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Koutsogiannis Z, Denny PW. Rapid genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii isolates via Nanopore-based multi-locus sequencing. AMB Express 2024; 14:68. [PMID: 38844693 PMCID: PMC11156620 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-024-01728-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite associated with severe disease, especially in the immunosuppressed. It is also a cause of congenital malformation and abortion in both animals and humans and is considered one of the most important foodborne pathogens worldwide with different strains showing variable distribution and differing pathogenicity. Thus, strain-level differentiation of T. gondii isolates is an essential asset in the understanding of parasite's diversity, geographical distribution, epidemiology and health risk. Here, we designed and implemented an Oxford Nanopore MinION protocol to analyse genomic sequence variation including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertion/deletion polymorphisms (InDel's) of four different genomic loci, part of protein coding genes SAG2, SAG3, ROP17 and ROP21. This method provided results with the sequencing depth necessary for accurate differentiation of T. gondii strains and represents a rapid approach compared to conventional techniques which we further validated against environmental samples isolated from wild wood mice. In summary, multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) of both highly conserved and more polymorphic areas of the genome, provided robust data for strain classification in a platform ready for further adaption for other strains and pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul W Denny
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
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2
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Bernstein M, Rudzinski M, Schneider V, Messina M, Gos ML, Helman E, Dellarupe A, Unzaga JM, Venturini MC, Moré G, Pardini L. Genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from human and chicken isolates from Argentina. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:129. [PMID: 38332310 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08142-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the nPCR-RFLP genotypes of newly obtained T. gondii isolates from human congenital toxoplasmosis cases in Argentina and to determine their allelic profiles for virulence genes ROP18/ROP5. In addition, the ROP18/ROP5 profiles were also determined for previously characterized T. gondii samples. Isolation from congenital toxoplasmosis cases was carried out in mouse bioassay from two placentas (P1 and P2). Genotyping for the new human isolates was performed by nPCR-RFLP using 10 markers. The samples analyzed for ROP18/ROP5 included the two newly obtained isolates (from the congenital toxoplasmosis cases) and nine previously genotyped T. gondii DNA samples from humans and chickens. The results for P1 and P2 named as TgHm18-02Arg and TgHm19-01Arg showed ToxoDB genotypes #14 (non-archetypal) and #2 (clonal type III), respectively. Non-archetypal #14 has been isolated from human cases before in Argentina. However, this is the first report of T. gondii clonal type III in a human case in the country. The ROP18/ROP5 combination was detected in nine samples: 3/3 (n = 1), 4/3 (n = 4), 4/4 (n = 3), and 3-4/4 (n = 1). Notably, the 4/4 profile was identified for the first time and exclusively in T. gondii samples from Misiones province (which borders southern Brazil). Further studies are required to corroborate the regionalization of the ROP18/ROP5 profiles in Argentina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Bernstein
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología (LAINPA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias (FCV)-Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Calle 60 y 118 (1900), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Marcelo Rudzinski
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad Católica de Las Misiones (UCAMI), Posadas, Misiones, Argentina
| | - Vanesa Schneider
- Centro de Toxoplasmosis y Otras Zoonosis, Hospital Alemán, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Matías Messina
- Centro de Toxoplasmosis y Otras Zoonosis, Hospital Alemán, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Laura Gos
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología (LAINPA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias (FCV)-Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Calle 60 y 118 (1900), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Elisa Helman
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología (LAINPA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias (FCV)-Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Calle 60 y 118 (1900), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrea Dellarupe
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología (LAINPA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias (FCV)-Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Calle 60 y 118 (1900), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Manuel Unzaga
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología (LAINPA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias (FCV)-Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Calle 60 y 118 (1900), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Cecilia Venturini
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología (LAINPA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias (FCV)-Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Calle 60 y 118 (1900), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gastón Moré
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología (LAINPA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias (FCV)-Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Calle 60 y 118 (1900), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggassstrasse 122 (3012), Berne, Switzerland
| | - Lais Pardini
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología (LAINPA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias (FCV)-Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Calle 60 y 118 (1900), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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3
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Joeres M, Maksimov P, Höper D, Calvelage S, Calero-Bernal R, Fernández-Escobar M, Koudela B, Blaga R, Vrhovec MG, Stollberg K, Bier N, Sotiraki S, Sroka J, Piotrowska W, Kodym P, Basso W, Conraths FJ, Mercier A, Galal L, Dardé ML, Balea A, Spano F, Schulze C, Peters M, Scuda N, Lundén A, Davidson RK, Terland R, Waap H, de Bruin E, Vatta P, Caccio S, Ortega-Mora LM, Jokelainen P, Schares G. Genotyping of European Toxoplasma gondii strains by a new high-resolution next-generation sequencing-based method. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 43:355-371. [PMID: 38099986 PMCID: PMC10822014 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-023-04721-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE A new high-resolution next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based method was established to type closely related European type II Toxoplasma gondii strains. METHODS T. gondii field isolates were collected from different parts of Europe and assessed by whole genome sequencing (WGS). In comparison to ME49 (a type II reference strain), highly polymorphic regions (HPRs) were identified, showing a considerable number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). After confirmation by Sanger sequencing, 18 HPRs were used to design a primer panel for multiplex PCR to establish a multilocus Ion AmpliSeq typing method. Toxoplasma gondii isolates and T. gondii present in clinical samples were typed with the new method. The sensitivity of the method was tested with serially diluted reference DNA samples. RESULTS Among type II specimens, the method could differentiate the same number of haplotypes as the reference standard, microsatellite (MS) typing. Passages of the same isolates and specimens originating from abortion outbreaks were identified as identical. In addition, seven different genotypes, two atypical and two recombinant specimens were clearly distinguished from each other by the method. Furthermore, almost all SNPs detected by the Ion AmpliSeq method corresponded to those expected based on WGS. By testing serially diluted DNA samples, the method exhibited a similar analytical sensitivity as MS typing. CONCLUSION The new method can distinguish different T. gondii genotypes and detect intra-genotype variability among European type II T. gondii strains. Furthermore, with WGS data additional target regions can be added to the method to potentially increase typing resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Joeres
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - P Maksimov
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - D Höper
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - S Calvelage
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - R Calero-Bernal
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Fernández-Escobar
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - B Koudela
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - R Blaga
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, BIPAR, Maisons-Alfort, France
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | | | - K Stollberg
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department for Biological Safety, Berlin, Germany
| | - N Bier
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department for Biological Safety, Berlin, Germany
| | - S Sotiraki
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation-DIMITRA, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - J Sroka
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy, Poland
| | - W Piotrowska
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy, Poland
| | - P Kodym
- Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology, National Institute of Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - W Basso
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - F J Conraths
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - A Mercier
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidemiology of chronic diseases in tropical zone, Institute of Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology, OmegaHealth, Limoges, France
- Centre National de Référence (CNR) Toxoplasmose Centre Hospitalier-Universitaire Dupuytren, Limoges, France
| | - L Galal
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidemiology of chronic diseases in tropical zone, Institute of Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology, OmegaHealth, Limoges, France
| | - M L Dardé
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidemiology of chronic diseases in tropical zone, Institute of Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology, OmegaHealth, Limoges, France
- Centre National de Référence (CNR) Toxoplasmose Centre Hospitalier-Universitaire Dupuytren, Limoges, France
| | - A Balea
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - F Spano
- Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - C Schulze
- Landeslabor Berlin-Brandenburg, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
| | - M Peters
- Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Westfalen, Standort Arnsberg, Arnsberg, Germany
| | - N Scuda
- Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Erlangen, Germany
| | - A Lundén
- Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - R K Davidson
- Department of Animal Health, Welfare and Food Safety, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Tromsø, Norway
| | - R Terland
- Department of Analysis and Diagnostics, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ås, Norway
| | - H Waap
- Parasitology Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - E de Bruin
- Dutch Wildlife Health Centre, Pathology Division, Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - P Vatta
- Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - S Caccio
- Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - L M Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - P Jokelainen
- Infectious Disease Preparedness, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - G Schares
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany.
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Marian L, Withoeft JA, Fornara MA, Pandolfo GW, D'ambroso Fernandes F, Vogel FSF, Zapala MP, Casagrande RA. Toxoplasmosis outbreak caused by north American genotypes in captive black-tufted marmosets in southern Brazil. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2024; 47:100960. [PMID: 38199681 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100960] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
In this study, we describe an outbreak of toxoplasmosis in an enclosure of five Callithrix penicillata in Southern Brazil. The marmosets were found dead and submitted to necropsy and histopathology. Liver, spleen, and lungs were frozen and sent for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested-PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii. Necropsy revealed a liver with a lobular pattern, along with diffusely congested lungs, spleen, and kidneys, and hemorrhage in the mesenteric lymph nodes. Mild-to-moderate, multifocal, necrotic hepatitis and splenitis, multifocal lymphoplasmacytic myocarditis, and moderate, diffuse necrohemorrhagic lymphadenitis were observed. T. gondii tachyzoites were in all the organs mentioned. The detected strains were closely related with the isolates TgWtdUs10, TgSoUs39, and TgShUs2, which were originally found in non-primate species all in the United States of America. This is an unprecedented report of North American strains causing mortality in captive individuals of the species Callithrix penicillata in the Southern Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Marian
- Laboratório de Patologia Animal, Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Av. Luís de Camões, 2090, Bairro Conta Dinheiro, Lages, Santa Catarina 88520-000, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Aline Withoeft
- Laboratório de Patologia Animal, Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Av. Luís de Camões, 2090, Bairro Conta Dinheiro, Lages, Santa Catarina 88520-000, Brazil
| | - Maria Augusta Fornara
- Laboratório de Patologia Animal, Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Av. Luís de Camões, 2090, Bairro Conta Dinheiro, Lages, Santa Catarina 88520-000, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Willian Pandolfo
- Laboratório de Patologia Animal, Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Av. Luís de Camões, 2090, Bairro Conta Dinheiro, Lages, Santa Catarina 88520-000, Brazil
| | - Fagner D'ambroso Fernandes
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima, 1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Silveira Flores Vogel
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima, 1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Milene Pugliese Zapala
- Médica Veterinária, Prefeitura de Brusque, Praça das Bandeiras, 77, Centro 1, Brusque, Santa Catarina 88350-051, Brazil
| | - Renata Assis Casagrande
- Laboratório de Patologia Animal, Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Av. Luís de Camões, 2090, Bairro Conta Dinheiro, Lages, Santa Catarina 88520-000, Brazil.
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5
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Fernandes FD, Samoel GVA, Guerra RR, Bräunig P, Machado DWN, Cargnelutti JF, Sangioni LA, Vogel FSF. Five years of the biggest outbreak of human toxoplasmosis in Santa Maria, Brazil: a review. Parasitol Res 2023; 123:76. [PMID: 38156993 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08073-1] [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: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by infection with the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. In 2018, the first cases of people with clinical signs of acute febrile syndrome were reported, and in the same year, the largest outbreak of human toxoplasmosis ever described in the literature was reported. In this sense, the present work sought to describe the evolution of the outbreak cases in the municipality of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, as well as the studies conducted and published during and after the outbreak in the municipality (the period between 2018 and 2023). In addition, the discussion of public policies and their modifications after the notification of this outbreak. As a result of this research, verifying the evolution of notified and confirmed cases, the possibility of detection and genotypic characterization of T. gondii and the possibility of co-infections and evaluation of the humoral response is possible. With regard to public policies, the importance of detecting the agent through the heel prick test and increasing the monitoring of water quality to prevent outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fagner D'ambroso Fernandes
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa (UFSM), Av Roraima, N° 1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105-900, Brazil.
