 7 cats; from hearts of 6, from tongue of 5, and brains of 3 cats. All 7 isolates were avirulent for mice.Toxoplasma gondiioocysts were not found in the feces of 51 cats. Genotyping of these 7T. gondiiisolates by 10 multi-locus PCR-RFLP markers, including SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and an apicoplast marker, Apico, revealed 4 genotypes, including clonal Type II, Type III and 2 unique genotypes. Five of the 7 cats had infection with 2 genotypes, indicating high frequency of mixed infection in the cat population on the St Kitts island.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Wild Rats (Rattus rattus) in Northern Iran

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Seyed Abdollah Hosseini ◽  
Saeid Abediankenari ◽  
Afsaneh Amouei ◽  
Shahabeddin Sarvi ◽  
Mehdi Sharif ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Female Rats ◽  
High Seroprevalence ◽  
Northern Iran ◽  
Modified Agglutination Test ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Wild Rats ◽  
Reservoir Hosts ◽  
Host Reservoir

Rodents are considered as reservoir hosts for various pathogens (such as Toxoplasma gondii) and have been revealed to play an important role in the spread of several infectious diseases to humans and other animals. The aim of this investigation was to survey the prevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies in wild rats in Northern Iran. One hundred rats were caught using rat traps set in different areas in Northern Iran (September 2017). The thoracic cavity of each rat was opened, and then the blood sample was collected from the heart. IgG anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies were detected using the modified agglutination test (MAT) with a cutoff value equal to 1 : 40. Overall, 56% of rats were infected by T. gondii. Considering the sex of rats, 45% of male and 55% of female rats were seropositive, but the differences were not statistically significant. There was a significant difference between seropositivity and habitat types and age of rodents. Our findings have public health implications and confirm the high seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in northern Iran. The study established that wild rats represent an important and persistent wildlife intermediate host reservoir for T. gondii.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and Toxoplasma gondii in Feral Cats on St. Kitts, West Indies

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Xinyu Chi ◽  
Kexin Fang ◽  
Liza Koster ◽  
Jevan Christie ◽  
Chaoqun Yao
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
One Year

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a cosmopolitan protozoan parasite that infects all warm-blooded species including humans. The definitive hosts of T. gondii are felid vertebrates including the domestic cat. Domestic cats shed oocysts for approximately two weeks in their feces after the primary infection. It has been shown that feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) positive cats have a higher prevalence of and a higher titer of antibodies to T. gondii than those of FIV-negative cats. The main purposes of this study were to determine FIV prevalence and to investigate the oocysts shedding in FIV-positive and FIV-negative feral cats on St. Kitts. Fecal samples were collected from feral cats while their FIV statues were determined using a commercial SNAP kit. Total fecal DNA of each cat was tested for the presence of T. gondii DNA using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) consistently detecting one genome equivalent. A FIV-positive status was detected in 18 of 105 (17.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 9.9%−24.3%) feral cats sampled. Furthermore, males were three times more likely to be FIV positive than females (p = 0.017) with an odds ratio of 3.93 (95% CI: 1.20–12.89). Adults were found to have at least twice the prevalence of FIV compared to cats younger than one year of age (p = 0.056) with an odds ratio of 3.07 (95% CI: 0.94–10.00). Toxoplasma gondii DNA was not detected in the feces of any of the 18 FIV-positive (95% CI: 0%−0.18%) and 87 FIV-negative cats (95% CI: 0%−0.04%). A follow-up study with a much bigger sample size is needed to prove or disprove the hypothesis that FIV-positive cats have a higher prevalence of shedding T. gondii oocysts than FIV-negative cats.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in feral cats (Felis silvestris catus) in Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

2009 ◽  
Vol 165 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 323-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Millán ◽  
Oscar Cabezón ◽  
Marcela Pabón ◽  
J.P. Dubey ◽  
Sonia Almería
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Neospora Caninum ◽  
Balearic Islands ◽  
Felis Silvestris ◽  
Felis Silvestris Catus ◽  
Feral Cats

scholarly journals One Health, emerging infectious diseases and wildlife: two decades of progress?

2017 ◽  
Vol 372 (1725) ◽  
pp. 20160167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew A. Cunningham ◽  
Peter Daszak ◽  
James L. N. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
One Health ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Underlying Causes ◽  
Wide Scale ◽  
Multiple Species

Infectious diseases affect people, domestic animals and wildlife alike, with many pathogens being able to infect multiple species. Fifty years ago, following the wide-scale manufacture and use of antibiotics and vaccines, it seemed that the battle against infections was being won for the human population. Since then, however, and in addition to increasing antimicrobial resistance among bacterial pathogens, there has been an increase in the emergence of, mostly viral, zoonotic diseases from wildlife, sometimes causing fatal outbreaks of epidemic proportions. Concurrently, infectious disease has been identified as an increasing threat to wildlife conservation. A synthesis published in 2000 showed common anthropogenic drivers of disease threats to biodiversity and human health, including encroachment and destruction of wildlife habitat and the human-assisted spread of pathogens. Almost two decades later, the situation has not changed and, despite improved knowledge of the underlying causes, little has been done at the policy level to address these threats. For the sake of public health and wellbeing, human-kind needs to work better to conserve nature and preserve the ecosystem services, including disease regulation, that biodiversity provides while also understanding and mitigating activities which lead to disease emergence. We consider that holistic, One Health approaches to the management and mitigation of the risks of emerging infectious diseases have the greatest chance of success. This article is part of the themed issue ‘One Health for a changing world: zoonoses, ecosystems and human well-being’.

scholarly journals Detection of Viable Toxoplasma gondii in Free-Range Pigs from the Special Nature Reserve of Zasavica

2016 ◽  
Vol 65 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ljiljana Kuruca ◽  
Ivana Klun ◽  
Aleksandra Uzelac ◽  
Aleksandra Nikolić ◽  
Branko Bobić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Heart Tissue ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Serological Screening ◽  
Free Range ◽  
Modified Agglutination Test ◽  
Successful Isolation ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Great Appreciation

SummaryToxoplasma gondii is considered one of the most successful parasites of humans and animals. The ingestion of viable cysts through the consumption of undercooked pork is recognized as a significant route of human infection with T. gondii. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of viable parasite in tissues of free-range pigs from the Zasavica Special Nature Reserve. All pigs were of the Mangulica breed, raised in a traditional way. The serological screening was performed using a modified agglutination test (MAT). The isolation of viable T. gondii was attempted by a bioassay of pig heart tissue in mice, while the real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) targeted at the 529 bp repetitive element of T. gondii was used to detect parasitic DNA in digested hearts. Specific antibodies were detected in 12 out of 18 pigs examined. The bioassay was performed for five MAT-positive and one MAT-negative pig, and a total of three isolates were obtained. qPCR was performed for all samples, including one MAT-negative sample that was not bioassayed. The presence of T. gondii DNA was confirmed in all hearts with a positive bioassay as well as in one originating from seropositive and one from seronegative pig whose hearts were not bioassayed. The successful isolation of viable cysts, presence of risk factors (such as older age at the time of slaughter) and increased contact with the environment, along with the great appreciation of Serbian consumers towards home-cured Mangulica’s meat, make this breed worthy of consideration as a potentially important reservoir of human infection.

scholarly journals Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in a free-ranging giant anteater

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
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.

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

Parasite ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 9 ◽  
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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