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Obonyo FO, Maingi N, Githigia SM, Ochwedo KO, Owiti AA, Nyaboga EN. First Report on the Molecular Detection and Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii From Donkeys in Kenya. Acta Parasitol 2024:10.1007/s11686-024-00905-z. [PMID: 39160342 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-024-00905-z] [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: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The present study was conducted to determine the presence of Toxoplasma gondii in donkeys by molecular tests and genetic diversity analysis of the obtained DNA samples from central Kenya. METHOD A total of 363 blood samples were collected from donkeys in Meru and Kirinyaga Counties, and 96 samples that were previously seropositive for T. gondii using indirect ELISA were subjected to nested PCR based on the amplification of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) gene followed by DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Genotyping was performed on 15 selected positive samples using multilocus nested polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (Mn-PCR-RFLP) with eight genetic markers ('SAG 2, 5'SAG 2, Alt. SAG 2, SAG 3, GRA 6, C29-2, BTUB and L358). RESULTS Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in 36.5% (35/96) of the blood samples. The sequences obtained exhibited 98.2-99.5% homology with those deposited in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the obtained sequences are conserved and clustered with those of infecting animals from other regions of the world. Eighteen distinct T. gondii haplotypes were identified to be circulating in donkeys from central Kenya. The T. gondii DNA samples exhibited high haplotype diversity (Hd: 0.915) and limited genetic diversity (π = 0.01027). PCR-RFLP of T. gondii DNA-positive samples revealed three different genetic combinations that consisted of alleles I, II and III, indicating the dissemination of atypical genotypes. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that T. gondii is widespread in donkeys from Kenya and could be a possible source of infection in humans. These findings are important for designing control strategies for this parasite to improve the livestock sector, which is one of the main sources of livelihood for farmers in Kenya.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredrick O Obonyo
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 29053, Kangemi, 00625, Kenya.
- Department of Animal Science, Meru University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 972, Meru, 60200, Kenya.
| | - Ndichu Maingi
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 29053, Kangemi, 00625, Kenya
| | - Samuel M Githigia
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 29053, Kangemi, 00625, Kenya
| | - Kevin O Ochwedo
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, 492 W Taylor Ave, Apt 6, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Anne A Owiti
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya
| | - Evans N Nyaboga
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya
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Cleveland CA, Haynes E, Callaghan KC, Fojtik A, Coker S, Doub E, Brown VR, Majewska AA, Yabsley MJ. Distribution and prevalence of antibodies to Trichinella spp. and Toxoplasma gondii in wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in the United States. Vet Parasitol 2024; 325:110090. [PMID: 38043480 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110090] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are a reservoir for over 100 viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens that are transmissible to humans, livestock, domestic animals, and wildlife in North America. Numerous historical local surveys and results from a nation-wide survey (2006-2010) indicated that wild pigs in the United States act as reservoirs for Trichinella spp. and Toxoplasma gondii, two zoonotic pathogens of importance for human and animal health. Since that time, wild pig populations have expanded and increased in density in many areas. Population expansion of wild pigs creates opportunities for the introduction of pathogens to new areas of the country, increasing health risks. The goal of this study was to investigate the current geographic distribution and prevalence of Trichinella spp. and T. gondii antibodies in wild pigs using serum samples collected from 2014 to 2020. Serum samples from 36 states were tested for antibodies to Trichinella spp. (n = 7467) and T. gondii (n = 5984) using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Seroprevalence for Trichinella spp. (12.4%, 927/7467) and T. gondii (40.8%, 2444/5984) are significantly higher compared to a previous 2006-2010 study across all regions. Results from this study also showed a lower seroprevalence (4.8%) for Trichinella spp. in the West region compared to the other regions (South: 13.4%; Midwest: 18.4%; Northeast: 19.1%). There were new detection records for antibodies to Trichinella spp. in 11 states, mostly in the West, Midwest, and Northeast regions compared to a previous study in 2014. Males and juveniles were less likely to be positive for Trichinella spp. antibodies, compared to females and older animals, respectively. Seroprevalence was similar for T. gondii across the regions (31.8-56%) with some states having particularly high seroprevalence (e.g., Hawaii 79.4% and Pennsylvania 68%). There were new T. gondii antibody detection records for 12 states, mostly in the West, Midwest, and Northeast regions. Adults were more likely than juveniles and subadults to be seropositive. These data confirm that the distribution and prevalence of antibodies for Trichinella spp. and T. gondii are increasing in the United States, likely driven by wild pig population growth and range expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Cleveland
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Ellen Haynes
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Katherine C Callaghan
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Alinde Fojtik
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Sarah Coker
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Emily Doub
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Vienna R Brown
- USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - Ania A Majewska
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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Ren H, Mao G, Zhang Y, Zhu N, Liang Q, Jiang Y, Yang Y. Isolation and Characterization of a Viable Toxoplasma gondii from Captive Caracal ( Caracal caracal). Pathogens 2023; 12:1412. [PMID: 38133295 PMCID: PMC10747901 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12121412] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread protozoan parasite that infects most warm-blooded animals, and felids can serve as intermediate and definitive hosts. Pathological diagnosis and serological and etiological investigations were conducted on a captive caracal (Caracal caracal) carcass collected from China in 2022. Pathological diagnosis revealed that cardiac insufficiency, pulmonary edema, hepatic failure, and renal insufficiency were the causes of the caracal's death. A modified agglutination test (cut-off: 1:25) revealed that IgG antibodies against T. gondii were present in the myocardium juice (1:1600), ascitic fluid (1:3200), and hydropericardium (1:800). A viable T. gondii (TgCaracalCHn2) strain was isolated from the tissue samples (heart, brain, spleen, and skeletal muscle) of this caracal using a mouse bioassay. The genotype of TgCaracalCHn2 was ToxoDB#5 (Type II variant), as determined via RFLP-PCR. The strain was avirulent in Swiss mice and matched the prediction of ROP18 and ROP5 gene alleles of TgCaracalCHn2 (2/2). Mild tissue cysts (203 ± 265) were observed in mice brains after inoculation with TgCaracalCHn2 tachyzoites. ToxoDB#5 is the dominant genotype in North American wildlife, and this is the first documented isolation of T. gondii ToxoDB#5 from China. This indicates that caracal plays an important role in the transmission of this T. gondii genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjie Ren
- College of Animal Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Gaohui Mao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Niuping Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Qunchao Liang
- Henan Yinji Jiabao Amusement Park Management Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou 452300, China
| | - Yibao Jiang
- College of Animal Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Yurong Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
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Hensel ME, Landsgaard K, Wang W, Neupane S, Su C, Blue-McClendon A, Porter BF, Uzal FA, Rech R. Toxoplasmosis in ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) and a peahen (Pavo cristatus) in a zoological collection caused by the common toxoplasma genotype in wild animals in the US. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2023; 41:100876. [PMID: 37208075 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100876] [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: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is caused by the ubiquitous Apicomplexan protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. This pathogen affects domestic and wildlife species, but prosimians including ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) are highly susceptible to infection with high mortality rates. Avian species are considered resistant to infection and are often used in surveillance efforts to determine genotypes of T. gondii present in geographical areas. This study describes the gross and histologic lesions of an outbreak of toxoplasmosis in a university-run zoological collection involving three ring-tailed lemurs and a peahen (Pavo cristatus). DNA was extracted from the liver of the lemurs and peahen to determine the genotype of T. gondii by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), which revealed that all samples were ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype #5 (haplogroup 12) that is common in wildlife in North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- M E Hensel
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, United States of America; Department of Comparative Medicine, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, United States of America
| | - K Landsgaard
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, United States of America
| | - W Wang
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-0845, United States of America
| | - S Neupane
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, United States of America
| | - C Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-0845, United States of America
| | - A Blue-McClendon
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States of America
| | - B F Porter
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, United States of America
| | - F A Uzal
- California Animal Health and Food Safety, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA 92408, United States of America
| | - R Rech
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, United States of America.
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Yang L, Ren H, Zhu N, Mao G, Li J, Su C, Jiang Y, Yang Y. Epidemiology and isolation of viable Toxoplasma gondii strain from macropods. Heliyon 2023; 9:e13960. [PMID: 36938389 PMCID: PMC10015192 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13960] [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: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Wallabies and other marsupials are highly susceptible to Toxoplasma gondii. In this study, 26 macropod samples were collected (8 red kangaroos, 4 Parma wallabies, 8 red-necked wallabies, 5 albino red-necked wallabies and 1 Eastern grey kangaroo), including tissue (n = 9) and serum (n = 17) samples. According to the modified agglutination test (MAT) results (cutoff 1:25), 50% (95% Cl: 32.06-67.94%) of the macropods had T. gondii antibodies. Among them, species, survival state, and sampling date were risk factors for T. gondii susceptibility (P < 0.05). T. gondii DNA was detected in two (cases #14 and #15) of the nine cases obtained from macropod tissues. One viable T. gondii strain (TgRooCHn4) was isolated from an albino red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus, case #14) via bioassay in mice. TgRooCHn4 belongs to ToxoDB genotype #3, using the 10 multilocus PCR-RFLP markers. The ROP18 and ROP5 gene allele types of TgRooCHn4 were 2/2, which was predicted to be non-lethal to mice. The virulence of TgRooCHn4 tachyzoites was avirulent in mice. Most macropods sampled from Hernan province in 2021 and 2022 were positive with T. gondii infection. A flood occurred in July 2021 in Zhengzhou from Henan province may promote the transmission of T. gondii oocysts. To our knowledge, this is the first T. gondii strain isolated from albino red-necked wallaby. However, further investigation is required to enhance our understanding of the transmission and prevention of toxoplasmosis in sensitive zoo animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liulu Yang
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, PR China
| | - Hongjie Ren
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, PR China
| | - Niuping Zhu
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, PR China
| | - Gaohui Mao
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, PR China
| | | | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
| | - Yibao Jiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, PR China
- Corresponding author.
| | - Yurong Yang
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, PR China
- Corresponding author.
