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Fan YM, Shi WQ, Jin QW, Pan M, Hou ZF, Fu L, Tao JP, Huang SY. PruΔcdpk2 Protects Pigs Against Acute Toxoplasmosis Depending on T-Lymphocyte Subsets and Natural Killer Cell Responses. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2024; 21:673-680. [PMID: 39133119 DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2024.0060] [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] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread protozoan parasite approximately infecting one-third of the world population and can cause serious public health problems. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of the attenuated vaccine Pru:Δcdpk2 against acute toxoplasmosis and explored the underlying immune mechanisms of the protection in pigs. The systemic T-cell and natural killer (NK) cell responses were analyzed, including kinetics, phenotype, and multifunctionality (interferon [IFN]-γ, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α), and the IFN-γ levels were analyzed in PBMCs. Our results showed that T. gondii-specific antibodies were induced by Pru:Δcdpk2. After challenging with RH, the antibodies were able to respond quickly in the immunized group, and the expression level was significantly higher than that in the unimmunized group. The expression level of IFN-γ significantly increased after vaccination, and the CD3+ γδ-, NK, and CD3+ γδ+ cell subsets also significantly increased. At the same time, functional analysis indicated that these cells were polarized toward a Th1 phenotype, showing the ability to secrete IFN-γ and TNF-α. The CD4+CD8α-T cell population exhibited a higher frequency of IFN-γ+ producing cells compared with the CD4-CD8α+ and CD4+CD8α+ cell populations during the early days of vaccination. Our results indicated that the attenuated vaccine could induce the expression of NK, γδ, and CD3αβ cells in pigs, and IFN-γ and TNF-α secreted by these cells are important for resistance to T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Min Fan
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, and Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, PR China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, PR China
| | - Wen-Qian Shi
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, and Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, PR China
| | - Qi-Wang Jin
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, and Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, PR China
| | - Ming Pan
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, and Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, PR China
| | - Zhao-Feng Hou
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, and Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, PR China
| | - Lizhi Fu
- Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, PR China
| | - Jian-Ping Tao
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, and Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, PR China
| | - Si-Yang Huang
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, and Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, PR China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, PR China
- Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, PR China
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Dubey JP, Thompson PC, Fournet V, Hill DE, Zarlenga D, Gamble HR, Rosenthal BM. Over a century of progress on Trichinella research in pigs at the United States Department of Agriculture: Challenges and solutions. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2024; 36:e00239. [PMID: 39247629 PMCID: PMC11378942 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2024.e00239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Trichinellosis, caused by 13 species/subspecies/genotypes in the nematode genus Trichinella, is a worldwide zoonosis. In the United States, trichinellosis was of historical and economic significance because of European restrictions on the import of U.S. pork. Before the advent of effective protective measures, most cases of trichinellosis were derived from consumption of undercooked or inadequately processed, infected pork. Research conducted at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) since 1891, and policies established by USDA regulatory agencies, have helped to reduce Trichinella infections in commercially raised domestic pigs to negligible levels. Here, we review the history of this scientific progress, placing special emphasis on research conducted at the USDA's Beltsville Agricultural Research Center.
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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
| | - Peter C Thompson
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Valsin Fournet
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Dolores E Hill
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Dante Zarlenga
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - H Ray Gamble
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA
| | - Benjamin M Rosenthal
- 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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Perin PP, Arias-Pacheco CA, Andrade LDO, Gomes JS, Ferreira AFDM, Pavaneli RO, Loureiro FA, Franco AL, Oliveira WJ, Mendonça TO, Zolla NDO, Mioni MDSR, Machado RZ, de Barros LD, Garcia JL, Jurkevicz RMB, Cavallieri AC, Lux Hoppe EG. Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in invasive wild boars ( Sus scrofa) and hunting dogs from Brazil. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2024; 24:100951. [PMID: 38966859 PMCID: PMC11222814 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
The wild boar, an impactful invasive species in Brazil, is subject to population control activities, which often include the use of hunting dogs. Hunters commonly consume wild boar meat, which is also used to feed their dogs, posing a risk of Toxoplasma gondii infection for humans and both T. gondii and Neospora caninum for dogs. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of infection in wild boars (n = 127) and hunting dogs (n = 73) from São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, and Paraná states. We employed histopathological, serological (indirect fluorescent antibody test), and molecular techniques (endpoint polymerase chain reaction). Histopathology slides of wild boar tissue (central nervous system, heart, skeletal muscle, liver, spleen, kidney, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, lymph nodes, and thyroid) sections revealed no T. gondii or N. caninum cysts (0/47). Antibodies anti-T. gondii were detected in 35/108 (32.4%) and anti-N. caninum in 45/108 (41.7%) wild boars. Only 2/18 (11.1%) wild boar tissue homogenate samples tested positive for T. gondii on endpoint PCR. Hunting dogs showed antibodies against T. gondii in 62/73 (85%) and against N. caninum in 31/73 (42%). The presence of antibodies against T. gondii and N. caninum in wild boars and hunting dogs, along with T. gondii DNA detection in wild boars, indicates the circulation of these parasites. Educating hunters on preventing these foodborne diseases, including zoonotic risks, is crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Parreira Perin