- Centro Universitario Ritter dos Reis (UniRitter), Av Manoel Elias, 2001 - Passo das Pedras, Porto Alegre, RS, 91240-261, Brazil.
| | - Gisele Vaz Aguirre Samoel
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa (UFSM), Av Roraima, N° 1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Renata Rojas Guerra
- Departamento de Estatística, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av Roraima, N° 1000, Prédio 13, Sala 1206, Bairro Camobi, CEP, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Patricia Bräunig
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa (UFSM), Av Roraima, N° 1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Diego Willian Nascimento Machado
- Curso de Arquitetura e Urbanismo (CAU-ULBRA), Universidade Luterana do Brasil (ULBRA), Av. Farroupilha, n°8001, Prédio 14, Bairro São José, Canoas, RS, CEP 92425-900, Brazil
| | - Juliana Felipetto Cargnelutti
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia (LABAC), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av Roraima, N° 1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS , CEP 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Luis Antonio Sangioni
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa (UFSM), Av Roraima, N° 1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Silveira Flores Vogel
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa (UFSM), Av Roraima, N° 1000, Prédio 63D, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, CEP 97105-900, Brazil
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Brito RMDM, de Lima Bessa G, Bastilho AL, Dantas-Torres F, de Andrade-Neto VF, Bueno LL, Fujiwara RT, Magalhães LMD. Genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii in South America: occurrence, immunity, and fate of infection. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:461. [PMID: 38115102 PMCID: PMC10729521 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06080-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite with a worldwide distribution. Toxoplasma gondii infections are of great concern for public health, and their impact is usually most severe in pregnant women and their foetuses, and in immunocompromised individuals. Displaying considerable genetic diversity, T. gondii strains differ widely according to geographical location, with archetypal strains predominantly found in the Northern Hemisphere and non-archetypal (atypical) strains, with highly diverse genotypes, found mainly in South America. In this review, we present an overview of the identification and distribution of non-archetypal strains of T. gondii. Special attention is paid to the strains that have been isolated in Brazil, their interaction with the host immunological response, and their impact on disease outcomes. The genetic differences among the strains are pivotal to the distinct immunological responses that they elicit. These differences arise from polymorphisms of key proteins released by the parasite, which represent important virulence factors. Infection with divergent non-archetypal strains can lead to unusual manifestations of the disease, even in immunocompetent individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramayana Morais de Medeiros Brito
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Control of Parasites, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Centre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | | | - Alexandre Lazoski Bastilho
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Centre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | | | - Valter Ferreira de Andrade-Neto
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Centre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Lilian Lacerda Bueno
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Control of Parasites, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Control of Parasites, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Luisa M D Magalhães
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Control of Parasites, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
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7
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Domann N, Rezende SR, Fleury ACC, Barbosa IMFN, Ribeiro IDC, Dornelas JB, de Oliveira TFC, de Moura VOL, Storchilo HR, de Castro AM, Garcia JL, Cardoso LPV, Rezende HHA. Molecular characterization and epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from free-range chickens in the southwest region of Goiás: new genotypes. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA = BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY : ORGAO OFICIAL DO COLEGIO BRASILEIRO DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2023; 32:e009823. [PMID: 38055433 PMCID: PMC10704866 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612023069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to isolate Toxoplasma gondii from tissues of free-range chickens in the southwestern region of Goiás, to detect and molecularly characterize the genetic material of the parasite, and to determine the seroprevalence of the protozoan parasite in these animals. A seroprevalence of T. gondii antibodies of 76% (19/25) was found among the chickens, while genetic material from their tissues was detected in 56% (14/25). A total of 14 isolates was obtained in the bioassay, ten of which were considered acute, eight were considered isolates of high virulence lethal to mice, and four of low virulence, considered non-lethal but with the ability to chronify the infection. Seven of the ten isolates showed significant morphometric differences from the RH strain, in terms of nucleus-complex-apical distance, length and width. Genotyping of the acute isolates was performed by RFLP-PCR, using 11 genetic markers: SAG1, SAG2 (3'SAG2 and 5'SAG2), alt.SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and APICO. The results were compared and classified according to the genotypes listed on the ToxoDB Platform, where different profiles were observed indicating the presence of two known genotypes (#7 and #63) and five new genotypes (NEW 3, NEW4, NEW5, NEW6, NEW 7). The results showed high seroprevalence, isolation rate, molecular detection and genotypic variations of T. gondii in free-range chickens in the southwestern region of Goiás.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália Domann
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Bacteriologia e Micologia, Universidade Federal de Jataí – UFJ, Jataí, GO, Brasil
| | - Stéfanne Rodrigues Rezende
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Bacteriologia e Micologia, Universidade Federal de Jataí – UFJ, Jataí, GO, Brasil
| | - Amanda Cristina Corrêa Fleury
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Bacteriologia e Micologia, Universidade Federal de Jataí – UFJ, Jataí, GO, Brasil
| | | | - Isabella da Costa Ribeiro
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Bacteriologia e Micologia, Universidade Federal de Jataí – UFJ, Jataí, GO, Brasil
| | - Júlia Batista Dornelas
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Bacteriologia e Micologia, Universidade Federal de Jataí – UFJ, Jataí, GO, Brasil
| | | | - Vanessa Oliveira Lopes de Moura
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Bacteriologia e Micologia, Universidade Federal de Jataí – UFJ, Jataí, GO, Brasil
| | - Heloísa Ribeiro Storchilo
- Laboratório de Estudos da Relação Parasito-Hospedeiro, Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás – UFG, Goiânia, GO, Brasil
| | - Ana Maria de Castro
- Laboratório de Estudos da Relação Parasito-Hospedeiro, Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás – UFG, Goiânia, GO, Brasil
| | - João Luís Garcia
- Laboratório de Protozoologia Veterinária, Universidade Estadual de Londrina – UEL, Londrina, PR, Brasil
| | - Ludimila Paula Vaz Cardoso
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Bacteriologia e Micologia, Universidade Federal de Jataí – UFJ, Jataí, GO, Brasil
| | - Hanstter Hallison Alves Rezende
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Laboratório de Bacteriologia e Micologia, Universidade Federal de Jataí – UFJ, Jataí, GO, Brasil
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8
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Butterworth S, Kordova K, Chandrasekaran S, Thomas KK, Torelli F, Lockyer EJ, Edwards A, Goldstone R, Koshy AA, Treeck M. High-throughput identification of Toxoplasma gondii effector proteins that target host cell transcription. Cell Host Microbe 2023; 31:1748-1762.e8. [PMID: 37827122 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Intracellular pathogens and other endosymbionts reprogram host cell transcription to suppress immune responses and recalibrate biosynthetic pathways. This reprogramming is critical in determining the outcome of infection or colonization. We combine pooled CRISPR knockout screening with dual host-microbe single-cell RNA sequencing, a method we term dual perturb-seq, to identify the molecular mediators of these transcriptional interactions. Applying dual perturb-seq to the intracellular pathogen Toxoplasma gondii, we are able to identify previously uncharacterized effector proteins and directly infer their function from the transcriptomic data. We show that TgGRA59 contributes to the export of other effector proteins from the parasite into the host cell and identify an effector, TgSOS1, that is necessary for sustained host STAT6 signaling and thereby contributes to parasite immune evasion and persistence. Together, this work demonstrates a tool that can be broadly adapted to interrogate host-microbe transcriptional interactions and reveal mechanisms of infection and immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Butterworth
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Kristina Kordova
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | | | - Francesca Torelli
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Eloise J Lockyer
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Amelia Edwards
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Robert Goldstone
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Anita A Koshy
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA; Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - Moritz Treeck
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK; Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interaction Laboratory, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras 2780-156, Portugal.
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9
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Adeyemi O, Quill A, Morikone M, Evans L, Formoy C, Idowu ET, Akinsanya B, Jatau ID, Blake DP. Exploring the genetic diversity of Eimeria acervulina: A polymerase chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) approach. Vet Parasitol 2023; 322:110010. [PMID: 37634263 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Eimeria, protozoan parasites that can cause the disease coccidiosis, pose a persistent challenge to poultry production and welfare. Control is commonly achieved using good husbandry supplemented with routine chemoprophylaxis and/or live parasite vaccination, although widespread drug resistance and challenges to vaccine supply or cost can prove limiting. Extensive effort has been applied to develop subunit anticoccidial vaccines as scalable, cost-effective alternatives, but translation to the field will require a robust understanding of parasite diversity. Using a new Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) panel we begin to describe the genetic diversity of Eimeria acervulina populations in Africa and Europe. PCR-RFLP genotyping E. acervulina populations sampled from commercial broiler and layer chickens reared in Nigeria or the United Kingdom (UK) and Republic of Ireland (RoI) revealed comparable levels of haplotype diversity, in direct contrast to previous descriptions from the close relative E. tenella. Here, 25 distinct PCR-RFLP haplotypes were detected from a panel of 42 E. acervulina samples, including 0.7 and 0.5 haplotypes per sample in Nigeria (n = 20) and the UK/RoI (n = 14), respectively. All but six haplotypes were found to be country-specific. The PCR-RFLP markers immune mapped protein 1 (IMP1) and heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) were most informative for Nigerian E. acervulina, while microneme protein 3 (MIC3) and HSP90 were most informative in UK/RoI populations. High haplotype diversity within E. acervulina populations may indicate frequent genetic exchange and potential for rapid dissemination of genetic material associated with escape from selective barriers such as anticoccidial drugs and future subunit vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwayomi Adeyemi
- Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Alexandra Quill
- Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Margeen Morikone
- Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Laura Evans
- Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Claire Formoy
- Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Emmanuel T Idowu
- Department of Zoology, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
| | | | - Isa D Jatau
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Damer P Blake
- Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms AL9 7TA, UK.