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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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Genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from birds in the world: A systematic review. Exp Parasitol 2023; 248:108480. [PMID: 36863682 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108480] [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: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is one of the most important foodborne pathogens that infects a large number of vertebrate species and has a cosmopolitan distribution. Birds as intermediate hosts are very important in the life cycle of T. gondii and they can be a main source of infection for humans and felids, as well as other animals. Most species of birds feed from the ground and are the best indicator for soil contamination with T. gondii oocysts. Hence, T. gondii strains isolated from birds can represent different genotypes circulating in the environment and their main predators and consumers. The recent systematic review tries to represent the population structure of T. gondii in birds around the world. Six English language databases were searched from 1990 to 2020 to find the related studies and overall, 1275 isolates of T. gondii were separated from the analyzed samples in birds. The results of our study revealed that atypical genotypes were predominant (58.8%, 750 out of 1275). Types II, III, and I had less frequency with prevalence rates of 23.4%, 13.8%, and 2%, respectively. No isolates of Type I were reported from Africa. Summarizing ToxoDB genotypes circulating in birds around the world manifested that ToxoDB #2 was the most common (101/875), followed by ToxoDB #1 (80/875), and #3 (63/875). Totally, the results of our review represented the high genetic diversity of T. gondii with circulating non-clonal strains in birds from South and North America, while clonal parasites with low genetic diversity were predominant in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
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Yang L, Xin S, Zhu N, Li J, Su C, Yang Y. Two viable Toxoplasma gondii isolates from red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus) and red kangaroo (M. rufus). Parasitol Int 2023; 92:102687. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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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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Guimarães Gois PS, Franco PS, Cota Teixeira S, Guirelli PM, de Araújo TE, da Fonseca Batistão DW, de Oliveira FC, Lícia Santos Ferreira G, de Oliveira Gomes A, Favoreto S, Mineo JR, de Freitas Barbosa B, Ferro EAV. Polarisation of human macrophages towards an M1 subtype triggered by an atypical Brazilian strain of Toxoplasma gondii results in a reduction in parasite burden. Folia Parasitol (Praha) 2022; 69. [DOI: 10.14411/fp.2022.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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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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Galeh TM, Sarvi S, Hosseini SA, Daryani A. Genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from rodents in the world: A systematic review. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:943-957. [PMID: 33825346 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is one of the most frequent food-borne infections in humans caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. Rodents, as intermediate and reservoir hosts, play key role in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis; because they are the main source of infection for the Felidae family members and establish the parasite life cycle. Hence, the infectious isolates of T. gondii in rodents may be the main genotypes infecting the environment, humans and animals. Our review aimed to present the population structure of T. gondii in these mammals. To access the relevant studies, six English language databases were systematically searched from 1990 to 2019. Finally, 3,395 samples of rodents were analysed for the genotyping data and 118 isolates were separated from the samples. The results of the present study showed that atypical genotypes were dominant with a frequency of 65.2% of the total isolates (77 out of 118). Clonal Types II, III and I had less frequency, respectively. Type I clonal isolates were identified only from Asia. The examination of genotypes circulating in rodents around the world revealed that ToxoDB #1 or #3 (Type II) were the most common, followed by ToxoDB #9 and #2, respectively. Overall, our data showed low genetic diversity of T. gondii with circulating clonal strains in rodents compare to the isolates from Europe, North America and Africa, while non-clonal parasites with high genetic diversity were dominant in South America and Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahereh Mikaeili Galeh
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Student of Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahabeddin Sarvi
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Seyed Abdollah Hosseini
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Daryani
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
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13
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Stollberg KC, Schares G, Mayer-Scholl A, Hrushetska I, Diescher S, Johne A, Richter MH, Bier NS. Comparison of Direct and Indirect Toxoplasma gondii Detection and Genotyping in Game: Relationship and Challenges. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9081663. [PMID: 34442742 PMCID: PMC8399173 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of game as a source of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection in humans is largely unknown. New data on the presence of T. gondii in game hunted in the Federal State of Brandenburg, Germany, were obtained by direct and indirect detection (ELISA). DNA extracted either directly (5 g heart or foreleg muscle, DE) or after acid pepsin digestion (50 g heart, PD) or enriched by magnetic capture (50 g heart, MC) was examined by real-time PCR (qPCR). ELISA revealed seroprevalences of 20% in wild boar (Sus scrofa), 11% in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and 6% in red deer (Cervus elaphus). T. gondii DNA was detected by at least one direct detection method in 12% of wild boar, 6% of roe deer, 2% of fallow deer (Dama dama) and 2% of red deer. In both, positive wild boar and roe deer, T. gondii type II specific alleles were the most prevalent, as assessed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The highest proportion of positive animals was detected by MC qPCR, followed by PD qPCR with a similar proportion of positive findings. Investigation of 50 g of heart muscle revealed a significantly higher proportion of positive qPCR results than analysis of 5 g (p = 0.048). An association between seropositivity and direct detection was evident in wild boar and roe deer (p < 0.001). Infectivity of T. gondii DNA–positive samples was confirmed by bioassay (4/4), providing evidence that game could represent a relevant source of viable T. gondii posing a risk for human infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaya C. Stollberg
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Department for Safety in the Food Chain, 10589 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Gereon Schares
- National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany;
| | - Anne Mayer-Scholl
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Department for Biological Safety, 12277 Berlin, Germany; (A.M.-S.); (I.H.); (S.D.); (A.J.); (M.H.R.)
| | - Iryna Hrushetska
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Department for Biological Safety, 12277 Berlin, Germany; (A.M.-S.); (I.H.); (S.D.); (A.J.); (M.H.R.)
| | - Susanne Diescher
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Department for Biological Safety, 12277 Berlin, Germany; (A.M.-S.); (I.H.); (S.D.); (A.J.); (M.H.R.)
| | - Annette Johne
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Department for Biological Safety, 12277 Berlin, Germany; (A.M.-S.); (I.H.); (S.D.); (A.J.); (M.H.R.)
| | - Martin H. Richter
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Department for Biological Safety, 12277 Berlin, Germany; (A.M.-S.); (I.H.); (S.D.); (A.J.); (M.H.R.)
| | - Nadja S. Bier
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Department for Biological Safety, 12277 Berlin, Germany; (A.M.-S.); (I.H.); (S.D.); (A.J.); (M.H.R.)
- Correspondence:
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14
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Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in American Black Bears (Ursus americanus) in Nevada, USA, using an Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay. J Wildl Dis 2021; 57:408-412. [PMID: 33822154 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00066] [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] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Archived serum samples taken between 1997 and 2017 from 170 American black bears (Ursus americanus) in the Lake Tahoe area between California and Nevada, US, were tested for Toxoplasma antibodies to assess the seroprevalence of this agent. Samples were screened using a commercial porcine Toxoplasma (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) modified with Protein A/G peroxidase and compared to a traditional fluorescent antibody test. Results were analyzed to determine if there were differences in seroprevalence based on the test used, sex of bears, or habitat usage (urban-suburban vs. wildland). No significant differences in seroprevalence were attributable to any of these parameters. The overall seropositivity for bears was 36% (62/170), with urban-suburban bears scoring lower (31%; 37/119) than rural-wildland bears (40%; 18/45). Our results strongly support the use of a Protein A/G-modified ELISA for determining Toxoplasma exposure in black bears. We found somewhat lower levels of Toxoplasma antibodies in black bears from this region than in several reports from populations in the eastern US.