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carmen Andrea Arias-Pacheco
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lívia de Oliveira Andrade
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jonathan Silvestre Gomes
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adrian Felipe de Moraes Ferreira
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael Oliveira Pavaneli
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabiana Alves Loureiro
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Luíza Franco
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Wilson Junior Oliveira
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Talita Oliveira Mendonça
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Natália de Oliveira Zolla
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mateus de Souza Ribeiro Mioni
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luiz Daniel de Barros
- Protozoology Laboratory, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Center of Agrarian Sciences, State University of Londrina. Celso Garcia Cid Road, 86055900, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - João Luis Garcia
- Protozoology Laboratory, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Center of Agrarian Sciences, State University of Londrina. Celso Garcia Cid Road, 86055900, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Maria Boson Jurkevicz
- Protozoology Laboratory, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Center of Agrarian Sciences, State University of Londrina. Celso Garcia Cid Road, 86055900, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Cavallieri
- Protozoology Laboratory, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Center of Agrarian Sciences, State University of Londrina. Celso Garcia Cid Road, 86055900, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Estevam G. Lux Hoppe
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction, and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, São Paulo State University. Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane Road, 14884900, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
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Dámek F, Basso W, Joeres M, Thoumire S, Swart A, Silva AD, Gassama I, Škorič M, Smola J, Schares G, Blaga R, Koudela B. Infection dynamics following experimental challenge of pigs orally dosed with different stages of two archetypal genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii. Vet Parasitol 2024; 330:110222. [PMID: 38878463 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2024.110222] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a food-borne zoonotic parasite widespread in a variety of hosts, including humans. With a majority of infections in Europe estimated to be meat-borne, pork, as one of the most consumed meats worldwide, represents a potential risk for consumers. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the progress of T. gondii infection and tissue tropism in experimentally infected pigs, using different T. gondii isolates and infectious stages, i.e. tissue cysts or oocysts. Twenty-four pigs were allocated to treatment in four groups of six, with each group inoculated orally with an estimated low dose of either 400 oocysts or 10 tissue cysts of two European T. gondii isolates, a type II and a type III isolate. The majority of pigs seroconverted two weeks post-inoculation. Pigs infected with the type III isolate had significantly higher levels of anti-T. gondii antibodies compared to those infected with the type II isolate. Histopathological exams revealed reactive hyperplasia of the lymphatic tissue of all pigs. Additionally, a selected set of nine tissues was collected during necropsy at 50 dpi from each of the remaining 22 pigs for T. gondii DNA detection by quantitative real-time PCR. A positive result was obtained in 29.8 % (59/139) of tested tissues. The brain was identified as the most frequently positive tissue in 63.6 % (14/22) of the animals. In contrast, liver samples tested negative in all animals. The highest mean parasite load, calculated by interpolating the average Cq values on the standard curve made of ten-fold serial dilutions of the genomic DNA, corresponding to 100 to 104 tachyzoites/µL, was observed in shoulder musculature with an estimated concentration of 84.4 [0.0-442.5] parasites per gram of tissue. The study highlights the variability in clinical signs and tissue distribution of T. gondii in pigs based on the combination of parasite stages and strains, with type III isolates, particularly oocysts, causing a stronger antibody response and higher tissue parasite burden. These findings suggest the need for further investigation of type III isolates to better understand their potential risks to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Dámek
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, BIPAR, 22 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Maisons-Alfort Cedex 94701, France.
| | - Walter Basso
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, Bern CH-3012, Switzerland
| | - Maike Joeres
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Südufer 10, Greifswald, Insel Riems 17493, Germany
| | - Sandra Thoumire
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, BIPAR, 22 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Maisons-Alfort Cedex 94701, France
| | - Arno Swart
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control-Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, P.O. Box 1, Bilthoven 3720 BA, the Netherlands
| | - Anaëlle da Silva
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, BIPAR, 22 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Maisons-Alfort Cedex 94701, France
| | - Inés Gassama
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, BIPAR, 22 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Maisons-Alfort Cedex 94701, France
| | - Miša Škorič
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno Palackého tř. 1946/1, Brno 612 42, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Smola
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno Palackého tř. 1946/1, Brno 612 42, Czech Republic; Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), University of Veterinary Sciences, Palackého tř. 1, Brno 612 42, Czech Republic