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10
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Lockyer EJ, Torelli F, Butterworth S, Song OR, Howell S, Weston A, East P, Treeck M. A heterotrimeric complex of Toxoplasma proteins promotes parasite survival in interferon gamma-stimulated human cells. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002202. [PMID: 37459303 PMCID: PMC10373997 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii secretes protein effectors to subvert the human immune system sufficiently to establish a chronic infection. Relative to murine infections, little is known about which parasite effectors disarm human immune responses. Here, we used targeted CRISPR screening to identify secreted protein effectors required for parasite survival in IFNγ-activated human cells. Independent screens were carried out using 2 Toxoplasma strains that differ in virulence in mice, leading to the identification of effectors required for survival in IFNγ-activated human cells. We identify the secreted protein GRA57 and 2 other proteins, GRA70 and GRA71, that together form a complex which enhances the ability of parasites to persist in IFNγ-activated human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs). Components of the protein machinery required for export of Toxoplasma proteins into the host cell were also found to be important for parasite resistance to IFNγ in human cells, but these export components function independently of the identified protein complex. Host-mediated ubiquitination of the parasite vacuole has previously been associated with increased parasite clearance from human cells, but we find that vacuoles from GRA57, GRA70, and GRA71 knockout strains are surprisingly less ubiquitinated by the host cell. We hypothesise that this is likely a secondary consequence of deletion of the complex, unlinked to the IFNγ resistance mediated by these effectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloise J Lockyer
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Torelli
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Butterworth
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ok-Ryul Song
- High-Throughput Screening Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Steven Howell
- Proteomics Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Weston
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Philip East
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Moritz Treeck
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Cell Biology of Host-Pathogen Interaction Laboratory, Instituto Gulbenkian Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
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11
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Joeres M, Cardron G, Passebosc-Faure K, Plault N, Fernández-Escobar M, Hamilton CM, O'Brien-Anderson L, Calero-Bernal R, Galal L, Luttermann C, Maksimov P, Conraths FJ, Dardé ML, Ortega-Mora LM, Jokelainen P, Mercier A, Schares G. A ring trial to harmonize Toxoplasma gondii microsatellite typing: comparative analysis of results and recommendations for optimization. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2023:10.1007/s10096-023-04597-7. [PMID: 37093325 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-023-04597-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
A ring trial among five European laboratories was organized to reach consistency in microsatellite (MS) typing of the zoonotic parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Three sample sets were circulated and analyzed by each laboratory following a previously published method that is based on fragment length polymorphism of 15 MS markers. The first sample set compared typing results in general and focused on effects of DNA concentration; the second sample set focused on the polymorphic fingerprinting markers that can differentiate T. gondii strains within the same archetypal lineage; and the third set focused on non-archetypal genotypes. Methodological variations between laboratories, including the software programs used to determine MS fragment length, were collated using a questionnaire. Overall, lineage-level typing results reached a high level of agreement, especially in samples with the highest DNA concentrations. However, laboratory-specific differences were observed for particular markers. Major median differences in fragment length, of up to 6 base pairs, were related to the fluorophore used to label fragment-specific primers. In addition, primer pairs with identical sequences obtained from different suppliers resulted in fragments of differing length. Furthermore, differences in the way the sequencing profiles were assessed and interpreted may have led to deviating results in fragment length determination. Harmonization of MS typing, for example, by using the same fluorophores or by numerical adjustments applied to the fragment-lengths determined, could improve the uniformity of the results across laboratories. This is the first interlaboratory comparison, providing guidelines (added as a supplement) for the optimization of this technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Joeres
- Institute of Epidemiology, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - G Cardron
- Institute of Epidemiology, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - K Passebosc-Faure
- Centre National de Référence (CNR) Toxoplasmose Centre Hospitalier-Universitaire Dupuytren, Limoges, France
| | - N Plault
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases in Tropical Zone, Institute of Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology, OmegaHealth, Limoges, France
| | - M Fernández-Escobar
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - C M Hamilton
- The Moredun Research Institute, Penicuik, Midlothian, UK
| | - L O'Brien-Anderson
- Infectious Disease Preparedness, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - R Calero-Bernal
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - L Galal
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases in Tropical Zone, Institute of Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology, OmegaHealth, Limoges, France
| | - C Luttermann
- Institute of Immunology, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, -Insel Riems, Greifswald, Germany
| | - P Maksimov
- Institute of Epidemiology, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - F J Conraths
- Institute of Epidemiology, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - M L Dardé
- Centre National de Référence (CNR) Toxoplasmose Centre Hospitalier-Universitaire Dupuytren, Limoges, France
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases in Tropical Zone, Institute of Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology, OmegaHealth, Limoges, France
| | - L M Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - P Jokelainen
- Infectious Disease Preparedness, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - A Mercier
- Centre National de Référence (CNR) Toxoplasmose Centre Hospitalier-Universitaire Dupuytren, Limoges, France
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases in Tropical Zone, Institute of Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology, OmegaHealth, Limoges, France
| | - G Schares
- Institute of Epidemiology, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
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12
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Sousa S, Fernandes M, Correia da Costa JM. Serotyping, a challenging approach for Toxoplasma gondii typing. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1111509. [PMID: 37089607 PMCID: PMC10115974 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1111509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Genotype analysis has revealed a high genetic diversity in strains of Toxoplasma gondii, isolated from a wide range of intermediate hosts and different geographic origins. Diversity is notably striking for parasites from wild hosts in South America, generally referred as non-archetypal genotypes. Those genotypes are implicated in the etiology of severe clinical disease, multivisceral toxoplasmosis, associated with high rate of mortality in immunocompetent individuals. Can we accept specific antibodies produced during T. gondii infection as biomarkers to identify infecting genotypes? Scientific evidence supports a positive response to this question; however, the genetic diversity of T. gondii genotypes organized into 16 haplogroups and collectively defined in 6 major clades, provides a reminder of the complexity and difficulty for the purpose. This review discusses serological approaches to genotyping T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana Sousa
- Center for the Study of Animal Science (CECA), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Infectious Diseases, R&D Unit, National Health Institute Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV) of the Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Susana Sousa,
| | - Maria Fernandes
- Center for the Study of Animal Science, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - José Manuel Correia da Costa
- Center for the Study of Animal Science (CECA), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Infectious Diseases, R&D Unit, National Health Institute Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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13
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Scimeca RC, Carpenter A, Caron M, Matt CL, Brandão J, O’Connell TJ, Reichard MV. Prevalence and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii strains isolated from 31 wild Passeriformes collected in North-Central Oklahoma. J Parasit Dis 2023; 47:140-145. [PMID: 36910312 PMCID: PMC9998805 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-022-01548-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Passerine birds are widely distributed and adapted to various habitats, therefore they are commonly exposed to, and infected with Toxoplasma gondii. The purpose of our project was to determine the prevalence and genotypes of T. gondii in 31 different species of passerines collected as mortalities due to window collisions in North-Central Oklahoma. DNA was extracted from breast tissue and subjected to PCR with primers that amplify a portion of the T. gondii B1 gene. Genotyping was based on a portion of the infected birds based on a multiplex PCR followed by RFLP of 12 T . gondii markers. Of 103 birds comprising 31 species, the overall prevalence (95% confidence interval) of T. gondii infection was 33.0% (24.1‒42.6%). Significant differences in the proportion of T. gondii in birds according to sex or weight were not observed. However, sample sizes of each species were small and prevented a robust analysis of T. gondii according to those biological variables. Genotyping of T. gondii in a subset of 13 infected individuals of 7 species revealed 4 genotypes, according to the Toxoplasma Data Base: #54, #139, #20, and #220. Our results, while hampered by a small sample size for each bird species, suggest that infection with T. gondii in Oklahoma, is common in both migrant and resident passerines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth C. Scimeca
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078 USA
| | - Alexis Carpenter
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078 USA
| | - Marianne Caron
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078 USA
| | - Crystal L. Matt
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078 USA
| | - João Brandão
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078 USA
| | - Timothy J. O’Connell
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078 USA
| | - Mason V. Reichard
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078 USA
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14
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Targa LS, dos Santos EH, Yamamoto L, Barreira GA, Rodrigues KA, Rocha MC, Kanunfre KA, Okay TS. Toxoplasma gondii SAG2, SAG3 and GRA6 alleles and single nucleotide polymorphism in congenital infections with known parasite load and clinical outcome. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2023; 65:e8. [PMID: 36722670 PMCID: PMC9886222 DOI: 10.1590/s1678-9946202365008] [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: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amniotic fluid DNA samples were genotyped by multilocus-nested-PCR-RFLP, but only three of 11 markers amplified 113 of 122 (92.6%) samples, resulting in 12 untyped and 101 partial non-archetypal genotypes. The 101 typed samples were subdivided into four groups: G1 with 73 samples (5'and 3' SAG2 allele I + SAG3 allele III + GRA6 allele III), 53 had parasite load ≤ 102 parasites/mL (43 asymptomatic, 10 mild infections), 17 had load > 102 and ≤ 103 (one mild, 13 moderate and three severe), and three had load > 103 parasites/mL (three severe); G2 with 22 samples (5'and 3' SAG2 allele I + SAG3 allele III), all parasite load levels ≤ 102 parasites/mL (18 asymptomatic and four mild); G3 with five samples (5' and 3' SAG2 allele I + SAG3 allele II), parasite load ≤ 102 parasites/mL (three asymptomatic and two mild); G4 with one sample (5' and 3' SAG2 allele II + SAG3 allele II + GRA6 allele I), a parasite load < 102 parasites/mL in an asymptomatic infant. After DNA sequencing, restriction sites confirmed SAG2, SAG3 and GRA6 alleles in 98.7%, 100% and 100% of the cases, respectively, while single nucleotide polymorphisms confirmed 90% of 5'-SAG2 allele I; 98.7% of 3'-SAG2 allele I; 98% of SAG-3 allele III, but only 40% of GRA6 allele III results. For the moment, partial non-archetypal genotypes of parasites did not show any relationship with either parasite load in amniotic fluid samples or clinical outcome of infants at the age of 12 months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lília Spaleta Targa
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Laboratório de Soroepidemiologia e Imunobiologia, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Emilly Henrique dos Santos
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Laboratório de Soroepidemiologia e Imunobiologia, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil,Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Pediatria, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lidia Yamamoto
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Laboratório de Soroepidemiologia e Imunobiologia, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Acca Barreira
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Laboratório de Soroepidemiologia e Imunobiologia, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil,Faculdade Israelita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Karen Alessandra Rodrigues
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Laboratório de Soroepidemiologia e Imunobiologia, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil,Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Pediatria, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mussya Cisotto Rocha
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Laboratório de Soroepidemiologia e Imunobiologia, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kelly Aparecida Kanunfre
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Laboratório de Soroepidemiologia e Imunobiologia, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thelma Suely Okay
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Laboratório de Soroepidemiologia e Imunobiologia, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil,Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Pediatria, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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15
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Pardo Gil M, Hegglin D, Briner T, Ruetten M, Müller N, Moré G, Frey CF, Deplazes P, Basso W. High prevalence rates of Toxoplasma gondii in cat-hunted small mammals - Evidence for parasite induced behavioural manipulation in the natural environment? Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 20:108-116. [PMID: 36747510 PMCID: PMC9898578 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii causes one of the most frequent parasitic infections in vertebrates on earth. The present study aimed to assess the occurrence of T. gondii infection in cat-hunted wild small mammals, and to determine the circulating T. gondii genotypes in cat prey. There is evidence suggesting that T. gondii may manipulate rodents' behaviour enhancing transmission to their definitive feline host by facilitating predation. Given that most studies focusing on rodent behavior have been performed under laboratory conditions, we tested this hypothesis in the natural environment. We analysed 157 cat-hunted wild small mammals of six different species from Switzerland. Brain and skeletal muscle samples from each animal were tested for T. gondii DNA by PCR, and positive samples were genotyped using a multilocus sequence typing approach, including 10 genetic markers. Additionally, to evaluate exposure to cat faeces, the presence of Taenia taeniaeformis metacestodes was investigated at necropsy. The prevalence of T. gondii in cat-hunted Arvicola amphibius s.l. was 11.1% (7/63), 14.6% (7/48) in Apodemus spp., 13.6% (3/22) in Myodes glareolus, 6.7% (1/15) in Crocidura russula, and 0% in Microtus arvalis (0/8) and Sorex sp. (0/1). All completely genotyped T. gondii parasites, exhibited the ToxoDB #3 genotype, a Type II variant. We additionally analysed 48 trap-captured A. amphibius s.l., which all tested negative for T. gondii infection, contrasting with the higher prevalence in cat-hunted A. amphibius s.l. (0% vs. 11.1%; p = 0.0176). Furthermore, T. taeniaeformis was detected in both groups, indicating widespread contamination with cat faeces in the sampled areas. These results provide evidence that T. gondii infected rodents are at higher risk to be predated by cats and therewith support the behaviour manipulation hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Pardo Gil
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Corresponding author.
| | - Daniel Hegglin
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
- SWILD– Urban Ecology and Wildlife Research, Wuhrstrasse 12, CH-8003, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Briner
- Naturmuseum Solothurn, Klosterplatz 2, CH-4500, Solothurn, Switzerland
| | - Maja Ruetten
- PathoVet AG, Buckstrasse 2, CH-8317, Tagelswangen, Switzerland
| | - Norbert Müller
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gastón Moré
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Caroline F. Frey
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Peter Deplazes
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Walter Basso
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Corresponding author.