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15
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Dubey JP, Murata FHA, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OCH, Su C. EPIDEMIOLOGIC AND PUBLIC HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII INFECTIONS IN BEARS (URSUS SPP.): A 50 YEAR REVIEW INCLUDING RECENT GENETIC EVIDENCE. J Parasitol 2021; 107:519-528. [PMID: 34167147 DOI: 10.1645/21-16] [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: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. The present review summarizes worldwide information on the prevalence of clinical and subclinical infections, epidemiology, and genetic diversity of T. gondii infections in bears. Seroprevalence estimates of T. gondii in black bears (Ursus americanus) are one of the highest of all animals. In Pennsylvania, seroprevalence is around 80% and has remained stable for the past 4 decades. Approximately 3,500 bears are hunted yearly in Pennsylvania alone. The validity of different serological tests is discussed based on bioassay and serological comparisons. Seroprevalence in grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) is lower than that in black bears. Even polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are infected; infections in these animals are ecologically interesting because of the absence of felids in the Arctic. Clinical toxoplasmosis in bears is rare and not documented in adult animals. The few reports of fatal toxoplasmosis in young bears need confirmation. Viable T. gondii has been isolated from black bears and a grizzly bear. The genetic diversity of isolates based on DNA from viable T. gondii isolates is discussed. Genetic typing of a total of 26 T. gondii samples from bears using 10 PCR-RFLP markers revealed 8 PCR-RFLP ToxoDB genotypes: #1 (clonal type II) in 3 samples, #2 (clonal type III) in 8 samples, #4 (haplogroup 12) in 3 samples, #5 (haplogroup 12) in 3 samples, #74 in 5 samples, #90 in 1 sample, #147 in 1 sample, and #216 in 2 samples. These results suggest relatively high genetic diversity of T. gondii in bears. Overall, T. gondii isolates in bears range from those circulating in a domestic cycle (genotypes #1 and #2) to those mainly associated with wildlife (such as genotypes #4 and #5, together known as haplogroup 12). A patient who acquired clinical Trichinella spiralis infection after eating undercooked bear meat also acquired T. gondii infection. Freezing of infected meat kills T. gondii, including the strains isolated from bears.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Dubey
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - F H A Murata
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - C K Cerqueira-Cézar
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - O C H Kwok
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - C Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-0845
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16
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Dubey JP, Murata FHA, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OCH, Su C, Grigg ME. Recent aspects on epidemiology, clinical disease, and genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii infections in Australasian marsupials. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:301. [PMID: 34090502 PMCID: PMC8180119 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04793-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. Among all intermediate hosts of T. gondii, captive marsupials from Australia and New Zealand are highly susceptible to clinical toxoplasmosis. However, most free-range marsupials establish chronic T. gondii infection. Infected marsupial meat may serve as a source of T. gondii infection for humans. Differences in mortality patterns in different species of kangaroos and other marsupials are not fully understood. Lifestyle, habitat, and the genotype of T. gondii are predicted to be risk factors. For example, koalas are rarely exposed to T. gondii because they live on treetops whereas wallabies on land are frequently exposed to infection. Methods The present review summarizes worldwide information on the prevalence of clinical and subclinical infections, epidemiology, and genetic diversity of T. gondii infecting Australasian marsupials in their native habitat and among exported animals over the past decade. The role of genetic types of T. gondii and clinical disease is discussed. Results Fatal toxoplasmosis has been diagnosed in captive Australasian marsupials in Argentina, Chile, China, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Spain, Turkey, and the USA. Most deaths occurred because of disseminated toxoplasmosis. Genetic characterization of T. gondii strains isolated from fatal marsupial infections identified Type III as well as atypical, nonclonal genotypes. Fatal toxoplasmosis was also diagnosed in free-ranging wombats (Vombatus ursinus) in Australia. Genetic characterization of DNA amplified directly from host tissues of subclinical culled kangaroos at slaughter identified many mixed-strain infections with both atypical and recombinant genotypes of T. gondii. Conclusions Most Australasian marsupials in their native land, Australia and New Zealand, have high prevalence of T. gondii, and kangaroo meat can be a source of infection for humans if consumed uncooked/undercooked. The genotypes prevalent in kangaroos in Australia and New Zealand were genetically distinct from those isolated or genotyped from most macropods in the USA and other countries. Thus, clinical toxoplasmosis in marsupials imported from Australia is most likely to occur from infections acquired after importation. Graphic abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitender P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA.
| | - Fernando H A Murata
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA
| | - Camila K Cerqueira-Cézar
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA
| | - Oliver C H Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-0845, USA
| | - Michael E Grigg
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20895, USA
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17
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Schumacher AC, Elbadawi LI, DeSalvo T, Straily A, Ajzenberg D, Letzer D, Moldenhauer E, Handly TL, Hill D, Dardé ML, Pomares C, Passebosc-Faure K, Bisgard K, Gomez CA, Press C, Smiley S, Montoya JG, Kazmierczak JJ. Toxoplasmosis Outbreak Associated With Toxoplasma gondii-Contaminated Venison-High Attack Rate, Unusual Clinical Presentation, and Atypical Genotype. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 72:1557-1565. [PMID: 32412062 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During 2017, in response to a physician's report, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Public Health, began investigating an outbreak of febrile illness among attendees of a retreat where never frozen, intentionally undercooked, locally harvested venison was served. Preliminary testing tentatively identified the illness as toxoplasmosis. METHODS Confirmatory human serology panels and testing of the venison to confirm and categorize the presence and type of Toxoplasma gondii were completed by French and American national reference laboratories. All 12 retreat attendees were interviewed; medical records were reviewed. RESULTS All attendees were male; median age was 51 years (range: 22-75). After a median incubation period of 7 days, 9 (82%) of 11 exposed persons experienced illness lasting a median of 12 days. All 9 sought outpatient healthcare for symptoms including fever, chills, sweats, and headache (100%) and ocular disturbances (33%). Testing confirmed the illness as toxoplasmosis and venison as the infection source. Multiple laboratory results were atypical for toxoplasmosis, including transaminitis (86%), lymphocytopenia (88%), thrombocytopenia (38%), and leukopenia (63%). One exposed but asymptomatic person was seronegative; the other had immunity from prior infection. The T. gondii strain was identified as closely related to an atypical genotype (haplogroup 12, polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism genotype 5) common in North American wildlife but with previously uncharacterized human clinical manifestations. CONCLUSIONS The T. gondii strain contaminating the venison might explain the unusual clinical presentations. In North America, clinicians and venison consumers should be aware of risk for severe or unusual presentations of acute toxoplasmosis after consuming undercooked game meat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy C Schumacher
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Lina I Elbadawi
- Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.,Center for Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Traci DeSalvo
- Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Anne Straily
- Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Daniel Ajzenberg
- INSERM, Université de Limoges, UMR_S 1094, Tropical Neuroepidemiology, Limoges, France.,University Hospital, French National Reference Center for Toxoplasmosis and Biological Resource Center for Toxoplasma, Limoges, France
| | - David Letzer
- Infectious Disease Specialists of Southeast Wisconsin, Brookfield, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ellen Moldenhauer
- Jackson County Health and Human Services, Black River Falls, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Tammy L Handly
- Jackson County Health and Human Services, Black River Falls, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Dolores Hill
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Lab, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
| | - Marie-Laure Dardé
- INSERM, Université de Limoges, UMR_S 1094, Tropical Neuroepidemiology, Limoges, France.,University Hospital, French National Reference Center for Toxoplasmosis and Biological Resource Center for Toxoplasma, Limoges, France
| | - Christelle Pomares
- Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, INSERM, U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Virulence microbienne et signalisation inflammatoire - Université de la Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Karine Passebosc-Faure
- University Hospital, French National Reference Center for Toxoplasmosis and Biological Resource Center for Toxoplasma, Limoges, France
| | - Kristine Bisgard
- Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Carlos A Gomez
- The Jack S. Remington Laboratory for Specialty Diagnostics, National Reference Center for the Study and Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis, Palo Alto, California, USA.,Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Cindy Press
- The Jack S. Remington Laboratory for Specialty Diagnostics, National Reference Center for the Study and Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Stephanie Smiley
- Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - José G Montoya
- The Jack S. Remington Laboratory for Specialty Diagnostics, National Reference Center for the Study and Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - James J Kazmierczak
- Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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18
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Dubey JP, Murata FHA, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OCH, Yang Y, Su C. Recent epidemiologic, clinical, and genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii infections in non-human primates. Res Vet Sci 2021; 136:631-641. [PMID: 33957546 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2021.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. The present review summarizes worldwide information on the prevalence of clinical and subclinical infections, epidemiology, diagnosis, and genetic diversity of T. gondii in non-human primates (NHP) for the past decade. Seroprevalence estimates of T. gondii worldwide were tabulated for each host. Risk factors associated with T. gondii infections are evaluated. New World NHP in captivity are highly susceptible to T. gondii infection with high mortality associated with disseminated toxoplasmosis. T. gondii can be transmitted to NHP in contact with symptomatic NHP. Therefore, precautions should be taken to prevent transmission of T. gondii to humans while handling symptomatic NHP. There were no reports of clinical toxoplasmosis in Old World NHP. Among the different genera of New World NHP, susceptibility to clinical toxoplasmosis varies a great deal; however, factors affecting this susceptibility are not fully understood. Genetic characteristics of T. gondii strains from monkeys is summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitender P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA.