| | - Gereon Schares
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Südufer 10, Greifswald, Insel Riems 17493, Germany
| | - Radu Blaga
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, BIPAR, 22 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Maisons-Alfort Cedex 94701, France; University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Mănăştur Street, Cluj-Napoca 400372, Romania
| | - Břetislav Koudela
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno Palackého tř. 1946/1, Brno 612 42, Czech Republic; Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), University of Veterinary Sciences, Palackého tř. 1, Brno 612 42, Czech Republic
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Yang C, Liu S, Tao C, Yu J, Yang M, Guo L, Bao L, Li X, Yang J, Jiang K. Serological and molecular survey of Toxoplasma gondii infection and associated risk factors in urban cats in Kunming, Southwest China. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1393236. [PMID: 38957802 PMCID: PMC11218566 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1393236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a worldwide zoonotic parasite that can infect almost warm-blood animals, including humans, which seriously affect the health of host. Cats are known to be the only definitive host of T. gondii and continuously excrete highly infectious oocysts. This parasite carried by the companion animals leads to a great public health risk. However, there is little information on epidemiology of T. gondii in urban cats in Kunming, Southwest China. In the present study, a total of 231 serum and fecal samples were collected in Kunming aera, and then seroprevalence of T. gondii IgG antibodies in serum and molecular investigation in feces were analyzed to elucidate T. gondii infection in urban cats. The results revealed that 168 of 231 cats (72.7%) were positive for T. gondii antibodies, and 1 of 74 cat feces (1.4%) also showed a positive PCR for T. gondii DNA. The positive fecal sample was sequenced and then phylogenetically analyzed, and the isolate of T. gondii in the present study was closely related to T. gondii strain CN. In addition, the food, water and age of cats were identified as the risk factor for seropositivity. Overall, our findings indicate the widespread occurrence of T. gondii infection in urban cats in Kunming, Southwest China and identify food, water and age are the risk factors associated with T. gondii infection, which can provide effective information for developing strategies to prevent and control this zoonosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunli Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Songhao Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Cong Tao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Jing Yu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Mengping Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lijuan Guo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Liya Bao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiaobing Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Jing Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology, Longyan University, Longyan, Fujian, China
| | - Kangfeng Jiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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Su D, Zhu S, Xu K, Hou Z, Hao F, Xu F, Lin Y, Zhu Y, Liu D, Duan Q, Zhang X, Yuan Y, Xu J, Tao J. Phosphoproteomic analysis reveals changes in A-Raf-related protein phosphorylation in response to Toxoplasma gondii infection in porcine macrophages. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:191. [PMID: 38643189 PMCID: PMC11031963 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06273-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that causes severe threats to humans and livestock. Macrophages are the cell type preferentially infected by T. gondii in vivo. Protein phosphorylation is an important posttranslational modification involved in diverse cellular functions. A rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma kinase (A-Raf) is a member of the Raf family of serine/threonine protein kinases that is necessary for MAPK activation. Our previous research found that knockout of A-Raf could reduce T. gondii-induced apoptosis in porcine alveolar macrophages (3D4/21 cells). However, limited information is available on protein phosphorylation variations and the role of A-Raf in macrophages infected with T. gondii. METHODS We used immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) in combination with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to profile changes in phosphorylation in T. gondii-infected 3D4/21 and 3D4/21-ΔAraf cells. RESULTS A total of 1647 differentially expressed phosphorylated proteins (DEPPs) with 3876 differentially phosphorylated sites (DPSs) were identified in T. gondii-infected 3D4/21 cells (p3T group) when compared with uninfected 3D4/21 cells (pho3 group), and 959 DEPPs with 1540 DPSs were identified in the p3T group compared with infected 3D4/21-ΔAraf cells (p3KT group). Venn analysis revealed 552 DPSs corresponding to 406 DEPPs with the same phosphorylated sites when comparing p3T/pho3 versus p3T/p3KT, which were identified as DPSs and DEPPs that were directly or indirectly related to A-Raf. CONCLUSIONS Our results revealed distinct responses of macrophages to T. gondii infection and the potential roles of A-Raf in fighting infection via phosphorylation of crucial proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingzeyang Su
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Shifan Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Kangzhi Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhaofeng Hou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China.
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China.
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China.
| | - Fuxing Hao
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, 225300, People's Republic of China
| | - Fan Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yifan Lin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuyang Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Dandan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiangde Duan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinjun Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuguo Yuan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinjun Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianping Tao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, People's Republic of China.
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China.
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, People's Republic of China.