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16
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Blaga R, Fabres V, Leynaud V, Fontaine JJ, Reyes-Gomez E, Briand A, Crosaz O, Lagrange I, Blaizot A, Roux DL, Castillo VR, Maksimov P, Guillot J, Teifke JP, Schares G. Toxoplasma gondii and Alternaria sp.: An Original Association in an Immunosuppressed Dog with Persistent Skin Lesions. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12010114. [PMID: 36678462 PMCID: PMC9865179 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12010114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Dogs and cats may suffer from a variety of diseases, mainly immune mediated, that require the administration of immunosuppressive drugs. Such therapies can cause adverse effects either by the toxicity of the drugs or as a consequence of immune suppression and associated opportunistic infections. Here we present an, yet unknown, association of Toxoplasma gondii and Alternaria fungus, within cutaneous lesions in a dog under long-term immunosuppressive therapy. The diagnosis of such infections is laborious and not obvious at first glance, since the clinical signs of cutaneous toxoplasmosis, neosporosis or alternariosis are not specific. A further laboratory confirmation is needed. Therefore, we currently recommend that dogs and cats should undergo serologic testing for toxoplasmosis or neosporosis prior to immunosuppressive therapy and a regular dermatological evaluation during the immunosuppressive therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radu Blaga
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, BIPAR, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-1-43-96-72-15
| | - Virginie Fabres
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, CHUVA, Unité de Médecine, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Vincent Leynaud
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, CHUVA, Unité de Médecine, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Jean-Jacques Fontaine
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, BioPôle, Laboratoire d’anatomo-cytopathologie, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Edouard Reyes-Gomez
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, BioPôle, Laboratoire d’anatomo-cytopathologie, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Amaury Briand
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, CHUVA, Unité de Dermatologie, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Odile Crosaz
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, CHUVA, Unité de Dermatologie, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Isabelle Lagrange
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Biopôle, Laboratoire de Biochimie-hématologie, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Amandine Blaizot
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, BIPAR, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Delphine Le Roux
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, BIPAR, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Veronica Risco Castillo
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, BIPAR, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Pavlo Maksimov
- Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jacques Guillot
- Oniris, Department of Dermatology, Parasitology, Mycology, F-44300 Nantes, France
| | - Jens Peter Teifke
- Department of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Gereon Schares
- Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald, Germany
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17
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Toxoplasmosis diagnostic techniques: Current developed methods and biosensors. Talanta 2023; 252:123828. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2022.123828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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18
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Andreopoulou M, Schares G, Koethe M, Chaligiannis I, Maksimov P, Joeres M, Cardron G, Goroll T, Sotiraki S, Daugschies A, Bangoura B. Prevalence and molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in different types of poultry in Greece, associated risk factors and co-existence with Eimeria spp. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:97-111. [PMID: 36308531 PMCID: PMC9816277 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07701-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite of public health importance, infecting all warm-blooded animals, including chickens. Undercooked chicken meat or relevant products such as sausages could lead to human infections. In free-range, organic and slow-growth farming systems where the susceptibility period for chickens is extended, more knowledge about potential risk factors is essential. This study is the first seroepidemiological survey in different regions and types of chicken farms in Greece, using a major tachyzoite surface antigen-based ELISA (TgSAG1), combined with magnetic-capture PCR (mc-PCR) and bioassay for the isolation of strains from the chickens' tissues. Potential risk factors for T. gondii infection in these hosts were also investigated. Additionally, the co-existence of T. gondii and Eimeria spp. infections was assessed to elucidate epidemiological links between these two protozoan infections. Overall T. gondii seroprevalence was 9.5%. Of the backyard chickens sampled, 41.2% were seropositive and 70% of the organic and free-range layer farms had at least one T. gondii seropositive hen. No serologically positive broilers were found, although mc-PCR revealed a positive sample, highlighting the importance of accurate early-infection direct detection of T. gondii infections to ensure public health. T. gondii isolates obtained by mouse bioassay were genotyped. All belonged to type II (ToxoDB#3) as confirmed also by microsatellite typing. Production system, type of nutrition, and feeding system automation were identified as the most significant risk factors, while no association was found between the presence of cats and T. gondii seropositivity as calculated on both a farm level and per individual bird sampled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Andreopoulou
- Institute of Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany ,Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization ELGO-DIMITRA, 57001 Thessaloniki, Thermi Greece
| | - Gereon Schares
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Martin Koethe
- Institute of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ilias Chaligiannis
- Clinic of Farm Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54627 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Pavlo Maksimov
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Maike Joeres
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Garance Cardron
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Tina Goroll
- Institute of Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Smaro Sotiraki
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization ELGO-DIMITRA, 57001 Thessaloniki, Thermi Greece
| | - Arwid Daugschies
- Institute of Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Berit Bangoura
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY USA
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19
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Butterworth S, Torelli F, Lockyer EJ, Wagener J, Song OR, Broncel M, Russell MRG, Moreira-Souza ACA, Young JC, Treeck M. Toxoplasma gondii virulence factor ROP1 reduces parasite susceptibility to murine and human innate immune restriction. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1011021. [PMID: 36476844 PMCID: PMC9762571 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite that can infect many host species and is a cause of significant human morbidity worldwide. T. gondii secretes a diverse array of effector proteins into the host cell which are critical for infection. The vast majority of these secreted proteins have no predicted functional domains and remain uncharacterised. Here, we carried out a pooled CRISPR knockout screen in the T. gondii Prugniaud strain in vivo to identify secreted proteins that contribute to parasite immune evasion in the host. We demonstrate that ROP1, the first-identified rhoptry protein of T. gondii, is essential for virulence and has a previously unrecognised role in parasite resistance to interferon gamma-mediated innate immune restriction. This function is conserved in the highly virulent RH strain of T. gondii and contributes to parasite growth in both murine and human macrophages. While ROP1 affects the morphology of rhoptries, from where the protein is secreted, it does not affect rhoptry secretion. Finally, we show that ROP1 co-immunoprecipitates with the host cell protein C1QBP, an emerging regulator of innate immune signaling. In summary, we identify putative in vivo virulence factors in the T. gondii Prugniaud strain and show that ROP1 is an important and previously overlooked effector protein that counteracts both murine and human innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Butterworth
- Signalling In Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Torelli
- Signalling In Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eloise J. Lockyer
- Signalling In Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jeanette Wagener
- Signalling In Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ok-Ryul Song
- High-Throughput Screening Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Malgorzata Broncel
- Signalling In Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Proteomics Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Matt R. G. Russell
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Joanna C. Young
- Signalling In Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Moritz Treeck
- Signalling In Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
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20
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Landrau-Giovannetti N, Waltzek TB, López-Orozco N, Su C, Rotstein D, Levine G, Rodrigues TCS, Silva-Krott I, Humann C, West K. Prevalence and genotype of Toxoplasma gondii in stranded Hawaiian cetaceans. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2022; 152:27-36. [PMID: 36394138 DOI: 10.3354/dao03699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a significant threat to endangered Hawaiian wildlife including birds and marine mammals. To estimate the prevalence of T. gondii in stranded cetaceans from 1997 to 2021 in Hawai'i, we tested tissues from 37 stranded spinner dolphins Stenella longirostris and 51 stranded individuals that represented 18 other cetacean species. DNA from cetacean tissue extracts were screened using a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the Toxoplasmatinae internal transcribed spacer 1 of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. A positive result was obtained in 9 tissues examined for each of 2 spinner dolphins out of 525 tissue samples analyzed by PCR. The PCR-positive spinner dolphins had disseminated acute toxoplasmosis with necrosis, inflammation, and intralesional protozoal cysts and tachyzoites in multiple organs. Discrete positive immunostaining for T. gondii was observed in all tissues tested including the adrenal gland, brain, liver, and lung. Both positive spinner dolphins were negative for cetacean morbillivirus. The T. gondii genotyping was performed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) based on 10 genetic markers. The PCR-RFLP analysis revealed the T. gondii belonged to PCR-RFLP-ToxoDB genotype #24, previously detected in wild pig Sus scrofa in O'ahu, bobcats Lynx rufus from Mississippi, USA, and chickens Gallus gallus from Costa Rica and Brazil. These cases represent the first report of this genotype in aquatic mammals and the second and third reports of fatal disseminated T. gondii infection in stranded spinner dolphins from Hawai'i. Nearshore species, like spinner dolphins, may be at increased risk of mortality from this parasite in marine coastal waterways via sewage systems, storm water drainage, and freshwater runoff.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelmarie Landrau-Giovannetti
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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21
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Esmaeilifallah M, Sadraei J, Pirestani M, Kalantari R. Molecular characterization and genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii in free-living animals in Iran: Effect of One Health. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2022; 36:100808. [PMID: 36436895 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2022.100808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
To understand the transmission of Toxoplasma gondii, this parasite's genetic diversity distribution in free-living hosts is essential. This research's objective is the molecular genotyping of T. gondii isolates from the brain and muscles of Columbidae, Corvidae, Rattus, and Felidae of Mianeh County, East-Azerbaijan Province, Northwest Iran. Three hundred fifty samples were taken. For the genotyping of T. gondii, the GRA6 gene was amplified and digested by the Tru1I (MseI) enzyme. Results of RFLP were confirmed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. In total, 52%, 34%, 24%, and 50% of Columbidae, Corvidae, Rattus, and Felidae were positive for T. gondii DNA, respectively. All isolated Columbidae were identified as genotype III (100%). Also, 94.1% and 5.9% of Corvidae isolates, 84.4% and 15.6% of the Rattus isolates, and 51.7% and 48.3% of the Felidae isolates belonged to genotypes III and II, respectively. This study is the first to evaluate genetic similarity and phylogenetic analysis between many definitive and intermediated hosts in northwestern Iran. The finding indicates that the T. gondii cycle is maintained among these hosts. As a result, their presence in the environment can be a risk factor for transmitting the infection to humans. Due to demographic and geographic differences in various regions, further studies are required to determine the genetic population structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Esmaeilifallah
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Javid Sadraei
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Majid Pirestani
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Reza Kalantari
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
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22
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TOXOPLASMA GONDII PREVALENCE, PARTIAL GENOTYPES, AND SPATIAL VARIATION IN NORTH AMERICAN RIVER OTTERS (LONTRA CANADENSIS) IN THE UPPER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN, USA. J Wildl Dis 2022; 58:869-881. [PMID: 36321926 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-22-00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous parasitic protozoan that poses a health threat to wildlife and human health worldwide. Oocysts shed into the environment in felid host feces may persist for several years. Runoff from rainfall and snowmelt may carry the oocysts into waterways. Semiaquatic mammals such as the Northern American river otter (Lontra canadensis) are particularly at risk of exposure, as they may encounter infective stages in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Despite this risk, only a small number of studies have examined the prevalence of T. gondii in US river otter populations. Tongue tissue was sampled from 124 otters from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan submitted by trappers to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in the 2018-19 harvest season. Following DNA extraction, a portion of the B1 T. gondii gene was amplified with PCR. A subset of positive samples was genotyped for comparison with known T. gondii sequences. Of the 124 tongue samples, 35 (28%) were positive for T. gondii. Prevalence did not differ significantly between sexes or age classes across the entire study area. Most (53.8%) of the genotyped samples were type 4 (type 12), a genotype commonly found in North American wildlife. Genotypes 127 and 197 were also found. Three clusters of T. gondii prevalence were identified through SaTScan analysis, although they were not significant. When modeling prevalence of T. gondii with covariates at individual otter locations, the top three models included the presence of Sarcocystis, area of exotic plants, area of agriculture, and sex of the otter. Our results suggest that T. gondii is widespread in otter populations in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
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23
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Sun HC, Fu Y, Yuan XF, Li JX, Xu LH, Zhang JN, Yu B, Huang J, Qi M, Shi TY. Molecular Detection and Genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii from Pigs for Human Consumption in Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces, Eastern China. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2022; 19:686-692. [PMID: 36179062 DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2022.0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. Ingestion of raw or undercooked meat containing tissue cysts of T. gondii is one major source of transmission of this parasite. It is important to guarantee the meat quality of China since our pork industry produces about half of the world's pork. In this study, a total of 746 pig samples were collected from Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces in eastern China, and examined for T. gondii infection by PCR amplification targeting B1 gene. In this study, we found that 57 of 746 (7.6%) pigs were positive for B1 gene, with 8.5% (48/562) in Zhejiang province and 4.9% (9/184) in Jiangsu province, respectively. The positive DNA samples were further genotyped at 11 genetic markers, including SAG1, 5'-and 3'-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, L358, PK1, c22-8, c29-2, and an apicoplast locus Apico through PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technology. Two genotypes (ToxoDB 9 and ToxoDB 10) of T. gondii were identified by PCR-RFLP in Zhejiang province. However, both genotypes were not determined from Jiangsu province, which is speculated on the low DNA concentration and the small number of samples. These results indicate that T. gondii infection is endemic in pigs in eastern China and may raise public food safety concerns, suggesting more interventions for T. gondii-related risks are needed in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Chao Sun
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuan Fu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiu-Fang Yuan
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun-Xing Li
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li-Hua Xu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia-Ning Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Tarim University, Alar, China
| | - Bin Yu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Zhejiang Provincial Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meng Qi
- College of Animal Science, Tarim University, Alar, China
| | - Tuan-Yuan Shi
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, Hangzhou, China
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24
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Meireles LR, Bezerra ECM, Andrade JQ, Cassiano LA, Pena HFJ, Alves BF, Francisco RPV, de Andrade HF. Isolation and characterization of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from human congenital toxoplasmosis cases reveal a new virulent genotype in São Paulo, Brazil. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:3223-3228. [PMID: 36053347 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07643-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii causes severe disease in congenitally infected fetuses. The severity of fetal infection is related to the gestational stage at the time of maternal infection, parasite burden, and genotypic characteristics. South America has a high incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis and has the highest genotypic diversity of the parasite. In Brazil, clinical toxoplasmosis in children is notorious, however there are very limited data regarding the strains recovered from congenital infections. In this study, T. gondii strains from two cases of severe congenital toxoplasmosis from the São Paulo metropolitan area were isolated (TgHumIMTBr2 and TgHumIMTBr3) and biologically and molecularly characterized using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and microsatellite analysis, revealing a new non-archetypal virulent genotype designated as #318. The other isolate, genotype #175, has already been described in domestic and wild animals in Brazil, but is now associated with acute toxoplasmosis in humans. These data reinforce the role of non-archetypal T. gondii genotypes in the severity of human congenital toxoplasmosis, highlighting the importance of studies focused on parasite isolation and genotyping for a better understanding of the virulence of isolates from human toxoplasmosis and contributing to the knowledge of the diversity of T. gondii in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Regina Meireles
- Laboratório de Protozoologia (LIM49), Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Elizama Carneiro Machado Bezerra
- Laboratório de Protozoologia (LIM49), Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Joelma Queiroz Andrade
- Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Larissa Aparecida Cassiano
- Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Hilda Fátima Jesus Pena
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Bruna Farias Alves
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Heitor Franco de Andrade
- Laboratório de Protozoologia (LIM49), Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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25
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Henker LC, Silveira Flores Vogel F, Santana de Cecco B, Ribeiro Dos Santos I, Roman IJ, D'ambroso Fernandes F, Genro Cony F, Petinatti Pavarini S, Driemeier D. Abortion outbreak in a sheep flock caused by Toxoplasma gondii clonal type III. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:2633-2639. [PMID: 35779119 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07581-w] [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: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a major cause of reproductive losses in small ruminants in several countries. We describe here an outbreak of T. gondii-associated abortion in sheep in Southern Brazil. The flock was comprised of 55 adult sheep, and late-term abortions and stillbirths were detected in 15/36 (41.66%) gestating ewes. Serum samples collected from 45 sheep were tested for T. gondii through indirect immunofluorescence assay; IgM and IgG positive results were detected in 44.44% (20/45) and 86.67% (39/45) of the cases, respectively. Four fetuses and two placentas were pathologically evaluated. Gross changes were restricted to fetal membranes and were characterized by multifocal white areas in the cotyledons. Microscopically, these areas corresponded to necrotic foci affecting the chorionic epithelium accompanied by rare cysts of T. gondii. The main histological change in fetal tissues consisted of well-demarked and sparsely distributed necrotic foci in the central nervous system. Tissue samples from all four fetuses and one placenta had positive PCR results for T. gondii. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) genotyping using ten markers (SAG1, 5'-3'SAG2, alt.SAG2, SGA3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, and PK1) was carried out on one sample, and results were consistent with T. gondii clonal type III (ToxoDB-PCR-RFLP genotype #2, TgCpBr4).