| | - Fernando H A Murata
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Camila K Cerqueira-Cézar
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Oliver C H Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Yurong Yang
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, PR China
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-0845, USA
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19
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Dubey JP, Murata FHA, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OCH, Su C. Epidemiological Significance of Toxoplasma Gondii Infections in Wild Rodents: 2009-2020. J Parasitol 2021; 107:182-204. [PMID: 33662119 DOI: 10.1645/20-121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. Rodents are one of the most important intermediate hosts for T. gondii because they are preyed on by cats, who in turn excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts in their feces and thus spread the infection. Information on T. gondii infections is spread in numerous reports and is not easily accessible to readers. Here, we review prevalence, persistence of infection, clinical disease, epidemiology, and genetic diversity of T. gondii infections in wild rodents worldwide. Data are tabulated by country, by each rodent species alphabetically, and chronologically. Recent genetic diversity of T. gondii strains in rodents is critically evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - F H A Murata
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - C K Cerqueira-Cézar
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - O C H Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - C Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-0845
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20
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Arranz-Solís D, Carvalheiro CG, Zhang ER, Grigg ME, Saeij JPJ. Toxoplasma GRA Peptide-Specific Serologic Fingerprints Discriminate Among Major Strains Causing Toxoplasmosis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:621738. [PMID: 33680990 PMCID: PMC7935526 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.621738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The severity of toxoplasmosis depends on a combination of host and parasite factors. Among them, the Toxoplasma strain causing the infection is an important determinant of the disease outcome. Type 2 strains dominate in Europe, whereas in North America type 2, followed by type 3 and 12 strains are commonly isolated from wildlife and patients. To identify the strain type a person is infected with, serological typing provides a promising alternative to the often risky and not always possible biopsy-based DNA methods of genotyping. However, despite recent advances in serotyping, improvements in the sensitivity and specificity are still needed, and it does not yet discriminate among the major Toxoplasma lineages infecting people. Moreover, since infections caused by non-1/2/3 strains have been associated with more severe disease, the ability to identify these is critical. In the present study we investigated the diagnostic potential of an ELISA-based assay using 28 immunogenic Toxoplasma peptides derived from a recent large-scale peptide array screen. Our results show that a discrete number of peptides, derived from Toxoplasma dense granule proteins (GRA3, GRA5, GRA6, and GRA7) was sufficient to discriminate among archetypal strains that infect mice and humans. The assay specifically relies on ratios that compare individual serum reactivities against GRA-specific polymorphic peptide variants in order to determine a "reactivity fingerprint" for each of the major strains. Importantly, nonarchetypal strains that possess a unique combination of alleles, different from types 1/2/3, showed either a non-reactive, or different combinatorial, mixed serum reactivity signature that was diagnostic in its own right, and that can be used to identify these strains. Of note, we identified a distinct "HG11/12" reactivity pattern using the GRA6 peptides that is able to distinguish HG11/12 from archetypal North American/European strain infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Arranz-Solís
- Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Department, Veterinary Medicine School 3A, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Cristina G. Carvalheiro
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, Molecular Parasitology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States,Department of Pediatrics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth R. Zhang
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, Molecular Parasitology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Michael E. Grigg
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, Molecular Parasitology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Jeroen P. J. Saeij
- Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Department, Veterinary Medicine School 3A, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Jeroen P. J. Saeij,
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21
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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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Dubey JP, Murata FHA, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OCH, Su C. Epidemiologic significance of Toxoplasma gondii infections in turkeys, ducks, ratites and other wild birds: 2009-2020. Parasitology 2021; 148:1-30. [PMID: 33070787 PMCID: PMC11010194 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182020001961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. Wild and domestic avian species are important in the epidemiology of T. gondii infections because felids prey on them and excrete millions of oocysts in the environment, disseminating the infection. Herbivorous birds are also excellent sentinels of environmental contamination with T. gondii oocysts because they feed on the ground. Toxoplasma gondii infections in birds of prey reflect infections in intermediate hosts. Humans can become infected by consuming undercooked avian tissues. Here, the authors reviewed prevalence, persistence of infection, clinical disease, epidemiology and genetic diversity of T. gondii strains isolated from turkeys, geese, ducks, ratites and avian species (excluding chickens) worldwide 2009-2020. Genetic diversity of 102 T. gondii DNA samples isolated worldwide is discussed. The role of migratory birds in dissemination of T. gondii infection is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. P. Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD20705-2350, USA
| | - F. H. A. Murata
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD20705-2350, USA
| | - C. K. Cerqueira-Cézar
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD20705-2350, USA
| | - O. C. H. Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD20705-2350, USA
| | - C. Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN37996-0845, USA
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23
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Dubey JP, Murata FHA, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OCH. Recent epidemiologic and clinical Toxoplasma gondii infections in wild canids and other carnivores: 2009-2020. Vet Parasitol 2020; 290:109337. [PMID: 33476902 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. The present review summarizes worldwide information on the prevalence of clinical and subclinical infections, epidemiology, diagnosis, and genetic diversity of T. gondii in wild canids and other carnivores for the past decade. Seroprevalence estimates of T. gondii worldwide were tabulated for each host. Seroprevalence in wild foxes was very high compared with farmed Arctic foxes. Economic and public health aspects of some of the carnivore species raised for fur and meat (raccoon dogs, mink) are discussed. Diagnostic efficacies of different serological methods and PCR methods are discussed. Clinical toxoplasmosis was observed mainly in carnivores concurrently infected with immunosuppressive Canine Distemper Virus infection. Abortion and blindness were noted in mink. Genetic diversity of isolates using DNA derived from 162 (89 viable T. gondii isolates and 73 DNA extracted from tissues) of wild carnivores from several countries is discussed. However, 69 of the 162 T. gondii isolates were strains from USA and these were genetically diverse with predominance of ToxoDB genotypes #4 and #5 (haplogroup 12). Only limited information is available concerning genotyping of T. gondii isolates from other countries; none of the 93 T. gondii isolates from other countries (Brazil, China, France, Grenada) were haplogroup 12.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitender P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA.
| | - Fernando H A Murata
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA
| | - Camila K Cerqueira-Cézar
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA
| | - Oliver C H Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA
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24
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Tao Q, Wang X, Liu L, Ji Y, Luo Q, Du J, Yu L, Shen J, Chu D. Toxoplasma gondii Chinese I genotype Wh6 strain infection induces tau phosphorylation via activating GSK3β and causes hippocampal neuron apoptosis. Acta Trop 2020; 210:105560. [PMID: 32492398 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a neurophilic and intracellular parasite that can affect plenty of vertebrate animals, including humans. Recent researches indicate that T. gondii infection is associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease(AD). In addition, tau hyper-phosphorylation is a crucial event leading to the formation of nerve fiber tangles in AD. Despite the efforts to understand the interactions between T. gondii and AD, there are no clear results available so far. Here, we infected mice with the T. gondii of the Chinese 1 genotype Wh6 strain (TgCtwh6) for 60 days. Then we observed the formation of tissue cysts in the brain, the damage of neuron and the increased expression of phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in the hippocampal tissue of the mice. Similarly, we also found that p-tau, glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β), and phosphorylated GSK3β (p-GSK3β) were upregulated in vitro in TgCtwh6 challenged hippocampal neuron cell strain, HT22 cells. We noted a down-regulated expression of GSK3β,p-GSK3β, and p-tau in HT22 cells, which were pretreated with LiCl, an inhibitor of GSK3β. These data suggested that p-GSK3β may mediate tau phosphorylation after TgCtwh6 infection. Furthermore, TgCtwh6 infection also caused the increased expression of Bax and Caspase3, the decreased expression of Bcl-XL in HT22 cells, which had both early and late apoptosis. In all, our results indicated that TgCtwh6 infection not only led to phosphorylation of tau via activating GSK3β but also promoted hippocampal neuron apoptosis. Our research may partially reveal the mechanism with which TgCtwh6 induce neurofibrillary pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Tao
- Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xianhe Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Heifei, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yongsheng Ji
- Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qingli Luo
- Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jian Du
- Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Li Yu
- Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jilong Shen
- Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Deyong Chu
- Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
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25
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GENOTYPE IDENTIFICATION OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII IN MACROPODS FROM A ZOOLOGICAL PARK IN FLORIDA, USA. J Zoo Wildl Med 2020; 51:131-139. [PMID: 32212556 DOI: 10.1638/2019-0093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There are limited reports of the genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii infecting captive macropods in North America. A novel genotype, ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype 263, was reported from six wallabies at a zoological facility in Virginia, USA, prompting an investigation into the genotypes from T. gondii strains infecting macropods at a zoological park in Florida, USA. Cardiac muscle and/or lung samples from an agile wallaby (Macropus agilis, n = 1), red kangaroos (Macropus rufus, n = 8), red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus, n = 1), and a tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii, n = 1) that died between 2014 and 2018 were collected. All 11 cases were confirmed to have died from systemic toxoplasmosis by histopathology and immunohistochemical staining. Multilocus PCR-RFLP genotyping of T. gondii was performed directly on tissue samples or on parasites isolated from myocardium by mouse bioassay. Two cases of toxoplasmosis were identified as the reported novel genotype, ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype 263, but no common source of exposure could be identified. Five cases were identified as genotype 2 (type III strain, haplogroup 3), and four cases were identified as genotype 216, which has been previously reported in North American wildlife. There were no overt differences in lesion severity or distribution related to genotype. These results suggest that the premise was contaminated with at least three genotypes of T. gondii causing systemic toxoplasmosis in macropods. The largest cluster of fatal toxoplasmosis in macropods in the study period occurred following severe rainfall flooding of the exhibit, suggesting the transmission of T. gondii by water and pointing out the importance of this transmission mechanism. In summary, our study revealed three T. gondii outbreaks that caused significant loss of macropods within 5 yr in a zoological facility in Florida. More studies are needed to understand transmission and prevention of toxoplasmosis in sensitive zoo animals.