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Moudgil P, Pandita S, Kumar R, Khasa V, Dash SS, Bangar YC, Jindal N. Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii in pigs in Haryana, India. Zoonoses Public Health 2024; 71:136-143. [PMID: 37946694 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Toxoplasmosis is one of the most common food-borne parasitic zoonosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite. A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii and associated risk factors in pigs in Haryana, India. METHODS AND RESULTS Serum samples were collected from 429 pigs from three agroclimatic zones (I-III) of Haryana and analysed for the presence of antibodies against T. gondii using a commercial indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-T. gondii antibodies were detected in 106 animals (24.7%), with the highest seropositivity in zone II (31.3%) followed by zone III (24.4%) and zone I (18.3%). Risk factors associated with higher seropositivity in pigs were farm size (higher in large-sized farms), age (higher in pigs >1 year of age), sex (higher in males), type of feeding (higher in combination of homemade and hotel waste) and housing (higher in free-ranging pigs). CONCLUSIONS The findings of the study testify to the exposure of pigs (of all agro-climatic zones) to T. gondii. Hence, the observations are of significant medical and veterinary importance for devising and implementing control measures to check the dissemination of toxoplasmosis to pigs and eventually to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallavi Moudgil
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India
| | - Sakshi Pandita
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India
| | - Ramesh Kumar
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India
| | - Vipin Khasa
- State Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Sonipat, Haryana, India
| | - Spandan Shashwat Dash
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India
| | - Yogesh C Bangar
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India
| | - Naresh Jindal
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India
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8
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Zhao G, Dong H, Dai L, Xie H, Sun H, Zhang J, Wang Q, Xu C, Yin K. Proteomics analysis of Toxoplasma gondii merozoites reveals regulatory proteins involved in sexual reproduction. Microb Pathog 2024; 186:106484. [PMID: 38052278 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106484] [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: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Sexual reproduction plays a crucial role in the transmission and life cycle of toxoplasmosis. The merozoites are the only developmental stage capable of differentiation into male and female gametes, thereby initiating sexual reproduction to form oocysts that are excreted into the environment. Hence, our study aimed to perform proteomic analyses of T. gondii Pru strain merozoites, a pre-sexual developmental stage in cat IECs, and tachyzoites, an asexual developmental stage, using the tandem mass tag (TMT) method in order to identify the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) of merozoites. Proteins functions were subjected to cluster analysis, and DEPs were validated through the qPCR method. The results showed that a total of 106 proteins were identified, out of which 85 proteins had quantitative data. Among these, 15 proteins were differentially expressed within merozoites, with four exhibiting up-regulation and being closely associated with the material and energy metabolism as well as the cell division of T. gondii. Two novel DEPs, namely S8GHL5 and A0A125YP41, were identified, and their homologous family members have been demonstrated to play regulatory roles in oocyte maturation and spermatogenesis in other species. Therefore, they may potentially exhibit regulatory functions during the differentiation of micro- and macro-gametophytes at the initiation stage of sexual reproduction in T. gondii. In conclusion, our results showed that the metabolic and divisional activities in the merozoites surpass those in the tachyzoites, thereby providing structural, material, and energetic support for gametophytes development. The discovery of two novel DEPs associated with sexual reproduction represents a significant advancement in understanding Toxoplasma sexual reproduction initiation and oocyst formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guihua Zhao
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 11 Taibai Middle Road, Jining City, Shandong Province, 272033, China.
| | - Hongjie Dong
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 11 Taibai Middle Road, Jining City, Shandong Province, 272033, China.
| | - Lisha Dai
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 11 Taibai Middle Road, Jining City, Shandong Province, 272033, China.
| | - Huanhuan Xie
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 11 Taibai Middle Road, Jining City, Shandong Province, 272033, China.
| | - Hang Sun
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 11 Taibai Middle Road, Jining City, Shandong Province, 272033, China.
| | - Junmei Zhang
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 11 Taibai Middle Road, Jining City, Shandong Province, 272033, China.
| | - Qi Wang
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 11 Taibai Middle Road, Jining City, Shandong Province, 272033, China.
| | - Chao Xu
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 11 Taibai Middle Road, Jining City, Shandong Province, 272033, China.
| | - Kun Yin
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 11 Taibai Middle Road, Jining City, Shandong Province, 272033, China.
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9
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Huang M, Huang H, Cao X, Yin Y, Shi K, Wang D, Hu D, Song X. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in water buffaloes and cats in Guangxi, China. Parasitol Res 2023; 123:18. [PMID: 38063934 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08055-3] [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: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a pathogen that poses a serious threat to human health and causes significant economic losses to the global livestock industry. The prevalence of toxoplasmosis infection has been reported to be high in humans and animals around the world, but the occurrence of the disease has not yet been reported in water buffaloes in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, southern China. To understand the overall seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in Guangxi, a total of 1041 water buffalo and 114 cat serum samples were examined using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA). Of the 1041 water buffaloes analyzed, an overall seroprevalence of 52.9% (551/1041) was obtained, with year, season, and city location being significant factors affecting the rate of T. gondii infection in water buffaloes (P < 0.001). The results also revealed a high seroprevalence of 57% (65/114) in cats. Given that buffalo milk and meat products are vital food sources, these findings suggest that toxoplasmosis in water buffaloes may be a public health threat. This study provides the first T. gondii seroprevalence data in Guangxi, which could contribute to the prevention and control of toxoplasmosis in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mao Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Hongju Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Xinru Cao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Yanwen Yin
- Guangxi Center for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Kaichuang Shi
- Guangxi Center for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Dongying Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Biologics, Nanning, 530004, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding, Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Dandan Hu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Biologics, Nanning, 530004, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding, Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Xingju Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Engineering Research Center of Veterinary Biologics, Nanning, 530004, China.
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding, Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, 530004, China.