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Affiliation(s)
- Luan Cleber Henker
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária (SPV), Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Bairro Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91540-000, Brazil.
| | - Fernanda Silveira Flores Vogel
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva (DMVP), Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, 1000, Building 63C, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Bianca Santana de Cecco
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária (SPV), Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Bairro Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91540-000, Brazil
| | - Igor Ribeiro Dos Santos
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária (SPV), Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Bairro Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91540-000, Brazil
| | - Isac Junior Roman
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva (DMVP), Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, 1000, Building 63C, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Fagner D'ambroso Fernandes
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias (LADOPAR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva (DMVP), Centro de Ciências Rurais (CCR), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, 1000, Building 63C, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Genro Cony
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária (SPV), Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Bairro Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91540-000, Brazil
| | - Saulo Petinatti Pavarini
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária (SPV), Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Bairro Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91540-000, Brazil
| | - David Driemeier
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária (SPV), Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Bairro Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91540-000, Brazil
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de Barros RAM, Torrecilhas AC, Marciano MAM, Mazuz ML, Pereira-Chioccola VL, Fux B. Toxoplasmosis in Human and Animals Around the World. Diagnosis and Perspectives in the One Health Approach. Acta Trop 2022; 231:106432. [PMID: 35390311 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a unique health disease that significantly affects the health of humans, domestic animals, wildlife and is present in ecosystems, including water, soil and food. Toxoplasma gondii is one of the best-adapted parasites in the word. This parasite is able to persist for long periods in its hosts, in different geographic regions of the word. This review summarizes the current literature of these themes, focusing on: (1) toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic infection; (2) One health approach and toxoplasmosis; (3) human toxoplasmosis; (4) animal toxoplasmosis; (5) toxoplasmosis diagnosis, as immunological, parasitological and molecular diagnosis; (6) T. gondii outbreaks caused by infected meat, milk and dairy products, as well as, vegetables and water consume; (7) studies in experimental models; (8) genetic characterization of T. gondii strains; (9) extracellular vesicles and miRNA; and (10) future perspectives on T. gondii and toxoplasmosis. The vast prevalence of toxoplasmosis in both humans and animals and the dispersion and resistence of T. gondii parasites in environment highlight the importance of the one health approach in diagnostic and control of the disease. Here the different aspects of the one health approach are presented and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosangela Aparecida Müller de Barros
- Unidade de Medicina Tropical, Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo, Vitoria, ES, Brazil.; Programa em Doenças Infecciosas, Centro de Doenças Infecciosas, Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo, Vitoria, ES, Brazil..
| | - Ana Claudia Torrecilhas
- Laboratório de Imunologia Celular e Bioquímica de Fungos e Protozoários, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Campus Diadema, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil..
| | | | - Monica Leszkowicz Mazuz
- Parasitology Division, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Israeli Veterinary Service and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Beit Dagan, 5025000, Israel..
| | | | - Blima Fux
- Unidade de Medicina Tropical, Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo, Vitoria, ES, Brazil.; Programa em Doenças Infecciosas, Centro de Doenças Infecciosas, Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo, Vitoria, ES, Brazil..
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Seroprevalence and Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii among Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Egypt. J Trop Med 2022; 2022:2343679. [PMID: 35669051 PMCID: PMC9166983 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2343679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite with a special predilection for the central nervous system. Toxoplasmosis's contribution to the triggering of many neurodevelopmental disorders was established. This study aimed to detect the seroprevalence and genotypes of T. gondii strains in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. The study included 180 children with neurodevelopmental disorders and 180 children in the control group. Assessment of seropositivity of Toxoplasma IgM and IgG antibodies in patients and controls was carried out. Genetic characterization of T. gondii was obtained by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique targeting dense granule gene (GRA6). Our results showed that the overall seroprevalence of T. gondii antibodies in the patient and controls was 35.6% and 11.7%, respectively. Nested PCR showed positivity in 11.1% of the patient group for T. gondii DNA. T. gondii seropositivity rate was significantly high in patients with hydrocephalus and also in patients with epilepsy. Positive nested PCR was significantly high in children with hydrocephalus only. Genotyping using nested PCR-RFLP showed genotype I (80%) followed by atypical strains (20%) with no association with any specific clinical presentation. In conclusion, among toxoplasmosis-positive children with neurodevelopmental disorders, analysis of T. gondii GRA6 locus revealed the predominance of type I genotype followed by atypical strains.
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Abbaszadeh S, Teimouri A, Mahmoudi MR, Roushan ZA, Hajipour N, Majidi-Shad B, Sharifdini M. Molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii in chicken hearts from markets and retail stores in Northern Iran. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2022; 27:e00166. [PMID: 35782021 PMCID: PMC9249558 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2022.e00166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in chicken products indicates risk of transmission to consumers. The objective of the current study was to investigate the molecular prevalence of T. gondii in free-ranging and industrial chickens in Guilan province, Northern Iran. A total of 150 chicken heart samples including 75 free-range and 75 industrial chickens were collected from farmers' markets and chicken retailers in Guilan, Northern Iran, between October 2017 and August 2018. Genomic DNA were extracted from samples and examined for evidence of T. gondii using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the B1 gene. The B1-positive samples were further analyzed by nested-PCR for SAG1 gene. Of the 150 samples, T. gondii DNA fragments were detected in 59 (39.3%), including 30 (40%) free-range and 29 (38.7%) industrial chicken. No significant differences of T. gondii DNA detection was observed between the free-range and industrial chicken samples (p = 0.73). Four selected positive samples were used for amplifying and sequencing of the SAG1 gene. The results revealed that all four sequences of SAG1 had 100% similarity with T. gondii sequences previously isolated from an AIDS/HIV patient in Mazandaran province, Northern Iran. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that all four sequences were closely related to Type I of T. gondii. However, our Type I identification is preliminary and needs to be confirmed by further multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis. The findings of the present study provide new data about the presence of T. gondii DNA in chicken hearts in the study area. These results confirm that chicken can be used as sentinels for environment contamination; however, further studies are needed to determine the viability of T. gondii in chicken hearts from Iran for risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somayeh Abbaszadeh
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Aref Teimouri
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Mahmoudi
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Zahra Atrkar Roushan
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Nayereh Hajipour
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Bijan Majidi-Shad
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Meysam Sharifdini
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
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Investigation of Toxoplasma gondii in wastewater and surface water in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China using real-time PCR and multilocus genotyping. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5428. [PMID: 35361820 PMCID: PMC8971506 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09166-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite, causing one of the most prevalent parasitic infections in the world. In the present study water sources of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), China, where the hygienic infrastructure is still developing, were investigated. A total of 214 water samples of 10 L volume, were collected from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), a slaughterhouse and rivers. The samples were filtered and then analysed using real-time PCR and multilocus genotyping. T. gondii DNA was found in four (1.9%) samples representing T. gondii type I; in one of them T. gondii-like oocysts were also confirmed microscopically. The approximate level of contamination of positive samples ranged between 30 and 2300 T. gondii sporozoites. The results of this study confirmed that T. gondii is present in wastewater in the greater metropolitan area of Xining and a neighbouring county. Contamination of wastewater at this level constitutes rather a moderate source of Toxoplasma infections in humans and animals. It suggests, however, a link between environmental exposure of animals, meat processing facilities and WWTPs. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation describing T. gondii detection in wastewater and environmental water samples collected from the territory of P.R. China using sensitive molecular tools.