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26
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Díaz-Delgado J, Kellerman TE, Auckland L, Ferro PJ, Groch KR, Gomez G, Hamer SA. Trypanosoma cruzi Genotype I and Toxoplasma gondii Co-infection in a Red-Necked Wallaby. J Comp Pathol 2020; 179:52-58. [PMID: 32958148 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2020.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
While the health effects of trypanosomes in Australian mammals in their native range are not fully understood, there is evidence of an impact in those species introduced to other geographical regions. Here we report the pathological and molecular features of concurrent fatal trypanosomiasis and toxoplasmosis in an adult female captive red-necked wallaby (syn. Bennett's wallaby; Macropus rufogriseus) from Bee County, Texas, USA. The animal exhibited no clinical signs prior to sudden death. On necropsy, the main findings were generalized organ congestion and bilateral renal petechiation. Microscopically, the main finding was lymphohistiocytic and necrotizing pancarditis with intrasarcoplasmic protozoal pseudocysts containing amastigotes and occasional intrahistiocytic amastigotes, morphologically compatible with Trypanosoma cruzi, as well as rare intrasarcoplasmic protozoal tissue cysts with zoites morphologically compatible with Toxoplasma gondii. Other lesions included acute centrilobular to panlobular necrotizing hepatitis with intrahepatocellular T. gondii cysts, necrotizing splenitis, pulmonary oedema with fibrin, histiocytosis and rare fibrin microthrombi, and acute renal tubular degeneration with proteinosis and pigmented casts suggestive of haemoglobinuria or myoglobinuria. Immunohistochemical labelling confirmed intralesional T. gondii cysts and molecular analyses identified T. cruzi genotype I and T. gondii. This is a unique case that, to the best of our knowledge, represents the first description of T. cruzi and T. gondii co-infection, as well as the first record of naturally occurring infection T. cruzi genotype I infection in macropodids. This case adds to the epidemiological knowledge on Chagas disease in the USA, particularly in Texas where there is a high prevalence of human and canine trypanosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Díaz-Delgado
- Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, College Station, USA.
| | | | - L Auckland
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - P J Ferro
- Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, College Station, USA
| | - K R Groch
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - G Gomez
- Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, College Station, USA
| | - S A Hamer
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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27
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Galeh TM, Sarvi S, Montazeri M, Moosazadeh M, Nakhaei M, Shariatzadeh SA, Daryani A. Global Status of Toxoplasma gondii Seroprevalence in Rodents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:461. [PMID: 32851037 PMCID: PMC7411222 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is one of the most prevalent infections in humans and animals caused by the intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Rodents, as intermediate and reservoir hosts, play a key role in the maintenance and transmission of T. gondii. They can be contaminated and maintain the parasite in the form of cysts in their bodies, demonstrating an infection source for their offsprings, predators (particularly felids), and other animals. Therefore, the present systematic review and meta-analysis study was carried out to evaluate the global seroprevalence of T. gondii in these mammals. For achieving the purpose of the current study, six English databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar) were systematically searched for related studies from 1970 to 2018. Finally, a total of 52,372 records were screened, 105 records including 26,221 rodents were incorporated in the present study. By random effect models, the overall seroprevalence was calculated at 6% (95% CI = 6-7%), with the highest amount was observed in Africa (24%) and South America (18%), and the lowest amount in Europe (1%). The subgroup data analysis by gender manifested that the prevalence of Immunoglobulin G antibodies did not differ between genders (P > 0.05). Due to the significant heterogeneity, meta-regression models were applied based on serological techniques and continental regions; however, the obtained values were not statistically significant (P = 0.480 and P = 0.295, respectively). The present study revealed a relatively low level of T. gondii seroprevalence in rodents; however, if they were the main food source for their predators, they would cause high transmission of T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahereh Mikaeili Galeh
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahabeddin Sarvi
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahbobeh Montazeri
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Fatemeh Zahra Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahmood Moosazadeh
- Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Maryam Nakhaei
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Seyyed Ali Shariatzadeh
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Daryani
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
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28
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Dubey JP, Murata FHA, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OCH. Toxoplasma gondii infections in horses, donkeys, and other equids: The last decade. Res Vet Sci 2020; 132:492-499. [PMID: 32799174 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2020.07.005] [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: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. The present review summarizes worldwide information on the prevalence of clinical and subclinical infections, epidemiology, and genetic diversity of T. gondii in horses, donkeys and other equids in the past decade. This review will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists, veterinarians, and public health workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA..
| | - F H A Murata
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - C K Cerqueira-Cézar
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - O C H Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
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29
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Dubey JP, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Murata FHA, Kwok OCH, Yang YR, Su C. All about toxoplasmosis in cats: the last decade. Vet Parasitol 2020; 283:109145. [PMID: 32645556 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. Toxoplasmosis continues to be of public health concern. Cats (domestic and wild felids) are the most important host in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis because they are the only species that can excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts in feces. Cats can excrete millions of oocysts and a single cat can spread infection to many hosts. The present paper summarizes information on prevalence, persistence of infection, clinical signs, and diagnosis of T. gondii infections in domestic and wild cats for the past decade. Special emphasis is paid to genetic diversity of T. gondii isolates from cats. Review of literature indicates that a unique genotype (ToxoDB genotype #9 or Chinese 1) is widely prevalent in cats in China and it has been epidemiologically linked to outbreaks of clinical toxoplasmosis in pigs and deaths in humans in China; this genotype has rarely been detected in other countries. This review will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists, veterinarians, and public health workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA.
| | - C K Cerqueira-Cézar
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - F H A Murata
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - O C H Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Y R Yang
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, PR China
| | - C Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-0845, USA
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30
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Scimeca RC, Perez E, Fairbanks WS, Ammar S, Su C, Gerhold RW, Reichard MV. Seroprevalence, DNA isolation, and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from black bear (Ursus americanus) sera collected in Eastern Oklahoma. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:1109-1115. [PMID: 32086592 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06535-z] [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] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Black bears (Ursus americanus) are commonly exposed to Toxoplasma gondii. However, there are no reports of exposure or infection with T. gondii in black bears from Oklahoma. The purpose of our project was to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii antibodies in black bears collected in Oklahoma. Additionally, since only serum was available from these bears, we sought to determine if DNA extraction and PCR amplification for T. gondii was possible on serum samples from bears with positive titers. Seroprevalence was determined using modified agglutination test (MAT). Serum was collected from 44 live-trapped bears in southeastern Oklahoma; 32 (73% ± 58-84%) had antibodies against T. gondii. Seroprevalence in adult bears (85% ± 67-95%) was significantly higher (p = 0.028) than yearlings (33.0% ± 56-80%). Adult bears were 3.4 times more likely to have antibodies to T. gondii than yearlings. From the bears with positive titers, T. gondii DNA was detected in 12 of the 32 seropositive samples by PCR of the B1 gene, with two of the samples showing variation in two nucleotide positions when compared with available sequences. Multilocus PCR-RFLP genotyping of these 12 samples revealed three ToxoDB genotypes, including #2 (type III, haplogroup 3), #4 (type XII, haplogroup 12), and #74 (haplogroup 12). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in black bears from Oklahoma. Our results indicate that exposure and infection with T. gondii in black bears from Oklahoma is common.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth C Scimeca
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
| | - Erica Perez
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
| | - W Sue Fairbanks
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
| | - Sawsan Ammar
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Services, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.,Clinical Pathology Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sadat City University, Sadat City, Menofia, Egypt
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Richard W Gerhold
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Services, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Mason V Reichard
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
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31
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Is Real-Time PCR Targeting Rep 529 Suitable for Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis in Patients Infected with Non-Type II Strains in North America? J Clin Microbiol 2020; 58:JCM.01223-19. [PMID: 31694976 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01223-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii DNA detection is essential to antenatally diagnose a congenital infection and reactivation of a past infection in an immunocompromised patient. Initially, PCR methods targeted the 35-fold repetitive B1 gene, and more recently, coding sequence Rep 529 has been preferred, as it was reported to be repeated 200- to 300-fold and yielded far better sensitivity than amplification of the B1 sequence. To date, few data are available in regard to the efficacy of Rep 529 for non-type II genotypes. In this study, we compared the results of B1 quantitative PCR (qPCR) with those of two different Rep 529 qPCRs performed on 111 samples in two different laboratories (Rep 529-1 and Rep 529-2). The performances of the 3 qPCRs were also compared according to the genotypes of the isolates for 13 type II and 21 non-type II samples. The performance of the Rep 529 target was superior to that of the B1 target regardless of the genotype (threshold cycle [CT ] values for the Rep 529-1 and Rep 529-2 qPCRs were lower than those for the B1 qPCR [P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively]). The same results were observed when a comparison was made according to the genotype of the strain (type II and non-type II genotypes). To our knowledge, these results provide the first relative quantitative data revealing that the efficiency of Rep 529 qPCR does not depend on the genotype of T. gondii isolates and that, in fact, it is superior to B1 qPCR.
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32
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Genotyping of viable Toxoplasma gondii from the first national survey of feral swine revealed evidence for sylvatic transmission cycle, and presence of highly virulent parasite genotypes. Parasitology 2019; 147:295-302. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182019001586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
AbstractFeral swine are known reservoirs of various pathogens, including Toxoplasma gondii. Here, we report the first national survey of viable T. gondii in feral swine in the USA. We paired serological surveys with parasite isolation and bioassay to evaluate the prevalence and genetic diversity of these parasites. From 2012–2017, sera and tissues from 1517 feral swine across the USA were collected for the isolation of viable T. gondii. Serum samples were initially screened for antibodies to T. gondii, and then the tissues of seropositive feral swine were bioassayed in mice. Antibodies were detected in 27.7% of feral swine tested by the modified agglutination test (1:25 or higher). Antibody positive rates increased significantly with age, with 10.1% of juveniles, 16.0% of sub-adults and 38.4% of adults testing seropositive. Myocardium (50 g) from 232 seropositive feral swine was digested in pepsin and bioassayed in mice. Viable T. gondii was isolated from 78 feral swine from 21 states. Twelve of the 78 isolates were pathogenic to outbred Swiss Webster mice and 76 of the 78 isolates could be propagated further in cell culture and were genotyped. For genotyping, deoxyribonucleic acid extracted from cell culture-derived tachyzoites was characterized by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism using the genetic markers SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and Apico. Genotyping revealed 15 ToxoDB genotypes, including 43 isolates for genotype #5 (haplogroup 12), 11 isolates for #24, four isolates for #2 (haplogroup 3), two isolates for each of genotypes #3 (haplogroup 2), #4 (haplogroup 12), #216, #221, #289 and #297 and one isolate for each of genotypes #1 (haplogroup 2), #39, #66, #260, #261 and #299. Genotype #5 was the most frequently isolated, accounted for 57% (43/76) of the isolates, followed by #24, accounted for 14% (11/76). Genotypes #260, #289, #297 and #299 are new types. Genotype #289 was highly virulent to mice and originated from feral swine collected in Louisiana on the same day at the same location. Genotype #216 was previously demonstrated to be highly virulent to mice. Our results indicate moderate genetic diversity of T. gondii in feral swine in the USA, with the genotype #5 (haplogroup 12) dominant in the continental USA, whereas genotype #24 (10/14) was dominant in Hawaii, suggesting different population structures of the parasites among the two distinct geographical locations.