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Fereig RM, El-Alfy ES, Abdelbaky HH, Abdel-Hamid NH, Mazeed AM, Menshawy AMS, Kelany MA, El-Diasty M, Alawfi BS, Frey CF. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Trichinella spp. in Pigs from Cairo, Egypt. Vet Sci 2023; 10:675. [PMID: 38133226 PMCID: PMC10747553 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10120675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Pork production is a niche economy in Egypt, and pigs are typically raised as backyard animals with no sanitary control, potentially exposing them to various pathogens. Commercially available ELISAs were used to detect specific antibodies to the food-borne zoonotic parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spp., as well as to Neospora caninum, in serum samples of pigs slaughtered at Egypt's only licensed pig abattoir, the El-Bassatin abattoir in Cairo. Among the tested sera (n = 332), seroreactivity for T. gondii was 45.8% (95% confidence interval: 40.4-51.3), N. caninum was 28.0% (95% CI: 23.3-33.2), and Trichinella spp. was 1.2% (95% CI: 0.4-3.3). Mixed infection was only detected for T. gondii and N. caninum (18.7%; 95% CI: 14.7-23.4). The seroprevalence of T. gondii was significantly higher (p = 0.0003) in animals collected from southern Cairo (15 May city slum) than in eastern Cairo (Ezbet El Nakhl slum). Seroprevalence for N. caninum was higher in western (Manshiyat Naser slum; p = 0.0003) and southern Cairo (15 May city slum; p = 0.0003) than in that of eastern Cairo (Ezbet El Nakhl slum; p = 0.0003). Moreover, female pigs exhibited a higher rate of N. caninum antibodies than male ones (p < 0.0001). This study provides the first seroprevalence data for N. caninum in pigs in Egypt, and updates the prevalence of the zoonotic parasites Trichinella spp. and T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ragab M. Fereig
- Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt
| | - El-Sayed El-Alfy
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt;
| | - Hanan H. Abdelbaky
- Doctor of Veterinary Sciences, Veterinary Clinic, Veterinary Directorate, Qena 83523, Egypt;
| | - Nour H. Abdel-Hamid
- Brucellosis Research Department, Agricultural Research Center, Animal Health Research Institute, Cairo 12618, Egypt;
| | - Amira M. Mazeed
- Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Arish University, Arish City 45511, North Sinai, Egypt;
| | - Ahmed M. S. Menshawy
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt;
| | - Mohamed A. Kelany
- Department of Microbiology, The Central Laboratory of Residual Analysis of Pesticides and Heavy Metals in Foods, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza 12618, Egypt;
| | - Mohamed El-Diasty
- Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Animal Health Research Institute-Mansoura Provincial Lab. (AHRI-Mansoura), Giza 12618, Egypt;
| | - Bader S. Alawfi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Caroline F. Frey
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
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Scofano AS, Arruda IF, Teixeira JN, Cunha NCD, Nascimento ERD, Amendoeira MRR, Millar PR. Toxoplasma gondii infection in pig intended for human consumption: seroprevalence, risk factors and influence of biosecurity measures. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA = BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY : ORGAO OFICIAL DO COLEGIO BRASILEIRO DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2023; 32:e008523. [PMID: 37971023 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612023060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
A serologic and epidemiologic study was carried out in order to determinate herd and animal seroprevalence and associated factors for Toxoplasma gondii in commercial pigs from Espírito Santo state, Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 416 pigs from 55 producer farms in 27 municipalities. An indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA) was performed to estimate the seroprevalence of T. gondii and identify the associated risk factors using a questionnaire. The T. gondii antibody prevalence rate in commercial swine herds was 15.4% (64/416) using a cutoff of 1:64. The seropositivity for T. gondii was related to the presence of cats, water origin and age of swine in the increase of seroprevalence, and the existence of internal isolation fences and use of composting chambers as protective factors. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report anti- T. gondii antibodies in the serum of pigs in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. This finding is important to public health because seropositive pigs can harbor tissue cysts in their meat, thereby representing a zoonotic risk for consumers of raw or undercooked porcine meat or its products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agostinho Sergio Scofano
- Instituto de Defesa Agropecuária e Florestal - IDAF, Cariacica, ES, Brasil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Higiene Veterinária e Processamento Tecnológico de Produtos de Origem Animal, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense - UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil
| | - Igor Falco Arruda
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Jessica Nogueira Teixeira
- Instituto de Defesa Agropecuária e Florestal - IDAF, Cariacica, ES, Brasil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" - UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brasil
| | - Nathalie Costa da Cunha
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense - UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil
| | - Elmiro Rosendo do Nascimento
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense - UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil
| | - Maria Regina Reis Amendoeira
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Patrícia Riddell Millar
- Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense - UFF, Niterói, RJ, Brasil
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12
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TAKASHIMA Y. Visualization of parasite dynamics in the host tissues: application of tissue transparency technology to parasite research. J Vet Med Sci 2023; 85:1146-1150. [PMID: 37766567 PMCID: PMC10686769 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.23-0272] [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: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Many parasite species migrate to another site of infection after entering the host body. Such parasite dynamics are closely related to pathogenicity, but it is not easy to observe such parasite behavior deep within the organs. In recent years, technology that can make organs transparent has been developed that enables us to observe deep within organs ex vivo while maintaining their three-dimensional structure. This review describes a series of attempts to apply this technology to understand the behavior of Toxoplasma gondii in the host body. A series of studies has shown that T. gondii tachyzoites that infect leukocytes can reach target organs far from the site of invasion via the circulatory system. In addition, infected leukocytes in the bloodstream adhere more readily to vascular endothelial cells than uninfected leukocytes and are more likely to remain inside the target organs. When infected leukocytes adhere to the vascular endothelial cells of the target organ, the tachyzoites inside the cells immediately escape and infect the parenchyma of the organs. As described above, organ transparency technology is a powerful tool for understanding the internal dynamics of parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro TAKASHIMA
- Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
- Center for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research (COMIT), Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
- Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
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13
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Su D, Zhu S, Hou Z, Hao F, Xu K, Xu F, Zhu Y, Liu D, Xu J, Tao J. Toxoplasma gondii infection regulates apoptosis of host cells via miR-185/ARAF axis. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:371. [PMID: 37858158 PMCID: PMC10585723 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05991-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis with a worldwide presence that is caused by the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Active regulation of apoptosis is an important immune mechanism by which host cells resist the growth of T. gondii or avoid excessive pathological damage induced by this parasite. Previous studies found that upregulated expression of microRNA-185 (miR-185) during T. gondii infection has a potential role in regulating the expression of the ARAF gene, which is reported to be associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis. METHODS The expression levels of miR-185 and the ARAF gene were evaluated by qPCR and Western blot, respectively, in mice tissues, porcine kidney epithelial cells (PK-15) and porcine alveolar macrophages (3D4/21) following infection with the T. gondii ToxoDB#9 and RH strains. The dual luciferase reporter assay was then used to verify the relationship between miR-185 and ARAF targets in PK-15 cells. PK-15 and 3D4/21 cell lines with stable knockout of the ARAF gene were established by CRISPR, and then the apoptosis rates of the cells following T. gondii infection were detected using cell flow cytometry assays. Simultaneously, the activities of cleaved caspase-3, as a key apoptosis executive protein, were detected by Western blot to evaluate the apoptosis levels of cells. RESULTS Infection with both the T. gondii ToxoDB#9 and RH strains induced an increased expression of miR-185 and a decreased expression of ARAF in mice tissues, PK-15 and 3D4/21 cells. MiR-185 mimic transfections showed a significantly negative correlation in expression levels between miR-185 and the ARAF gene. The dual luciferase reporter assay confirmed that ARAF was a target of miR-185. Functional investigation revealed that T. gondii infection induced the apoptosis of PK-15 and 3D4/21 cells, which could be inhibited by ARAF knockout or overexpression of miR-185. The expression levels of cleaved caspase-3 protein were significantly lower in cells with ARAF knockout than in normal cells, which were consistent with the results of the cell flow cytometry assays. CONCLUSIONS Toxoplasma gondii infection could lead to the upregulation of miR-185 and the downregulation of ARAF, which was not related to the strain of T. gondii and the host cells. Toxoplasma gondii infection could regulate the apoptosis of host cells via the miR-185/ARAF axis, which represents an additional strategy used by T. gondii to counteract host-cell apoptosis in order to maintain survival and reproduce in the host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingzeyang Su
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu People’s Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Shifan Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu People’s Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhaofeng Hou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu People’s Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Fuxing Hao
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, 225300 People’s Republic of China
| | - Kangzhi Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu People’s Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Fan Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu People’s Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuyang Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu People’s Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Dandan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu People’s Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Jinjun Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu People’s Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianping Tao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, 12 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu People’s Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
- International Research Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonotic Diseases of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 People’s Republic of China
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14
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López-Ureña NM, Calero-Bernal R, González-Fernández N, Blaga R, Koudela B, Ortega-Mora LM, Álvarez-García G. Optimization of the most widely used serological tests for a harmonized diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic pigs. Vet Parasitol 2023; 322:110024. [PMID: 37729831 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
The intake of Toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts through raw or undercooked pork meat is one of the main infection sources for humans. Thus, surveillance is recommended to control and prevent infection in domestic pigs. However, the lack of comparative studies hampers the updating of their performance and the comparison of seroprevalence data. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and validate three in-house tests and accomplish a comparative analysis of the most widely used serological tests employed in pigs. A panel of sera from pigs experimentally infected with either oocysts or tissue cysts from type II and III isolates (n = 158) was used to develop and validate a tachyzoite-based Western blot assay. Then, this technique was used as a reference to develop and preliminary validate a lyophilized tachyzoite-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an immunofluorescence antibody test. Next, a comparative study of the three in-house tests and three widely used commercial ELISAs (IDScreen®, PrioCHECK™ and Pigtype®) was accomplished with the abovementioned sera together with an additional serum panel of pigs experimentally infected with oocysts from the type II isolate (n = 44) and a panel of naturally infected pigs (n = 244). The results obtained by the majority of the tests were regarded as reference, and data analyses included TG-ROC calculations and agreement tests. Finally, the kinetics of anti-T. gondii IgGs from experimentally infected pigs was analyzed. Excellent sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) values (≥ 93%) and moderate to near perfect agreement (k = 0.63-0.91) were observed using sera from experimental infections without requiring further readjustment, except for PrioCHECK (100% Se, 73% Sp). However, the Se of IDScreen® (87%) and TgSALUVET WB (71%) and the Sp of PrioCHECK (72%) were slightly or notably reduced when sera from naturally infected animals were analyzed, which also influenced the kappa values (k = 0.30-0.91). Cutoff readjustments increased the Se and Sp values to equal to or above 97% for all tests, except for TgSALUVET WB, which can be used as a reference for initial validation of tests, but it is not recommended for routine diagnosis. Seroconversion was recorded from two weeks post-infection by most of the tests, with significantly higher IgG levels in sera from pigs infected with the T. gondii type III vs. type II isolate. Again, differences regarding the test employed were observed. Differences in the diagnostic performance among tests evidenced the need to harmonize serological techniques to obtain comparable and reliable results.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Radu Blaga
- Anses, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Bretislav Koudela
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic; Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
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15
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de Martinis C, Pucciarelli A, Ottaiano M, Pellicanò R, Baldi L, Veneziano V, Sgroi G, Boccia F, Carbone C, Cardillo L, Fusco G. Toxoplasma gondii Investigation of Home-Reared Pigs through Real-Time PCR and Digital Droplet PCR: A Very Low Prevalence. Pathogens 2023; 12:882. [PMID: 37513729 PMCID: PMC10384325 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread protozoon that can infect both animals and humans. The main route of human infection is the consumption of the raw or undercooked meat of several animal species, including pigs. Although T. gondii represents a public health concern, control during slaughter is not mandatory, leading to a lack of information on the impact on human contagion as well as poor data availability in domestic animals intended for human consumption. We studied the presence of T. gondii in home-reared pigs, an unconventional type of farming subjected to stringent breeding conditions dictated by Italian regulation. Thus, the diaphragms, livers and masseter muscles from 480 pigs in Napoli Province (Italy) were analyzed using real-time PCR and digital droplet PCR. The results showed four matrices that tested positive for T. gondii with very low protozoan loads (0.62%), belonging to three different animals. The low density of the animals (the maximum was four animals per farm) and the biosafety farming features decisively contributed to the bioexclusion of this pathogen. Comparing these results to intensive and extensive farm data, lower exposure to the parasite was revealed, suggesting that this farming method might mitigate the risk of human exposure through meat consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio de Martinis
- Unit of Exotic and Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Alessia Pucciarelli
- Unit of Exotic and Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Ottaiano
- Regional Observatory of Epidemiology and Biostatistic, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Pellicanò
- Regional Observatory of Epidemiology and Biostatistic, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Loredana Baldi
- Regional Observatory of Epidemiology and Biostatistic, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Veneziano
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Produzioni Animali, 80137 Napoli, Italy
| | - Giovanni Sgroi
- Unit of Wildlife, Department of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Federica Boccia
- Azienda Sanitaria Locale (ASL) Napoli 3 Sud, Unit of Animal Health, Department of Prevention, 80059 Naples, Italy
| | - Carmine Carbone
- Azienda Sanitaria Locale (ASL) Napoli 3 Sud, Unit of Animal Health, Department of Prevention, 80059 Naples, Italy
| | - Lorena Cardillo
- Unit of Exotic and Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanna Fusco
- Unit of Virology, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, 80055 Naples, Italy
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16
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Zhu S, VanWormer E, Martínez-López B, Bahia-Oliveira LMG, DaMatta RA, Rodrigues PS, Shapiro K. Quantitative Risk Assessment of Oocyst Versus Bradyzoite Foodborne Transmission of Toxoplasma gondii in Brazil. Pathogens 2023; 12:870. [PMID: 37513717 PMCID: PMC10384504 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed zoonotic protozoan parasite. Infection with T. gondii can cause congenital toxoplasmosis in developing fetuses and acute outbreaks in the general population, and the disease burden is especially high in South America. Prior studies found that the environmental stage of T. gondii, oocysts, is an important source of infection in Brazil; however, no studies have quantified this risk relative to other parasite stages. We developed a Bayesian quantitative risk assessment (QRA) to estimate the relative attribution of the two primary parasite stages (bradyzoite and oocyst) that can be transmitted in foods to people in Brazil. Oocyst contamination in fruits and greens contributed significantly more to overall estimated T. gondii infections than bradyzoite-contaminated foods (beef, pork, poultry). In sensitivity analysis, treatment, i.e., cooking temperature for meat and washing efficiency for produce, most strongly affected the estimated toxoplasmosis incidence rate. Due to the lack of regional food contamination prevalence data and the high level of uncertainty in many model parameters, this analysis provides an initial estimate of the relative importance of food products. Important knowledge gaps for oocyst-borne infections were identified and can drive future studies to improve risk assessments and effective policy actions to reduce human toxoplasmosis in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Elizabeth VanWormer
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
- School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Beatriz Martínez-López
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | | | - Renato Augusto DaMatta
- Laboratory of Cell and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Pedro Souto Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Cell and Tissue Biology, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Karen Shapiro