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Fernández-Escobar M, Schares G, Maksimov P, Joeres M, Ortega-Mora LM, Calero-Bernal R. Toxoplasma gondii Genotyping: A Closer Look Into Europe. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:842595. [PMID: 35402301 PMCID: PMC8984497 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.842595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a major zoonotic agent which may cause harmful effects mainly in pregnant and immunocompromised hosts. Despite many efforts on its genetic characterization, an entirely clear picture of the population structure in Europe has not been achieved yet. The present study aimed to summarize the available genotyping information and to map the distribution of circulating strains. There is consensus on type II T. gondii genotypes prevailing in Europe, but the absence of harmonization in the use of typing methods limits detailed knowledge. Standardized, high-end typing tools and integrative strategies are needed to fill the gaps and complete an accurate image of the T. gondii genetic population in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Fernández-Escobar
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gereon Schares
- National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Pavlo Maksimov
- National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Maike Joeres
- National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Calero-Bernal
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Rafael Calero-Bernal,
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Witter R, Pena HFJ, Maia MO, da Costa Freitas L, Almeida SLH, de Aguiar DM, Igarashi M, Alves BF, Gennari SM, Pacheco RC. First report on the isolation and genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii strains from free-range chickens in the state of Mato Grosso, Midwestern Brazil. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2022; 80:101725. [PMID: 34847458 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2021.101725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, 51 strains of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) were isolated from free-range chickens in the state of Mato Grosso, Midwestern Brazil, upon conducting bioassays in mice, and genotyped them using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and 11 markers, including SAG1, SAG2 (5'3'SAG2 and alt. SAG2), SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico, and CS3. Fifty isolates were completely genotyped revealing 17 genotypes of T. gondii as follows: 12 matched using ToxoDB PCR-RFLP with the previously reported genotypes, including #6 type BrI (n = 4), #8 type BrIII (n = 7), #11 type BrII (n = 3), #14 (n = 1), #19 (n = 1), #41 (n = 1), #99 (n = 1), #109 (n = 4), #116 (n = 1), #140 (n = 2), #166 (n = 9), #190 (n = 1); and five genotypes have not been described before [#313 (n = 6), #314 (n = 1), #315 (n = 1), #316 (n = 1), #317 (n = 1)]. Moreover, mixed infections were identified in five isolates (TgCkBrMT8, TgCkBrMT9, TgCkBrMT33, TgCkBrMT38, and TgCkBrMT41). Additionally, genotype #190 was reported for the first time in chickens from Brazil. Our results corroborate with previous studies on T. gondii isolates identified in chickens from Brazil, thereby confirming their diversity, a typicality, and possibility of co-infection due to different T. gondii strains present in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rute Witter
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias-PPGVET, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária-FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil; Instituto Federal de Rondônia-IFRO campus Jaru, Jaru, RO, Brazil
| | - Hilda Fátima Jesus Pena
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal-VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia-FMVZ, Universidade de São Paulo-USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Maerle Oliveira Maia
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias-PPGVET, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária-FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Leodil da Costa Freitas
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias-PPGVET, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária-FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Sayanne Luns Hatum Almeida
- Programa de Residência Uniprofissional em Medicina Veterinária-PRUMV, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária-FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Daniel Moura de Aguiar
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias-PPGVET, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária-FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Michelle Igarashi
- Faculdade de Medicina -FM, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Bruna Farias Alves
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal-VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia-FMVZ, Universidade de São Paulo-USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Solange Maria Gennari
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal-VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia-FMVZ, Universidade de São Paulo-USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina e Bem-Estar Animal, Universidade de Santo Amaro - UNISA, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Richard Campos Pacheco
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias-PPGVET, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária-FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
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Piva MM, Pereira PR, Schwertz CI, Hammerschmitt ME, Lorenzett MP, Henker LC, Driemeier D, Clemes YS, Pena HFJ, Pavarini SP. Outbreak of toxoplasmosis associated with muscular lesions in finishing pigs caused by an atypical Toxoplasma gondii genotype. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA = BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY : ORGAO OFICIAL DO COLEGIO BRASILEIRO DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2022; 31:e011622. [PMID: 36327395 PMCID: PMC9901883 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612022055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infections are usually asymptomatic in pigs, and an acute clinical disease is rare in this host. This study aimed to determine the pathological and molecular aspects of an outbreak of fatal systemic toxoplasmosis in finishing pigs in Brazil. The outbreak occurred on a commercial finishing pig farm in the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. The farm had 1500 pigs and 3.8% of mortality rate during the outbreak. The pigs had fever, anorexia, apathy, and locomotor deficits. Seven pigs were necropsied. Gross findings included multifocal to coalescent pale areas in skeletal muscles, lymphadenomegaly, hepatosplenomegaly, and non-colapsed lungs. The histological findings included granulomatous lymphadenitis, hepatitis and splenitis, necrotizing myositis, and lymphoplasmacytic interstitial pneumonia. Lung and liver lesions were occasionally accompanied by T. gondii parasitic structures. Positive immunolabeling for T. gondii tachyzoites and encysted bradyzoites was detected in all examined pigs. PCR-RFLP (11 markers) and microsatellite analysis (15 markers) identified the non-archetypal genotype #278 in pigs. This is the first report of systemic toxoplasmosis in pigs with muscle lesions and additionally shows the diversity of disease-causing T. gondii genotypes circulating in animals in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoela Marchezan Piva
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - Paula Reis Pereira
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - Claiton Ismael Schwertz
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - Márcia Elisa Hammerschmitt
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - Marina Paula Lorenzett
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - Luan Cleber Henker
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - David Driemeier
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - Yara Souza Clemes
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia - FMVZ, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Hilda Fátima Jesus Pena
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia - FMVZ, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Saulo Petinatti Pavarini
- Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
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Uzelac A, Klun I, Ćirković V, Bauman N, Bobić B, Štajner T, Srbljanović J, Lijeskić O, Djurković-Djaković O. Toxoplasma gondii Genotypes Circulating in Serbia-Insight into the Population Structure and Diversity of the Species in Southeastern Europe, a Region of Intercontinental Strain Exchange. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9122526. [PMID: 34946128 PMCID: PMC8708754 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In Europe, Toxoplasma gondii lineage II is dominant, and ToxoDB#1 the most frequently occurring genotype. The abundance of lineage III genotypes varies geographically and lineage I are rare, yet present in several regions of the continent. Data on the T. gondii population structure in southeastern Europe (SEE) are scarce, yet necessary to appreciate the diversity of the species in Europe. To help fill this gap, we genotyped 67 strains from nine species of intermediate hosts in Serbia by MnPCR-RFLP, determined the population structure, and identified the genotypes using ToxoDB. A neighbor-joining tree was also constructed from the isolates genotyped on nine loci. While 42% of the total genotype population consisted of ToxoDB#1 and ToxoDB#2, variant genotypes of both lineages comprised 46% of the population in wildlife and 28% in domestic animals and humans. One genotype of Africa 4 lineage was detected in a human sample. Interestingly, the findings include one lineage III variant and one II/III recombinant isolate with intercontinental distribution, which appear to be moderately related to South American genotypes. Based on these findings, SEE is a region of underappreciated T. gondii genetic diversity and possible strain exchange between Europe and Africa.
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Subekti DT, Ekawasti F, Desem MI, Azmi Z. Toxoplasma gondii virulence prediction using hierarchical cluster analysis based on coding sequences (CDS) of sag1, gra7 and rop18. J Vet Sci 2021; 22:e88. [PMID: 34854270 PMCID: PMC8636655 DOI: 10.4142/jvs.2021.22.e88] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii consists of three genotypes, namely genotype I, II and III. Based on its virulence, T. gondii can be divided into virulent and avirulent strains. This study intends to evaluate an alternative method for predicting T. gondii virulence using hierarchical cluster analysis based on complete coding sequences (CDS) of sag1, gra7 and rop18 genes. Dendrogram was constructed using UPGMA with a Kimura 80 nucleotide distance measurement. The results showed that the prediction errors of T. gondii virulence using sag1, gra7 and rop18 were 7.41%, 6.89% and 9.1%, respectively. Analysis based on CDS of gra7 and rop18 was able to differentiate avirulent strains into genotypes II and III, whereas sag1 failed to differentiate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didik T Subekti
- Indonesia Research Center for Veterinary Science, Bogor, West Java 16124, Indonesia.
| | - Fitrine Ekawasti
- Indonesia Research Center for Veterinary Science, Bogor, West Java 16124, Indonesia
| | | | - Zul Azmi
- Goats Research Station, Sei Putih, North Sumatra 20585, Indonesia
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Ekawasti F, Cahyaningsih U, Dharmayanti NLPI, Sa'diah S, Subekti DT, Azmi Z, Desem MI. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of genes of virulent strain isolate of Toxoplasma gondii using enzyme DdeI. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ONE HEALTH 2021. [DOI: 10.14202/ijoh.2021.196-203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim: Toxoplasma gondii is a unicellular coccidian parasite distributed globally and is an important zoonotic pathogen. Approximately 30% of the human population worldwide is chronically infected with T. gondii. The pathogenicity of this species depends on the type originating from the clonal population. Techniques for more accurately determining the type of T. gondii have recently been developed using genetic markers. Specifically, T. gondii has been typed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). This study aimed to identify sets of PCR-RFLP markers that have high power to discriminate genotyping of T. gondii and are easy to use and are easy to use. The objective of this study was to characterize virulent strain isolates of T. gondii by PCR-RFLP using 10 markers with DdeI.
Materials and Methods: T. gondii tachyzoites (RH virulent strain) were derived from culture cells at the Indonesian Research Center for Veterinary Sciences. Genotyping was performed on T. gondii DNA extracted from cell cultured tachyzoites using 10 genetic markers of PCR-RFLP, namely, B1#1, B1#2, B1#3, SAG1#1, SAG1#2, P30, BAG1, ROP1, GRA1, and GRA7, with digestion using the restriction enzyme DdeI.
Results: The 10 genes were amplified by PCR. Among them, three genetic markers, B1#3, ROP1, and GRA1, were genotyped by the PCR-RFLP using restriction enzyme DdeI. Overall, the findings showed that the specific RFLP profile of digestion of gene regions by DdeI could be used as a specific marker for the virulent biotype causative of toxoplasmosis. In addition, virulent strains of T. gondii can be easily detected by these markers.
Conclusion: Three pairs of primers (B1#3, ROP1, and GRA1) with DdeI have proven useful for the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis (virulent strain biotype I). This proposed method is relatively simple, rapid, cheap, and can be performed in most laboratories, providing a practical approach for the routine analysis of T. gondii strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fitrine Ekawasti
- Indonesian Research Center for Veterinary Sciences, Indonesia Agency Agriculture Research and Development, Agricultural of Ministry, Bogor, 16167, Indonesia; Department of Animal Infectious Diseases and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - Umi Cahyaningsih
- Department of Animal Infectious Diseases and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - N. L. P. Indi Dharmayanti
- Indonesian Research Center for Veterinary Sciences, Indonesia Agency Agriculture Research and Development, Agricultural of Ministry, Bogor, 16167, Indonesia
| | - Siti Sa'diah
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - Didik Tulus Subekti
- Indonesian Research Center for Veterinary Sciences, Indonesia Agency Agriculture Research and Development, Agricultural of Ministry, Bogor, 16167, Indonesia
| | - Zul Azmi
- Indonesian Research Center for Veterinary Sciences, Indonesia Agency Agriculture Research and Development, Agricultural of Ministry, Bogor, 16167, Indonesia
| | - Muhammad Ibrahim Desem
- Indonesian Research Center for Veterinary Sciences, Indonesia Agency Agriculture Research and Development, Agricultural of Ministry, Bogor, 16167, Indonesia
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Toxoplasma gondii in South America: a differentiated pattern of spread, population structure and clinical manifestations. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:3065-3076. [PMID: 34390383 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07282-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite belonging to the phylum Apicomplexa. It has a worldwide distribution and can infect a wide variety of intermediate hosts, including humans. In South America, toxoplasmosis shows high health impacts, and the incidence of the disease is frequently reported and more severe than in other regions, such as Europe. Although most T. gondii infections are asymptomatic, severe manifestations can occur in cases of congenital toxoplasmosis and immunocompromised individuals. In South America, the ocular disease in immunocompetent individuals is also frequently reported. Treatment for any clinical manifestation of toxoplasmosis consists of the combination of sulfadiazine (SDZ) and pyrimethamine (PYR). However, failures in the treatment of toxoplasmosis have been reported, especially in South America, suggesting the acquisition of resistance against SDZ and PYR. Another paradigm present in the literature is that once infected with T. gondii, the host is immunologically protected from further reinfections. However, some studies indicate cases of congenital transmission of T. gondii from immunocompetent pregnant women with chronic infection, suggesting the possibility of reinfection in humans. Thus, in this review, we will cover several aspects of South American T. gondii isolates, such as genetic characterization, disease manifestation, host reinfection and drug resistance.