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33
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Kolören Z, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Murata FHA, Kwok OCH, Banfield JE, Brown JD, Su C, Dubey JP. High Seroprevalence But Low Rate of Isolation of Toxoplasma gondii from Wild Elk (Cervus canadensis) in Pennsylvania. J Parasitol 2019. [DOI: 10.1645/19-110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Z. Kolören
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - C. K. Cerqueira-Cézar
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - F. H. A. Murata
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - O. C. H. Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - J. E. Banfield
- Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110-9797
| | - J. D. Brown
- Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110-9797
| | - C. Su
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996
| | - J. P. Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
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Multidecade Mortality and a Homolog of Hepatitis C Virus in Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), the National Bird of the USA. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14953. [PMID: 31628350 PMCID: PMC6802099 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50580-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) once experienced near-extinction but has since rebounded. For decades, bald eagles near the Wisconsin River, USA, have experienced a lethal syndrome with characteristic clinical and pathological features but unknown etiology. Here, we describe a novel hepacivirus-like virus (Flaviviridae: Hepacivirus) identified during an investigation of Wisconsin River eagle syndrome (WRES). Bald eagle hepacivirus (BeHV) belongs to a divergent clade of avian viruses that share features with members of the genera Hepacivirus and Pegivirus. BeHV infected 31.9% of eagles spanning 4,254 km of the coterminous USA, with negative strand viral RNA demonstrating active replication in liver tissues. Eagles from Wisconsin were approximately 10-fold more likely to be infected than eagles from elsewhere. Eagle mitochondrial DNA sequences were homogeneous and geographically unstructured, likely reflecting a recent population bottleneck, whereas BeHV envelope gene sequences showed strong population genetic substructure and isolation by distance, suggesting localized transmission. Cophylogenetic analyses showed no congruity between eagles and their viruses, supporting horizontal rather than vertical transmission. These results expand our knowledge of the Flaviviridae, reveal a striking pattern of decoupled host/virus coevolution on a continental scale, and highlight knowledge gaps about health and conservation in even the most iconic of wildlife species.
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Pomares C, Devillard S, Holmes TH, Olariu TR, Press CJ, Ramirez R, Talucod J, Estran R, Su C, Dubey JP, Ajzenberg D, Montoya JG. Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii DNA Samples Isolated From Humans Living in North America: An Unexpected High Prevalence of Atypical Genotypes. J Infect Dis 2019; 218:1783-1791. [PMID: 29982713 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiy375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Whereas in Europe most of Toxoplasma gondii genotypes belong to the type II lineage, in Latin America, type II is rare and atypical strains predominate. In North America, data on T. gondii genotypes in humans are scarce. Methods In this study, T. gondii DNA samples from 67 patients with diagnosed toxoplasmosis in the United States were available for genotyping. Discriminant analysis of principal components was used to infer each atypical genotype to a geographic area where patients were probably infected. Associations between genotype, disease severity, immune status, and geographic region were also estimated. Results Of 67 DNA samples, 41 were successfully genotyped: 18 (43.9%) and 5 (12.2%) were characterized as types II and III, respectively. The remaining 18 genotypes (43.9%) were atypical and were assigned to a geographic area. Ten genotypes originated from Latin America, 7 from North America, and 1 from Asia (China). In North America, unlike in Europe, T. gondii atypical genotypes are common in humans and, unlike in Latin America, type II strains are still present with significant frequency. Conclusions Clinicians should be aware that atypical genotypes are common in North America and have been associated with severe ocular and systemic disease and unusual presentations of toxoplasmosis in immunocompetent patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Pomares
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation Toxoplasma Serology Laboratory, National Reference Center for the Study and Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis, California.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, California.,Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Virulence Microbienne et Signalisation Inflammatoire-Université de la Côte d'Azur, Faculté de Médecine.,Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire l'Archet, Nice
| | - Sébastien Devillard
- Université Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Villeurbanne
| | - Tyson H Holmes
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, California.,Stanford University Human Immune Monitoring Center, Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, Stanford University School of Medicine, California
| | | | - Cynthia J Press
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation Toxoplasma Serology Laboratory, National Reference Center for the Study and Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis, California
| | - Raymund Ramirez
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation Toxoplasma Serology Laboratory, National Reference Center for the Study and Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis, California
| | - Jeanne Talucod
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation Toxoplasma Serology Laboratory, National Reference Center for the Study and Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis, California
| | - Remy Estran
- Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris Europe, Paris
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
| | - Jitender P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Maryland
| | - Daniel Ajzenberg
- Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, University of Limoges, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Limoges, Unité Mixte de Recherche_S, Tropical Neuroepidemiology, Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Neurology, Limoges, France
| | - Jose G Montoya
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation Toxoplasma Serology Laboratory, National Reference Center for the Study and Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis, California.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, California
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Shapiro K, VanWormer E, Packham A, Dodd E, Conrad PA, Miller M. Type X strains of Toxoplasma gondii are virulent for southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) and present in felids from nearby watersheds. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191334. [PMID: 31431162 PMCID: PMC6732395 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Why some Toxoplasma gondii-infected southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) develop fatal toxoplasmosis while others have incidental or mild chronic infections has long puzzled the scientific community. We assessed robust datasets on T. gondii molecular characterization in relation to detailed necropsy and histopathology results to evaluate whether parasite genotype influences pathological outcomes in sea otters that stranded along the central California coast. Genotypes isolated from sea otters were also compared with T. gondii strains circulating in felids from nearby coastal regions to assess land-to-sea parasite transmission. The predominant T. gondii genotypes isolated from 135 necropsied sea otters were atypical Type X and Type X variants (79%), with the remainder (21%) belonging to Type II or Type II/X recombinants. All sea otters that died due to T. gondii as a primary cause of death were infected with Type X or X-variant T. gondii strains. The same atypical T. gondii strains were detected in sea otters with fatal toxoplasmosis and terrestrial felids from watersheds bordering the sea otter range. Our results confirm a land–sea connection for virulent T. gondii genotypes and highlight how faecal contamination can deliver lethal pathogens to coastal waters, leading to detrimental impacts on marine wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Shapiro
- Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,One Health Institute, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Elizabeth VanWormer
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA.,School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Andrea Packham
- Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Erin Dodd
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Patricia A Conrad
- Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,One Health Institute, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Melissa Miller
- One Health Institute, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
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Robertson LJ, Clark CG, Debenham JJ, Dubey J, Kváč M, Li J, Ponce-Gordo F, Ryan U, Schares G, Su C, Tsaousis AD. Are molecular tools clarifying or confusing our understanding of the public health threat from zoonotic enteric protozoa in wildlife? Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2019; 9:323-341. [PMID: 31338293 PMCID: PMC6626983 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases are frequently zoonotic, often originating in wildlife, but enteric protozoa are considered relatively minor contributors. Opinions regarding whether pathogenic enteric protozoa may be transmitted between wildlife and humans have been shaped by our investigation tools, and have led to oscillations regarding whether particular species are zoonotic or have host-adapted life cycles. When the only approach for identifying enteric protozoa was morphology, it was assumed that many enteric protozoa colonized multiple hosts and were probably zoonotic. When molecular tools revealed genetic differences in morphologically identical species colonizing humans and other animals, host specificity seemed more likely. Parasites from animals found to be genetically identical - at the few genes investigated - to morphologically indistinguishable parasites from human hosts, were described as having zoonotic potential. More discriminatory molecular tools have now sub-divided some protozoa again. Meanwhile, some infection events indicate that, circumstances permitting, some "host-specific" protozoa, can actually infect various hosts. These repeated changes in our understanding are linked intrinsically to the investigative tools available. Here we review how molecular tools have assisted, or sometimes confused, our understanding of the public health threat from nine enteric protozoa and example wildlife hosts (Balantoides coli - wild boar; Blastocystis sp. - wild rodents; Cryptosporidium spp. - wild fish; Encephalitozoon spp. - wild birds; Entamoeba spp. - non-human primates; Enterocytozoon bieneusi - wild cervids; Giardia duodenalis - red foxes; Sarcocystis nesbitti - snakes; Toxoplasma gondii - bobcats). Molecular tools have provided evidence that some enteric protozoa in wildlife may infect humans, but due to limited discriminatory power, often only the zoonotic potential of the parasite is indicated. Molecular analyses, which should be as discriminatory as possible, are one, but not the only, component of the toolbox for investigating potential public health impacts from pathogenic enteric protozoa in wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy J. Robertson
- Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, PO Box 369 Sentrum, 0102, Oslo, Norway
| | - C. Graham Clark
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - John J. Debenham
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, PO Box 369 Sentrum, 0102, Oslo, Norway
| | - J.P. Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA
| | - Martin Kváč
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Studentská 1668, 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Junqiang Li
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Francisco Ponce-Gordo
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Una Ryan
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Gereon Schares
- Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-1937, USA
| | - Anastasios D. Tsaousis
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID Group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
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NEWLY DESCRIBED TOXOPLASMA GONDII STRAIN CAUSES HIGH MORTALITY IN RED NECKED WALLABIES (MACROPUS RUFOGRISEUS) IN A ZOO. J Zoo Wildl Med 2019; 48:694-702. [PMID: 28920810 DOI: 10.1638/2016-0136.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This manuscript describes an outbreak of fatal toxoplasmosis in wallabies. Ten adult red necked wallabies (Macropus rufogriseus) were imported from New Zealand to the Virginia Zoo. Agglutination testing upon admission into quarantine showed all animals to be negative for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. Nine of these wallabies died from acute toxoplasmosis within 59-565 (average 224) days after being moved onto exhibit. Clinical signs included lethargy, diarrhea, tachypnea, and ataxia that progressed rapidly; death without premonitory signs occurred in one case. Histopathologic examination revealed interstitial pneumonia, encephalomyelitis, myositis, enteritis, and myocarditis. The diagnosis was confirmed through serologic, histopathologic, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Multilocus PCR-RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) genotyping revealed that the first six animals were infected by a previously undiscovered Toxoplasma gondii genotype, designated as ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype No. 263. These six cases survived for an average of 118 days on exhibit before succumbing to toxoplasmosis. The other three wallabies were infected with a Toxoplasma gondii strain of ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype No. 4, which is a common strain type circulating in wild animals in North America. These three cases survived for an average of 435 days on exhibit before succumbing to toxoplasmosis. The outbreaks of toxoplasmosis in these wallabies are likely from two different sources. Furthermore, the results highlight Toxoplasma gondii PCR-RFLP genotyping in parasite diagnosis and understanding parasite transmission and potential mitigation procedures.
