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Roller S, Angulo-Tisoc JM, Pacheco JI, Jimenez J, Vargas-Calla A, Morales-Cauti SM, Lopez-Urbina MT, Gonzalez AE, Gomez-Puerta LA. Molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic and wild guinea pigs (Cavia spp.) from the Marangani district in Cuzco, Peru. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2024; 52:101038. [PMID: 38880563 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2024.101038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a foodborne disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, and transmitted to humans by eating raw or undercooked meat, mainly. Poultry, beef, and pork are the main meats consumed in Peru; despite this, guinea pig meat is also widely consumed. For this reason, the objective of this study was to molecularly detect T. gondii in domestic and wild guinea pigs from the Marangani district in Cuzco, Peru, and identify some risk factors associated with this pathogen. DNA was extracted from the brain tissue samples of guinea pigs (30 domestic and 30 wild), and PCR protocols were used to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) region and a 529 bp fragment from the T. gondii genome. T. gondii DNA was detected in 14 (23.3%) guinea pigs. T. gondii frequency was 33.3% in domestic guinea pigs and 13.3% in wild guinea pigs. Our results demonstrated that guinea pigs represent an important source for T. gondii infection in human populations in this locality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffi Roller
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Circunvalacion 2800, Lima 41, Peru
| | - José M Angulo-Tisoc
- Instituto Veterinario de Investigaciones Tropicales y de Altura, Sede Marangani, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Jr. Lima s/n, Cusco, Peru
| | - Joel I Pacheco
- Instituto Veterinario de Investigaciones Tropicales y de Altura, Sede Marangani, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Jr. Lima s/n, Cusco, Peru
| | - Juan Jimenez
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Laboratorio de Parasitología Humana y Animal, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Venezuela s/n cuadra 34, Lima 1, Peru
| | - Ana Vargas-Calla
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Circunvalacion 2800, Lima 41, Peru
| | - Siever M Morales-Cauti
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Circunvalacion 2800, Lima 41, Peru
| | - Maria T Lopez-Urbina
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Circunvalacion 2800, Lima 41, Peru
| | - Armando E Gonzalez
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Circunvalacion 2800, Lima 41, Peru
| | - Luis A Gomez-Puerta
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Circunvalacion 2800, Lima 41, Peru.
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Moreno-Mesonero L, Soler L, Amorós I, Moreno Y, Ferrús M, Alonso J. Protozoan parasites and free-living amoebae contamination in organic leafy green vegetables and strawberries from Spain. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2023; 32:e00200. [PMID: 37405064 PMCID: PMC10316001 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2023.e00200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, the presence of Acanthamoeba spp., Blastocystis sp., Cryptosporidium spp., Cyclospora cayetanensis, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia sp., Toxoplasma gondii and Vermamoeba vermiformis was assessed in organic leafy green vegetables (lettuce, spinach, cabbage) and fruits (strawberry), which are usually consumed raw. A total of 110 organic samples were collected in Valencia (Spain). Protozoa were concentrated before detection by immunofluorescence (Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia sp.) or real-time qPCR (Acanthamoeba spp., Blastocystis sp., C. cayetanensis, E. histolytica, T. gondii and V. vermiformis). The most abundant protozoa in organic vegetables and berry fruits were Acanthamoeba (65.5%), followed by T. gondii (37.2%), V. vermiformis (17.3%), C. cayetanensis (12.7%), Cryptosporidium spp. (6.8%), Blastocystis sp. (1.8%) and Giardia sp. (1.7%). E. histolytica was not found in any of the organic samples. Thus, results showed that consumers can be exposed to protozoan parasites by consuming organic vegetables and berry fruits. This is the first report in Spain describing the presence of the protozoan pathogens Acanthamoeba spp., Blastocystis sp., C. cayetanensis, T. gondii and V. vermiformis, Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia sp. in organic fresh produce. The results of this research will help determine the risk of foodborne protozoan parasites on organic leafy greens and strawberries that are available at local markets.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Moreno-Mesonero
- Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y Medio Ambiente (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Centro Avanzado de Microbiología de Alimentos, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - L. Soler
- Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y Medio Ambiente (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - I. Amorós
- Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y Medio Ambiente (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Y. Moreno
- Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y Medio Ambiente (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - M.A. Ferrús
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Centro Avanzado de Microbiología de Alimentos, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - J.L. Alonso
- Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y Medio Ambiente (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain