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Costa WLGD, Barbosa IMFN, Prado DPGD, Domann N, Rezende HHA. A systematic review of Toxoplasma gondii genotypes in Gallus gallus domesticus worldwide: The focus is Brazil. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:2440-2450. [PMID: 34227255 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii was initially classified in three main lineages related to its virulence: Types I, II, and III. The recombination of genes during sexual cycle in felids gut led to more than 200 genotypes, found in ToxoDB database, using 11 RFLP markers. Free-range chickens are good bioindicators of soil contamination with T. gondii oocysts. In this sense, there are systematic reviews regarding data of genetic characterization of this parasite in felines and ruminants, but not in chickens heretofore, what makes this work necessary. A systematic review of the literature was performed with papers published prior to September 21, 2020. The main inclusion criteria were the presence of T. gondii genotypes, isolated strictly from free-range chickens, in experimental works. Initially, a total of 1,343 studies related to the terms were identified on databases and 30 studies were selected to be systematically reviewed. A total of 561 isolates of T. gondii from 6,356 free-range chickens were analyzed for genotyping, revealing 190 genotypes. ToxoDB #59 and #2 were the most frequent in America, #1 was the most frequent in Africa and three atypical isolates from genotype ToxoDB #9 were found in Asia. There is no data from Europe and Oceania. The majority of studies were Brazilian (16/30). A total of 68 RFLP genotypes were recognized among the 561 isolates' DNAs analyzed from the 30 studies. Some studies showed new genotypes never described before, which reinforces the idea that in some years even more new genotypes will be identified, due to gradual genetic recombination. A large number of undefined genotypes makes it necessary to perform Nested PCR technique when genotyping. Moreover, the lack of data in Continents such as Europe, Asia, and Oceania makes it necessary to perform new isolating and genotyping studies in these places.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Natália Domann
- Academic Unit of Health Sciences, Biomedicine Department, Federal University of Jatai (UFJ), Jatai, Goias, Brazil
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Langoni H, Generoso D, Hayasaka ÊY, Mantovan KB, Menozzi BD, Richini-Pereira VB, Silva RCD. Molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis spp. in raw kibbeh and other meat samples commercialized in Botucatu, Southeastern Brazil. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA = BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY : ORGAO OFICIAL DO COLEGIO BRASILEIRO DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2021; 30:e029320. [PMID: 34190775 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612021051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis occurs worldwide causing economic losses to the animal production and problems to the public health. The study aimed to detect Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis spp.in 141 meat products from commercial meat cuts of pork, beef, and kibbeh sold in commercial markets from Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Samples were bioassayed in mice to isolate the parasite, and the parasite DNA detected by PCR targeting the 529 base pairs repeat element region (PCR-529-bp). All samples resulted negative on bioassay, whereas PCR positive for 9 (6,38%), distributed as 5/48 beef, 3/49 pork, and 1/44 kibbeh. PCR-positive were investigated for the the parasite genotype using multiplex-, nested-, and RFLP-PCR for 11 markers (SAG1, 5'-3'SAG2, alt.SAG2, SAG3, B-TUB, GRA6, L358, c22-8, c29-6, PK1, Apico). Complete genotype was determined on just one PCR-positive sample that matched MAS, TgCkBr89 and TgCkBr147 isolates already identified. In addition, nested- and RFLP-PCR targeting 18S rRNA was run for all PCR-positive samples and, the products, sequenced and aligned to the GenBank at NCBI website. Four samples showed 100% homology with T. gondii (GenBank #L37415.1), three with Sarcocystis hominis (GenBank #AF006471.1), two Sarcocystis cruzi (GenBank #AF176934.1), and one Sarcocystis hirsuta (GenBank #AF006469.1), indicating the circulation of T. gondii and Sarcocystis spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helio Langoni
- Serviço de Diagnóstico de Zoonoses, Departamento de Produção Animal e Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Diego Generoso
- Serviço de Diagnóstico de Zoonoses, Departamento de Produção Animal e Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Ênio Yoshinori Hayasaka
- Serviço de Diagnóstico de Zoonoses, Departamento de Produção Animal e Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Karine Bott Mantovan
- Serviço de Diagnóstico de Zoonoses, Departamento de Produção Animal e Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Benedito Donizete Menozzi
- Serviço de Diagnóstico de Zoonoses, Departamento de Produção Animal e Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
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Hosseini SA, Sharif M, Sarvi S, Janbabai G, Keihanian S, Abediankenari S, Gholami S, Amouei A, Javidnia J, Saberi R, Shekarriz R, Daryani A. Toxoplasmosis among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a population study based on the serological, molecular and epidemiological aspects. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2021; 115:677-686. [PMID: 33130887 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/traa112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasmosis is highly prevalent in northern Iran and immunocompromised individuals are more susceptible to this infection. The present study aimed to determine the seroprevalence, parasitism and genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii among patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy in northern Iran. METHODS A total of 350 serum samples obtained from cancer patients were collected from laboratory centers in northern Iran. Immunodiagnosis and DNA detection were accomplished by ELISA and PCR. Thereafter, multiplex-nested PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used for the genotyping of T. gondii. RESULTS In general, out of 350 patients, 264 (75.4%) and 9 (2.57%) cases were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM, respectively. Moreover, 19 (5.43%) samples contained T. gondii DNA. From 19 positive samples, 10 high-quality samples with sharp and non-smear bands were selected to determine the genotypes of T. gondii. Accordingly, the samples were classified as genotype #1 (type II clonal; n=4, 40%), genotype #2 (type III clonal; n=3, 30%), genotype #10 (type I clonal; n=2, 20%) and genotype #27 (type I variant; n=1, 10%). CONCLUSIONS As evidenced by the results, due to the high prevalence of T. gondii, cancer patients in northern Iran are at serious risk of severe toxoplasmosis and its complications. Therefore, oncologists need to regard this critical health problem as a matter requiring urgent attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Abdollah Hosseini
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Mazandaran, Sari, Iran
| | - Mehdi Sharif
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Sari Branch, Islamic AZAD University, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahabeddin Sarvi
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Mazandaran, Sari, Iran
| | - Ghasem Janbabai
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahrbanoo Keihanian
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon Branch, Tonekabon, Iran
| | - Saeid Abediankenari
- Immunogenetics Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Sara Gholami
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Mazandaran, Sari, Iran
| | - Afsaneh Amouei
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Mazandaran, Sari, Iran
| | - Javad Javidnia
- Department of Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Mazandaran, Sari, Iran
| | - Reza Saberi
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Sari, Iran
| | - Ramin Shekarriz
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Daryani
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Sari, Iran.,Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Mazandaran, Sari, Iran
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Nzelu IN, Kwaga JKP, Kabir J, Lawal IA, Beazley C, Evans L, Blake DP. Detection and genetic characterisation of Toxoplasma gondii circulating in free-range chickens, pigs and seropositive pregnant women in Benue state, Nigeria. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009458. [PMID: 34077414 PMCID: PMC8202946 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii parasites present strong but geographically varied signatures of population structure. Populations sampled from Europe and North America have commonly been defined by over-representation of a small number of clonal types, in contrast to greater diversity in South America. The occurrence and extent of genetic diversity in African T. gondii populations remains understudied, undermining assessments of risk and transmission. The present study was designed to establish the occurrence, genotype and phylogeny of T. gondii in meat samples collected from livestock produced for human consumption (free-range chickens, n = 173; pigs, n = 211), comparing with T. gondii detected in blood samples collected from seropositive pregnant women (n = 91) in Benue state, Nigeria. The presence of T. gondii DNA was determined using a published nested polymerase chain reaction, targeting the 529 bp multicopy gene element. Samples with the highest parasite load (assessed using quantitative PCR) were selected for PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) targeting the surface antigen 3 (SAG3), SAG2 (5’ and 3’), beta-tubulin (BTUB) and dense granule protein 6 (GRA6) loci, and the apicoplast genome (Apico). Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in all three of the populations sampled, presenting 30.6, 31.3 and 25.3% occurrence in free-range chickens, pigs and seropositive pregnant women, respectively. Quantitative-PCR indicated low parasite occurrence in most positive samples, limiting some further molecular analyses. PCR-RFLP results suggested that T. gondii circulating in the sampled populations presented with a type II genetic background, although all included a hybrid type I/II or II/III haplotype. Concatenation of aligned RFLP amplicon sequences revealed limited diversity with nine haplotypes and little indication of host species-specific or spatially distributed sub-populations. Samples collected from humans shared haplotypes with free-range chickens and/or pigs. Africa remains under-explored for T. gondii genetic diversity and this study provides the first detailed definition of haplotypes circulating in human and animal populations in Nigeria. Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that infects most warm-blooded animals and can be transmitted from animals to humans. Three dominant genetic types have been described from a larger pool of around 16, and it has been suggested that the severity of disease may be influenced by genetic type. Little is known of T. gondii in Africa. The burden of disease is unclear, while lack of knowledge around genetic diversity and population structure undermines effective risk assessment and control. We sought to determine if T. gondii was prevalent in pigs and poultry produced for human consumption in Nigeria, comparing with genetic types detected in the overlapping human population. Using meat samples from free-range chickens and pigs, and blood samples from seropositive pregnant women in Benue state, Nigeria, we found that T. gondii with a type II genetic background were most common with limited genetic diversity. Detection of comparable genetic types in the free-range chicken, pig and human populations indicate an overlapping parasite population and can be used to inform assessments of risk to human health, most notably pregnant women. The information reported here informs on the occurrence and population structure of T. gondii in Nigeria, contributing to improved understanding in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ifeoma N. Nzelu
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Jacob K. P. Kwaga
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
| | - Junaidu Kabir
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
| | - Idris A. Lawal
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
| | - Christy Beazley
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Evans
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Damer P. Blake
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Lv QY, Zheng HL, Yang WH, Liu GH. Molecular Detection of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in Domestic Ducks in Hunan Province, China. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:649603. [PMID: 33937375 PMCID: PMC8082677 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.649603] [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: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are protozoan parasites that infect warm-blooded animals, and cause major economic losses in livestock industries worldwide. However, little is known about the genotypes of T. gondii and N. caninum in domestic ducks in China. Herein, brain samples from 588 domestic ducks from Hunan province in China were examined for the presence of T. gondii and N. caninum. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect T. gondii B1 gene and N. caninum NC-5 gene. Forty-five DNA samples (7.7%; 95% CI: 5.5–9.9) were positive for B1 gene, and two (0.3%; 95% CI: 0–0.7) were positive for NC-5 gene. The risk factors significantly associated with T. gondii infection were age and sex. The 45 samples positive for T. gondii were genotyped using multi-locus PCR-RFLP analysis and only one sample was fully genotyped as ToxoDB#9 (Chinese I). These results provide new information about the epidemiology of T. gondii and N. caninum in ducks in Hunan province in China. The data also highlight the importance of a “One Health” approach to dealing with toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu-Yan Lv
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - He-Liang Zheng
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Wen-He Yang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Guo-Hua Liu
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China.,Hunan Co-Innovation Center of Animal Production Safety, Changsha, China
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ROP18 and ROP5 alleles combinations are related with virulence of T. gondii isolates from Argentina. Parasitol Int 2021; 83:102328. [PMID: 33713809 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The allelic combination of ROP18/ROP5 genes of Toxoplasma gondii has been shown to be highly predictive of mouse virulence in canonical isolates and strains. The aims of this study were to analyze the alleles present in the ROP18/ROP5 genes from T. gondii isolates obtained in Argentina, to associate the results with the virulence registered in mouse model, and to compare with other isolates and reference strains using a phylogenetic network. Fourteen T. gondii isolates from Argentina were analyzed by nPCR-RFLP for ROP18/ROP5. Phylogenetic network analysis was inferred using the ToxoDB genotypes and the ROPs molecular markers. All isolates and reference strains were categorized as lethal or non-lethal. As results, combinations 2/2, 3/3 and 4/3 for ROP18/ROP5 were detected in 12 isolates, whereas only alleles 1 and 2 of ROP5 were detected in 2 isolates. The majority of the isolates had a mouse virulence matching to that predicted by the ROP18/ROP5 allele combination. The 3 isolates that differed from the expected virulence presented non-clonal genotypes. ROPs incorporation increased the accuracy of the phylogenetic network relations among the T. gondii samples, prevailing the clustering according to regions. Our results indicate a predominance of type 3 allele in both ROP18 and ROP5 markers and an association of allelic profiles 3/3 and 4/3 of non-clonal genotypes from Argentina, both with virulent and avirulent profiles in mice.
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Borges-Silva W, Rezende-Gondim MM, Galvão GS, Rocha DS, Albuquerque GR, Gondim LP. Cytologic detection of Toxoplasma gondii in the cerebrospinal fluid of a dog and in vitro isolation of a unique mouse-virulent recombinant strain. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021; 33:591-594. [PMID: 33719752 DOI: 10.1177/1040638721996685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites resembling Neospora caninum or Toxoplasma gondii were detected by cytologic examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a dog with neurologic disease. The dog became severely ill and was euthanized. Canine tissue homogenates were used for direct parasite isolation in cell culture, bioassay in 2 mouse lineages, and PCR. T. gondii was isolated in monkey kidney cells, and species identity was confirmed by PCR. Inoculated parasites were highly virulent for mice, which developed clinical signs and were euthanized immediately. PCR-RFLP for T. gondii using the cultured isolate (TgDgBA22) was conducted with 12 genetic markers, and a unique recombinant strain was identified. Detection of T. gondii by CSF cytology, although described in humans, had not been reported previously in dogs, to our knowledge, and was crucial for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in the examined dog.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waléria Borges-Silva
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Pathology and Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Mariana M Rezende-Gondim
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Pathology and Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Gideão S Galvão
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Pathology and Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Daniele S Rocha
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, State University of Santa Cruz, Campus Soane Nazaré de Andrade, Bahia, Brazil
| | - George R Albuquerque
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, State University of Santa Cruz, Campus Soane Nazaré de Andrade, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Luís P Gondim
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Pathology and Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil
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Experimental infection with Toxoplasma gondii in broiler chickens (Gallus domesticus): seroconversion, tissue cyst distribution, and prophylaxis. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:593-603. [PMID: 33415386 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06984-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread zoonotic protozoan that infects most species of mammals and birds, including poultry. This study aimed to investigate the course of T. gondii infection and the efficacy of diclazuril and Artemisia annua in preventing infection in experimentally infected chickens. Seventy-five 1-month-old chickens, female and male, were randomly divided into five groups (n = 15 each) as follows: (1) uninfected untreated (negative control, NC); (2) infected with T. gondii genotype II/III isolated from a wild cat (group WC); (3) infected with T. gondii genotype II isolated from a domestic cat (group DC); (4) infected with T. gondii domestic cat strain and treated with the anticoccidial diclazuril (group DC-D); and (5) infected with T. gondii domestic cat strain and treated with the medicinal plant Artemisia annua (group DC-A). Clinical signs, body temperature, mortality rate, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, hematological parameters, and the presence of T. gondii-specific IgY antibodies were recorded in all groups. Five chickens per group were euthanized 28 days post-infection (p.i.) and their brains, hearts, and breast muscle tested for T. gondii by mouse bioassay and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). No clinical signs related to the experimental infection were observed throughout the study period. T. gondii-specific antibodies were detected by day 28 p.i., but not in all infected chickens. Overall, T. gondii DNA was detected (bioassay or tissue digests) in all infected and untreated chickens (10/10), while viable parasite (bioassay) was isolated from 7 out of 10 chickens. The parasite was most frequently identified in the brain (7/10). There were no differences in the T. gondii strains regarding clinical infection and the rate of T. gondii detection in tissues. However, higher antibody titers were obtained in chickens infected with T. gondii WC strain (1:192) comparing with T. gondii DC strain (1:48). A. annua reduced replication of the parasite in 3 out of 5 chickens, while diclazuril did not. In conclusion, broiler chickens were resistant to clinical toxoplasmosis, irrespective of the strain (domestic or wild cat strain). The herb A. annua presented prophylactic efficacy by reduced parasite replication. However, further studies are required aiming at the efficacy of diclazuril and A. annua for the prevention of T. gondii infection in chickens using quantitative analysis methods.