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Patel KK, Burrows E, Heuer C, Asher GW, Wilson PR, Howe L. Investigation of Toxoplasma gondii and association with early pregnancy and abortion rates in New Zealand farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus). Parasitol Res 2019; 118:2065-2077. [PMID: 31187222 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06355-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This study tested for association between Toxoplasma gondii and pregnancy and abortion to investigate sub-optimal reproduction in farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus). Sera from a sub-sample (n = 2304) of pregnant and non-pregnant hinds in early gestation at first pregnancy scan (scan 1) and approximately at the end of second trimester at second pregnancy scan (scan 2) were tested for T. gondii antibodies using a validated ELISA. Foetuses and/or uteri from pregnant, non-pregnant, and aborting hinds at scan 1, scan 2, or weaning were tested for T. gondii DNA by nested PCR. At scan 1, 31.1% of 861 rising two-year-old (R2) and 28.3% of 357 mixed-aged (MA, ≥ 2 years) hinds were sero-positive. There was no association between scan 1 serology and non-pregnancy at animal (R2, p = 0.05 and MA, p = 0.43) or herd level (R2, p = 0.37). Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in 3/18 placenta and 4/18 foetal brains from aborting R2 hinds and 15/157 R2 and 3/21 MA uteri from non-pregnant hinds at scan 1. At scan 2, sero-prevalence was higher (odds ratio = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.04-2.48) in aborted (34.3% of 268) than in non-aborted (23.5% of 446) R2 hinds (p = 0.03) and 7.9% of abortions between scans were attributable to T. gondii exposure. Within-herd sero-prevalence at scan 2 was positively associated with daily abortion rate in R2 herds with aborted hinds (p < 0.001) but not in MA herds (p = 0.07). Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in 27/169 uteri, 2/20 cotyledons, and 1/5 foetal brains from aborted hinds at scan 2 and in uteri from 5/33 hinds not rearing a calf to weaning. Toxoplasma gondii RFLP genotyping of five loci revealed a unique type I/III genotype pattern, TgRDNZ1, in a foetal brain sample, not been previously reported in deer. These findings provide serological and molecular evidence that T. gondii infection is associated with abortion in red deer, possibly in all three trimesters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kandarp Khodidas Patel
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand. .,School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, South Australia, 5371, Australia.
| | - Elizabeth Burrows
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Cord Heuer
- EpiCentre, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | | | - Peter Raymond Wilson
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Laryssa Howe
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
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40
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Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Silva AFD, Murata FHA, Sadler M, Abbas IE, Kwok OCH, Brown JD, Casalena MJ, Blake MR, Su C, Dubey JP. Isolation and Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from Tissues of Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in Pennsylvania. J Parasitol 2019. [DOI: 10.1645/18-197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Camila K. Cerqueira-Cézar
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - Andressa F. da Silva
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - Fernando H. A. Murata
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - Meghan Sadler
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - Ibrahim E. Abbas
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - Oliver C. H. Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - Justin D. Brown
- Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110-9797
| | - Mary Jo Casalena
- Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110-9797
| | - Mitchell R. Blake
- National Wild Turkey Federation, 770 Augusta Road, Edgefield, South Carolina 29824
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996
| | - J. P. Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
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Galal L, Hamidović A, Dardé ML, Mercier M. Diversity of Toxoplasma gondii strains at the global level and its determinants. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2019; 15:e00052. [PMID: 32095622 PMCID: PMC7033991 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2019.e00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The population structure of Toxoplasma gondii is characterized by contrasting geographic patterns of strain diversity at different spatial scales: global, regional and even local scales in some regions. The determinants of this diversity pattern and its possible evolutionary mechanisms are still largely unexplored. This review will focus on three main dichotomies observed in the population structure of the parasite: (1) domestic versus wild, (2) South America versus the rest of the world and (3) intercontinental clonal lineages versus regional or local clonal lineages. Here, the impact in terms of public health of this remarkably contrasting geographic diversity of T. gondii populations is discussed, with emphasis on the role of globalization of exchanges that could lead to rapid evolution of T. gondii population spatial structure and new challenges in a One Health context. Recombination events drive the evolution of population structure of Toxoplasma gondii. The population structure of Toxoplasma is different in wild and domestic environments. Virulence of Toxoplasma strains in reservoir hosts influences selection of local strains. Globalization of exchanges will impact the population structure of the parasite. Clinicians should be aware of more pathogenic strains imported from the wild environment or from South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Galal
- INSERM, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, UMR 1094, Institut d'Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, GEIST, 87000 Limoges, France
| | - A Hamidović
- INSERM, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, UMR 1094, Institut d'Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, GEIST, 87000 Limoges, France
| | - M L Dardé
- INSERM, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, UMR 1094, Institut d'Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, GEIST, 87000 Limoges, France.,Centre National de Référence Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center, CHU Limoges, 87042 Limoges, France
| | - M Mercier
- INSERM, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, UMR 1094, Institut d'Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, GEIST, 87000 Limoges, France.,Centre National de Référence Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center, CHU Limoges, 87042 Limoges, France
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Cubas-Atienzar AI, Hide G, Jiménez-Coello M, Ortega-Pacheco A, Smith JE. Genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii from pigs in Yucatan, Mexico. VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY- REGIONAL STUDIES AND REPORTS 2018; 14:191-199. [PMID: 31014729 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2018.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 10/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease of worldwide distribution. The parasite exhibits strong geographical patterns of strain variation with contrasting high levels of diversity across South America and restricted variation across North America. Little is known about the diversity of strains in the transitional area between the two continents. Here we present data on the prevalance and diversity of Toxoplasma gondii in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, through a study in commercially reared pigs. A survey of 12 farms found evidence of circulating T. gondii DNA in 125 of 632 blood samples (19.8%, CI: 16.7%-23%). In addition, 46 tongue samples were collected from culled animals and 16 of these were positive for T. gondii DNA and 3 were positive in mouse bioassay. PCR-sequencing was used to generate genotyping data from blood and tissue samples. Four loci (SAG1, 2, 3 and GRA6) were reliably amplified and revealed a high diversity among Yucatan strains with evidence of recombination and novel alleles. Sequencing data from the four loci was achieved in eight samples each of which had a different genotype. The predominant allelic type was atypical, in relation to the dominant strain types (I, II, III), the number of allelic variants being 27 (I, II-III, u-1-25), 20 (I, III, u1-18), 6 (I, III, u1-4) and 11 (I, II, u1-9) for the SAG1, SAG2, SAG3 and GRA6 loci respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that T. gondii strains from Yucatan shared alleles with strains originating from both North and South America. Our findings are consistent with data from other regions of Central America and suggest the genetic population structure of the parasite, with significant levels of allelic variation and recombination, constitutes a reservoir from which new strains may emerge. Positive bioassay results (7.5%) indicate that consumption of undercooked pork could be a potential T. gondii infection risk to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana I Cubas-Atienzar
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, M5 4WT Manchester, UK.