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Healy SR, Morgan ER, Prada JM, Betson M. First report demonstrating the presence of Toxocara spp. eggs on vegetables grown in community gardens in Europe. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2022; 27:e00158. [PMID: 35518124 PMCID: PMC9061247 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2022.e00158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxocara canis and T. cati are zoonotic roundworm parasites of dogs, cats and foxes. These definitive hosts pass eggs in their faeces, which contaminate the environment and can subsequently be ingested via soil or contaminated vegetables. In humans, infection with Toxocara can have serious health implications. This proof-of-concept study aimed to investigate the presence of Toxocara spp. eggs on ‘ready-to-eat’ vegetables (lettuce, spinach, spring onion and celery) sampled from community gardens in southern England. The contamination of vegetables with Toxocara eggs has never been investigated in the UK before, and more widely, this is the first time vegetables grown in community gardens in Europe have been assessed for Toxocara egg contamination. Sixteen community gardens participated in the study, providing 82 vegetable samples fit for analysis. Study participants also completed an anonymous questionnaire on observed visits to the sites by definitive hosts of Toxocara. Comparison of egg recovery methods was performed using lettuce samples spiked with a series of Toxocara spp. egg concentrations, with sedimentation and centrifugal concentration retrieving the highest number of eggs. A sample (100 g) of each vegetable type obtained from participating community gardens was tested for the presence of Toxocara eggs using the optimised method. Two lettuce samples tested positive for Toxocara spp. eggs, giving a prevalence of 2.4% (95% CI =1.3–3.5%) for vegetable samples overall, and 6.5% (95% CI = 4.7–8.3%; n = 31) specifically for lettuce. Questionnaire data revealed that foxes, cats and dogs frequently visited the community gardens in the study, with 88% (68/77) of respondents reporting seeing a definitive host species or the faeces of a definitive host at their site. This proof-of-concept study showed for the first time the presence of Toxocara spp. eggs on vegetables grown in the UK, as well as within the soil where these vegetables originated, and highlights biosecurity and zoonotic risks in community gardens. This study establishes a method for assessment of Toxocara spp. eggs on vegetable produce and paves the way for larger-scale investigations of Toxocara spp. egg contamination on field-grown vegetables. First report of Toxocara eggs on vegetables grown in community gardens in Europe. Toxocara also detected in the soil where these vegetables originated. Definitive hosts for Toxocara canis and T. cati frequently visit community gardens. Sedimentation method recovered the most Toxocara eggs from spiked lettuce samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara R. Healy
- University of Surrey, School of Veterinary Medicine, Daphne Jackson Road, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7AL, UK
- Corresponding author.
| | - Eric R. Morgan
- Queen's University, Institute for Global Food Security, Biological Sciences Building, 19 Chlorine Gardens, BT9 5DL Belfast, UK
| | - Joaquin M. Prada
- University of Surrey, School of Veterinary Medicine, Daphne Jackson Road, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7AL, UK
| | - Martha Betson
- University of Surrey, School of Veterinary Medicine, Daphne Jackson Road, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7AL, UK
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López Ureña NM, Chaudhry U, Calero Bernal R, Cano Alsua S, Messina D, Evangelista F, Betson M, Lalle M, Jokelainen P, Ortega Mora LM, Álvarez García G. Contamination of Soil, Water, Fresh Produce, and Bivalve Mollusks with Toxoplasma gondii Oocysts: A Systematic Review. Microorganisms 2022; 10:517. [PMID: 35336093 PMCID: PMC8954419 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a major foodborne pathogen capable of infecting all warm-blooded animals, including humans. Although oocyst-associated toxoplasmosis outbreaks have been documented, the relevance of the environmental transmission route remains poorly investigated. Thus, we carried out an extensive systematic review on T. gondii oocyst contamination of soil, water, fresh produce, and mollusk bivalves, following the PRISMA guidelines. Studies published up to the end of 2020 were searched for in public databases and screened. The reference sections of the selected articles were examined to identify additional studies. A total of 102 out of 3201 articles were selected: 34 articles focused on soil, 40 focused on water, 23 focused on fresh produce (vegetables/fruits), and 21 focused on bivalve mollusks. Toxoplasma gondii oocysts were found in all matrices worldwide, with detection rates ranging from 0.09% (1/1109) to 100% (8/8) using bioassay or PCR-based detection methods. There was a high heterogeneity (I2 = 98.9%), which was influenced by both the sampling strategy (e.g., sampling site and sample type, sample composition, sample origin, season, number of samples, cat presence) and methodology (recovery and detection methods). Harmonized approaches are needed for the detection of T. gondii in different environmental matrices in order to obtain robust and comparable results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia María López Ureña
- SALUVET Research Group, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (N.M.L.U.); (R.C.B.); (L.M.O.M.)
| | - Umer Chaudhry
- Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK; (U.C.); or (D.M.); (F.E.); (M.B.)
| | - Rafael Calero Bernal
- SALUVET Research Group, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (N.M.L.U.); (R.C.B.); (L.M.O.M.)
| | - Santiago Cano Alsua
- Computing Services, Research Support Center, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Davide Messina
- Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK; (U.C.); or (D.M.); (F.E.); (M.B.)
- Division of Veterinary Clinical Science, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Francisco Evangelista
- Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK; (U.C.); or (D.M.); (F.E.); (M.B.)
| | - Martha Betson
- Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK; (U.C.); or (D.M.); (F.E.); (M.B.)
| | - Marco Lalle
- Unit of Foodborne and Neglected Parasitic Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Roma, Italy;
| | - Pikka Jokelainen
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Infectious Disease Preparedness, Statens Serum Institute, University of Copenhagen, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Luis Miguel Ortega Mora
- SALUVET Research Group, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (N.M.L.U.); (R.C.B.); (L.M.O.M.)
| | - Gema Álvarez García
- SALUVET Research Group, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (N.M.L.U.); (R.C.B.); (L.M.O.M.)
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