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Casartelli-Alves L, Pereira SA, Ferreira LC, de Macedo Couto R, Schubach TMP, Amendoeira MRR, da Silva RC, Langoni H, Millar PR, Menezes RC. Genetic and histopathological characterization of Toxoplasma gondii genotypes isolated from free-range chickens reared in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:665-677. [PMID: 33415402 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-07011-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to genetically characterize Toxoplasma gondii isolates obtained from free-range chickens reared in the metropolitan region of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and to evaluate the morbidity and histological changes associated with these isolates in mice. A mouse bioassay was used to isolate T. gondii from a pool of tissue samples (brain, heart, and thigh muscles) collected from 163 chickens. The 36 isolates obtained were genetically characterized by restriction fragment polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of the SAG1, 5'-3'SAG2, aSAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico, and CS3 genomic regions. Seventeen atypical genotypes were identified and nine of them were reported for the first time. All identified genotypes caused clinical signs and histological changes in mice, with the majority being associated with high cumulative morbidity (65%) and severe or very severe histological changes (76%). The exclusive identification of atypical genotypes, with a predominance of new genotypes, indicates great genetic diversity of T. gondii in the region studied. In addition, the finding that all identified genotypes caused clinical signs and often severe histological changes in mice suggests potentially relevant virulence of these strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Casartelli-Alves
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Sandro Antonio Pereira
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Luiz Cláudio Ferreira
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo de Macedo Couto
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Tânia Maria Pacheco Schubach
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Rodrigo Costa da Silva
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade do Oeste Paulista, Presidente Prudente, SP, Brazil
| | - Hélio Langoni
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Riddell Millar
- Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Prof. Hernani Pires de Melo, 101, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Rodrigo Caldas Menezes
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Avenida Brasil, 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Lv QY, Quan MX, Tang HL, Wu XT, Liu GH, Li F, Hu SF. Seroprevalence, Risk Factors, and Genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii in Free-Range Chickens Intended for Human Consumption in China. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2020; 18:253-259. [PMID: 33306935 DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2020.2844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan with worldwide distribution that infects birds and mammals, including humans. The consumption of free-range chicken meat is a common practice in many parts of the world. However, little information is available concerning the molecular prevalence and genotypes of T. gondii infection in free-range chickens intended for human consumption in China. In this study, a total of 1360 serum samples were collected from food markets in Hunan province of China for detecting T. gondii antibodies by indirect hemagglutination assay. In addition, 650 brain tissues were also collected to investigate T. gondii DNA by amplification of B1 gene with a seminested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the positive DNA samples were typed at 10 genetic markers using multilocus PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 457 of the examined serum samples (33.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 31.1-36.1), and 72 DNA samples (11.1%; 95% CI: 8.6-13.4) were positive for the T. gondii B1 gene. In this study, region and age of free-range chickens were shown to be risk factors for T. gondii infection (p < 0.01). Two genotypes (ToxoDB#9 and ToxoDB#52) were identified from two samples with complete genotyping results. Our study revealed a high prevalence of T. gondii infection in free-range chickens intended for human consumption in Hunan province, suggesting that recommendations to consumers should be made, especially in some regions of China where consumption of undercooked chicken meat is common. This is the first genetic characterization of T. gondii in free-range chickens intended for human consumption in Hunan province, China, and also the first report of genotype ToxoDB#52 in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu-Yan Lv
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Min-Xiu Quan
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Hua-Li Tang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xi-Ting Wu
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Guo-Hua Liu
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Fen Li
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Shi-Feng Hu
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
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47
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Santana CH, de Oliveira AR, Dos Santos DO, Pimentel SP, de Souza LDR, Moreira LGA, Braz HMB, de Carvalho TP, Lopes CEB, Oliveira JBS, de Paula NF, de Carvalho MPN, Alves BF, Pena HFJ, Santos RL. Genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii in a lethal toxoplasmosis outbreak affecting captive howler monkeys (Alouatta sp.). J Med Primatol 2020; 50:99-107. [PMID: 33283281 DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease that affects humans and warm-blooded animals. This study describes an outbreak of toxoplasmosis in howler monkeys (Alouatta sp.) and survival of capuchins (Sapajus apella), under the same environmental conditions. METHODS Howler monkeys were submitted to post-mortem examination. Tissue samples were processed to histopathology and immunohistochemistry to detect lesions and tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii. Tissue samples were also frozen and submitted to PCR and genotyping of T. gondii. RESULTS Typical lesions were observed in several organs including the liver, lymph node, and brain, with intralesional cysts and tachyzoites of T. gondii demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. T. gondii genomic sequences were amplified by PCR, and genotyping characterized the same T. gondii clone in all howler monkeys. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the notion that some species of neotropical primates are highly susceptible to toxoplasmosis and the hypothesis that capuchins (S. apella) may be resistant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa Helena Santana
- Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ayisa Rodrigues de Oliveira
- Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Daniel O Dos Santos
- Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Samantha Pinheiro Pimentel
- Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Lucas Dos Reis de Souza
- Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Larissa Giannini Alves Moreira
- Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Heloísia Maria Bressan Braz
- Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Thaynara Parente de Carvalho
- Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Carlos Eduardo Bastos Lopes
- Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Jefferson Bruno Soares Oliveira
- Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Nayara Ferreira de Paula
- Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Pires Nogueira de Carvalho
- Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Bruna Farias Alves
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal (VPS), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Hilda Fátima Jesus Pena
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal (VPS), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Renato Lima Santos
- Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Witter R, Pena HFJ, Maia MO, de Magalhães AO, Morgado TO, Colodel EM, Barros DA, Igarashi M, Gennari SM, Pacheco RC. Isolation and genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii in the Midwestern Brazil revealed high genetic diversity and new genotypes. Acta Trop 2020; 212:105681. [PMID: 32926845 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We aimed to describe the genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii strains isolated from domestic animals, wildlife and humans in the Midwestern Brazil. For this purpose, fragments of tissue samples (heart, brain and lung) from 35 dogs, four cats, 105 wildlife, and amniotic fluids from eight pregnant women were collected and submitted to mouse bioassay test. In a total, 22 isolates from nine dogs, one cat, ten wild animals and two women were obtained. The DNA was extracted from T. gondii isolates (lungs and brains of infected mice) and from "primary samples" (aliquots of tissue homogenate from wild animals and amniotic fluids from pregnant women) in order to screen using a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeting a repeated 529-base pairs fragment of the T. gondii genome. All positive PCR samples were genotyped using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first study to report isolates of T. gondii from Leopardus pardalis, Crax fasciolata, and Dasyprocta azarae. Moreover, multilocus PCR-RFLP revealed 11 T. gondii RFLP genotypes, comprising nine previously described, including the archetypal lineage #2 type III (n = 1); two clonal Brazilian lineages, #6 type BrI (n = 1) and #8 type BrIII (n = 5); #14 (n = 2), #41 (n = 1), #108 (n = 1), #140 (n = 2), #166 (n = 4), #190 (n = 1), one potentially mixed, and two new described genotypes in two isolates. Our results confirmed the high diversity of T. gondii strains in Brazil, including identical genotypes circulating among humans, domestic dogs and wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rute Witter
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias-PPGVET, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária-FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil; Instituto Federal de Rondônia-IFRO, campus Jaru, Jaru, RO, Brazil
| | - Hilda Fátima Jesus Pena
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal-VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia-FMVZ, Universidade de São Paulo-USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Maerle Oliveira Maia
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias-PPGVET, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária-FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Aline Oliveira de Magalhães
- Programa de Residência Uniprofissional em Medicina Veterinária-PRUMV, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária-FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Thaís Oliveira Morgado
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias-PPGVET, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária-FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Edson Moleta Colodel
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias-PPGVET, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária-FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Daniela Araujo Barros
- Faculdade de Medicina-FM, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Michelle Igarashi
- Faculdade de Medicina-FM, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Solange Maria Gennari
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal-VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia-FMVZ, Universidade de São Paulo-USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina e Bem-Estar Animal, Universidade de Santo Amaro - UNISA, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Richard Campos Pacheco
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias-PPGVET, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária-FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
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49
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Pinto-Ferreira F, Nino BDSL, Martins FDC, Monica TC, Britto IC, Signori A, Medici KC, Freire RL, Navarro IT, Garcia JL, Headley SA, Vogel FSF, Minuzzi CE, Portella LP, Bräunig P, Sangioni LA, Ludwig A, Ramos LS, Pacheco L, Silva CR, Pacheco FC, Menegolla IA, Farinha LB, Haas S, Canal N, Mineo JR, Difante CM, Mitsuka-Breganó R. Isolation, genetic and immunohistochemical identification of Toxoplasma gondii from human placenta in a large toxoplasmosis outbreak in southern Brazil, 2018. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 85:104589. [PMID: 33039602 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The present study aimed to describe a molecular analysis of environmental and pork samples, the isolation, genetic identification and immunohistochemistry (IHC) of Toxoplama gondii from placenta and amniotic fluid from five pregnant women that miscarried during a toxoplasmosis outbreak in 2018, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. Environmental and pork samples were submitted to polymerase chain reaction (PCR); placenta and amniotic fluid samples to histopathology, IHC, mouse bioassay and PCR. All samples were genotyped by PCR-RFLP with 11 loci. Histopathologic and IHC were compatibles with toxoplasmosis. All pregnants were positive in PCR and bioassay, the genotypes were compared, and all were equal suggesting a same source of infection. Among the environmental and food samples, a sludge sample from a water tank and two porks samples were positive in PCR, and the genotypes were different from the pregnant women isolates. It is concluded that obtain and compare isolates is essential to elucidate outbreak source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Pinto-Ferreira
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
| | - Beatriz de Souza Lima Nino
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
| | | | - Thais Cabral Monica
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Isadora Cortella Britto
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Ariana Signori
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Kerlei Cristina Medici
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
| | - Roberta Lemos Freire
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
| | - Italmar Teodorico Navarro
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
| | - João Luis Garcia
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
| | - Selwyn Arlington Headley
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
| | | | - Camila E Minuzzi
- Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Patricia Bräunig
- Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Aline Ludwig
- Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Luciane Silva Ramos
- Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Liliane Pacheco
- Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Lourdes Bonfleur Farinha
- Vigilância Epidemiológica 4(a) Regional de Saúde - Secretaria da Saúde, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Simone Haas
- LACEN/RS - Laboratório Central de Saúde Pública do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Natalia Canal
- LACEN/RS - Laboratório Central de Saúde Pública do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | | | - Cledison Marcio Difante
- Superintendência de Vigilância em Saúde/Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Regina Mitsuka-Breganó
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
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50
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A simple method to generate PCR-RFLP typing profiles from DNA sequences in Toxoplasma gondii. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 85:104590. [PMID: 33039604 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Multilocus polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) has been widely used to genotype microorganisms. Accumulation of data generated by this method has helped to reveal genetic diversity, population structure and transmission of many microbial pathogens. Advances in DNA sequencing technologies have made it possible to identify microorganisms by multilocus sequencing typing (MLST) or whole genome sequence typing (WGST) to reach high resolution of identification. While MLST and WGST are gradually replacing PCR-RFLP for genotyping, invaluable databases generated by the latter may not be easily linked to datasets generated by sequencing based methods. In addition, DNA sequences corresponding to PCR-RFLP markers are often deposited in public domains but not fully explored to infer the RFLP profile. To alleviate this problem, we developed a simple protocol that can generate PCR-RFLP profiles from DNA sequence data, therefore facilitating the integration of data generated by different typing methods. Here we used the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii as an example to bridge different typing methods.
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