| | - Geoff Hide
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, M5 4WT Manchester, UK
| | - Matilde Jiménez-Coello
- Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Km 15.5 Carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Antonio Ortega-Pacheco
- Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Km 15.5 Carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Judith E Smith
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, M5 4WT Manchester, UK
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Pardini L, Bernstein M, Carral LA, Kaufer FJ, Dellarupe A, Gos ML, Campero LM, Moré G, Messina MT, Schneider MV, Freuler CB, Durlach RA, Unzaga JM, Venturini MC. Congenital human toxoplasmosis caused by non-clonal Toxoplasma gondii genotypes in Argentina. Parasitol Int 2018; 68:48-52. [PMID: 30304711 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis, a worldwide distributed zoonosis, can be transmitted congenitally affecting fetuses and developing variable clinical signs. Different Toxoplasma gondii genotypes and infective dose are related factors with different clinical manifestations. Several studies indicate that atypical strains could produce more severe clinical manifestations compared to typical strains. Umbilical cord blood (n = 37) and placenta (n = 19) were collected at birth from women with acute T. gondii infection and processed for isolation by mice bioassay. Six isolates were obtained and identified as TgHm14-4Arg, TgHm15-02Arg, TgHm16-01Arg, TgHm16-02Arg, TgHm17-01Arg and TgHm17-02Arg. Three genotypes described previously on Toxo-DB were identified: #138 identified in chickens from Brazil, #182 isolated from eared doves from Brazil, #14 from wallaby kangaroos and chickens from Argentina, chickens from Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Venezuela, cats and dogs from Brazil and Colombia and also coyotes from USA indicating worldwide distribution of these genotypes. Two new allele combinations were obtained showing high genotypes diversity in Argentina. Four of the isolates (TgHm14-4Arg, TgHm15-02Arg, TgHm16-01Arg, TgHm16-02Arg) and two of them (TgHm17-01Arg, TgHm17-02Arg) produced chronic and acute infections in mice, respectively. Until now, seven T. gondii isolates have been obtained from humans in Argentina, and all were atypical or non-clonal genotypes. The identification of atypical strains causing congenital toxoplasmosis and circulating in our region, make important to perform the serological screenings according Argentine Consensus of Toxoplasmosis and to apply and monitoring treatments earlier in pregnancy. To achieve this aim, it is necessary to inform general population about T. gondii infection, diagnostics and control measures. These results should serve to generate awareness about congenital toxoplasmosis in South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lais Pardini
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, FCV-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina; CONICET, Argentina.
| | - Mariana Bernstein
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, FCV-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina; CONICET, Argentina
| | - Liliana A Carral
- Centro de Toxoplasmosis, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Andrea Dellarupe
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, FCV-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina; CONICET, Argentina
| | - María L Gos
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, FCV-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina; CONICET, Argentina
| | - Lucía M Campero
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, FCV-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina; CONICET, Argentina
| | - Gastón Moré
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, FCV-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina; CONICET, Argentina
| | - Matías T Messina
- Centro de Toxoplasmosis, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | | | - Juan M Unzaga
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología, FCV-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina
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Iqbal A, Measures L, Lair S, Dixon B. Toxoplasma gondii infection in stranded St. Lawrence Estuary beluga Delphinapterus leucas in Quebec, Canada. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2018; 130:165-175. [PMID: 30259869 DOI: 10.3354/dao03262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) beluga Delphinapterus leucas in Quebec, Canada, is endangered due to intensive hunting in the 19th and 20th centuries and subsequent anthropogenic contamination and human activities in the region. Infectious disease is a primary cause of death in this population. The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is reported in numerous marine mammal species, including beluga. In the present study, 55 tissue samples (heart and brain) collected from 34 stranded SLE beluga were analysed by PCR followed by DNA sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP) to determine the PCR prevalence and genotypes of T. gondii in these beluga. Of 34 beluga tested, 44% were positive for T. gondii by PCR, with males having a higher prevalence of infection than females and with more infected neonates and juveniles than adults. Molecular analyses indicated that all T. gondii infecting stranded SLE beluga grouped into genotype II, which predominates in humans. While our results indicate that a high prevalence of stranded beluga are PCR-positive for T. gondii infection, very few deaths are attributed to toxoplasmosis based on published necropsy results. Toxoplasma gondii can cause a range of diseases, including neurological deficits, and more data are needed to investigate this parasite's effect on population recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Iqbal
- Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
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Human impact on the diversity and virulence of the ubiquitous zoonotic parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E6956-E6963. [PMID: 29967142 PMCID: PMC6055184 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1722202115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
A majority of emerging infectious diseases in humans are zoonoses. Understanding factors that influence the emergence and transmission of zoonoses is pivotal for their prevention and control. Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most widespread zoonotic pathogens known today. Whereas only a few genotypes of T. gondii dominate in the Northern Hemisphere, many genotypes coexist in South America. Furthermore, T. gondii strains from South America are more likely to be virulent than those from the Northern Hemisphere. However, it is not clear what factor(s) shaped modern-day genetic diversity and virulence of T. gondii Here, our analysis suggests that the rise and expansion of farming in the past 11,000 years established the domestic cat/mouse transmission cycle for T. gondii, which has undoubtedly played a significant role in the selection of certain linages of T. gondii Our mathematical simulations showed that within the domestic transmission cycle, intermediately mouse-virulent T. gondii genotypes have an adaptive advantage and eventually become dominant due to a balance between lower host mortality and the ability to superinfect mice previously infected with a less virulent T. gondii strain. Our analysis of the global type II lineage of T. gondii suggests its Old World origin but recent expansion in North America, which is likely the consequence of global human migration and trading. These results have significant implications concerning transmission and evolution of zoonotic pathogens in the rapidly expanding anthropized environment demanded by rapid growth of the human population and intensive international trading at present and in the future.
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Verma SK, Knowles S, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OC, Jiang T, Su C, Dubey JP. An update on Toxoplasma gondii infections in northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) from Washington State, USA. Vet Parasitol 2018; 258:133-137. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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Jiang T, Shwab EK, Martin RM, Gerhold RW, Rosenthal BM, Dubey JP, Su C. A partition of Toxoplasma gondii genotypes across spatial gradients and among host species, and decreased parasite diversity towards areas of human settlement in North America. Int J Parasitol 2018; 48:611-619. [PMID: 29577892 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2017] [Revised: 12/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii counts among the most consequential food-borne parasites, and although the parasite occurs in a wide range of wild and domesticated animals, farms may constitute a specific and important locus of transmission. If so, parasites in animals that inhabit agricultural habitats might be suspected of harbouring genetically distinct parasite types. To better understand habitat effects pertinent to this parasite's transmission, we compiled and analysed existing genotypic data of 623 samples from animals across a proximity gradient from areas of human settlement to the wilderness in North America. To facilitate such analysis, T. gondii isolates were divided into three groups: (i) from farm-bound animals (with the most limited home ranges on farms); (ii) from free-roaming animals (with wider home ranges on or near farms); and (iii) from wildlife. In addition, parasite genotype distribution in different animal species was analysed. We observed no absolute limitation of any of five major genotypes to any one habitat; however, the frequency of four genotypes decreased across the gradient from the farm-bound group, to the free-roaming group, then the wildlife, whereas a fifth genotype increased along that gradient. Genetic diversity was greater in free-roaming than in farm-bound animals. The genotypic composition of parasites in wildlife differed from those in farm-bound and free-roaming animals. Furthermore, parasite genotypes differed among host species. We conclude that T. gondii genotype distributions are influenced by the spatial habitat and host species composition, and parasite diversity decreases towards areas of human settlement, elucidating facts which may influence transmission dynamics and zoonotic potential in this ubiquitous but regionally variable parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Jiang
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - E Keats Shwab
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Robbie M Martin
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Richard W Gerhold
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; Center for Wildlife Health, Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Benjamin M Rosenthal
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Jitender P Dubey
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
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Bernstein H, Bernstein C, Michod RE. Sex in microbial pathogens. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2018; 57:8-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2017.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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49
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Jokelainen P, Murat JB, Nielsen HV. Direct genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from clinical samples from Denmark: not only genotypes II and III. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2017; 37:579-586. [PMID: 29197989 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-017-3152-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Genetic variation within Toxoplasma gondii can have both clinical and epidemiological significance, while the genotypes circulating in many parts of the world, including the Nordic country Denmark, are still unknown. We genetically characterized T. gondii strains that had been detected in human clinical samples in Denmark in 2011-2016. Samples that had tested positive for T. gondii DNA and had a quantification cycle value <33 were included in this study and subjected to direct genetic characterization of T. gondii based on length-polymorphism of 15 microsatellite markers. A total of 23 DNA samples from 22 individual patients were analyzed. The results were consistent with genotype II with 15/15 markers amplified from seven samples from the central nervous system (CNS) including two samples from one patient, four ocular samples, and one unspecified sample; with genotype III with 15/15 markers amplified from two ocular samples; with genotype Africa 1 with 15/15 markers amplified from one amniotic fluid sample and from one CNS-sample; with atypical genotype with 15/15 markers amplified from one CNS-sample and with 11/15 markers amplified from one CNS-sample; and with HG12-like genotype with 9/15 markers amplified from one CNS-sample. Genotype II, which is endemic in Europe, was predominant, but more than a third of the successfully genotyped strains were non-type-II. The possibility that clinical toxoplasmosis is caused by a strain that is not considered endemic to the region is definitely not negligible.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Jokelainen
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Bacteria, Parasites & Fungi, Infectious Disease Preparedness, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
- University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia.
| | - J-B Murat
- National Reference Centre for Toxoplasmosis, Biological Resource Center for Toxoplasma, Laboratoire de Parasitologie et de Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Limoges, Limoges, France
- INSERM, UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - H V Nielsen
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Bacteria, Parasites & Fungi, Infectious Disease Preparedness, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
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50
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Prevalence and genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in cats of southwest of Iran. Infect Dis Health 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.idh.2017.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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