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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17
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Nessim J, Luna-Ramirez JC, Moreno-Gómez GA, Galvis-Soto DM, Gomez-Marin JE. Estimations of the number people with mental diseases associated with toxoplasmosis and identification of risk factors by continent. Psychiatry Res 2023; 323:115130. [PMID: 36913872 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Strong evidence exists based on metanalysis of the relationship between toxoplasmosis and many psychiatric diseases: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and suicidal behavior. Herein, we estimate the number of cases based on the attributable fraction due to toxoplasmosis on these diseases. The population attributable fraction of mental disease associated with toxoplasmosis was 20,4% for schizophrenia; 27,3% for bipolar disorder; and 0,29% for suicidal behavior (self-harm). The lower and upper estimated number of people with mental disease associated with toxoplasmosis was 4'816.491 and 5'564.407 for schizophrenia; 6'348.946 and 7'510.118,82 for bipolar disorder; and 24.310 and 28.151 for self-harm; for a global total lower estimated number of 11'189.748 and global total upper estimated number of 13'102.678 people with mental disease associated with toxoplasmosis for the year 2019. According to the prediction through the Bayesian model of risk factors for toxoplasmosis associated with mental disease, these varied in importance geographically; thus, in Africa, the most important risk factor was water contamination and in the European region, the cooking conditions of meats. Toxoplasmosis and mental health should be a research priority given the enormous potential impact of reducing this parasite in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Nessim
- Molecular Parasitology Group (GEPAMOL, for the term in Spanish), Biomedical Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad del Quindío, Armenia, Colombia
| | | | | | | | - Jorge E Gomez-Marin
- Molecular Parasitology Group (GEPAMOL, for the term in Spanish), Biomedical Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad del Quindío, Armenia, Colombia.
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18
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Castillo-Cuenca JC, Almería S, Calero-Bernal R, Fernández-Escobar M, Fraga J, Entrena-García A, Arias PC, Martínez-Moreno Á, García-Bocanegra I. Seroprevalence and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic pigs intended for human consumption in Cuba. Zoonoses Public Health 2023; 70:125-133. [PMID: 36416370 PMCID: PMC10100425 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13010] [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: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Domestic pigs are considered as one of the main intermediate hosts in the zoonotic transmission of Toxoplasma gondii in many countries. Serological and molecular studies are warranted to better understand the epidemiology and transmission patterns of this parasite worldwide. To date, seroepidemiological information on T. gondii in domestic pigs in Cuba is very scarce and there are no reports of T. gondii genotypes circulating in this country. Here, we aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of T. gondii and provide genetic characterization of the strains circulating in slaughtered pigs intended for human consumption in Central Cuba. Seroprevalence was determined in 450 serum samples from slaughtered pigs in Villa Clara province using ELISA. Anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies were detected in 100 animals (22.2%, 95% CI: 18.5-26.2). Conventional PCR of the 529-bp marker of T. gondii was performed in hearts and diaphragm tissues of all ELISA-seropositive pigs. Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in four animals. Further genetic characterization of the positive DNA samples was performed by multilocus PCR-RFLP and PCR-sequencing typing tools. Molecular analysis revealed four different genetic profiles that were combinations of type I, II, III and u-1 alleles, suggesting the circulation of non-clonal genotypes of T. gondii in domestic pigs in Cuba. Our results indicate that T. gondii is widely distributed in slaughtered pigs in this country, which might have important implications for public health. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on genetic characterization of T. gondii in Cuba. Although preliminary, the results suggest a high genetic diversity of T. gondii in the study region. Further studies based on parasite isolation are needed to definitively identify the genotypes circulating and characterize the virulence of strains detected in pigs in Cuba, and to assess the risk of zoonotic transmission from pork products in this country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio César Castillo-Cuenca
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas, Santa Clara, Villa Clara, Cuba
| | - Sonia Almería
- Division of Virulence Assessment, Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Nutrition (CFSAN), Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment (OARSA), Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Rafael Calero-Bernal
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercedes Fernández-Escobar
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Fraga
- Departamento de Parasitología, Instituto de Medicina Tropical "Pedro Kourí", La Habana, Cuba
| | - Angel Entrena-García
- Departamento de Parasitología, Centro Nacional Para La Producción de Animales de Laboratorio (CENPALAB), La Habana, Cuba
| | - Pedro Casanova Arias
- Departamento de Parasitología, Instituto de Medicina Tropical "Pedro Kourí", La Habana, Cuba
| | - Álvaro Martínez-Moreno
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Unidad de Parasitología, UIC Zoonosis y Enfermedades Emergentes ENZOEM, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Ignacio García-Bocanegra
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), UIC Zoonosis y Enfermedades Emergentes ENZOEM, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.,CIBERINFEC, ISCIII - CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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19
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Huertas-López A, Álvarez-García G, Sánchez-Sánchez R, Cantos-Barreda A, Ibáñez-López FJ, Martínez-Subiela S, Cerón JJ, Martínez-Carrasco C. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the serological diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection highlight the lack of a One Health integrative research. Res Vet Sci 2023; 155:137-149. [PMID: 36682338 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2023.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed food-borne zoonotic parasite with numerous infection sources. The control of this zoonosis requires a One Health response that partially depends on serological monitoring in humans and animals. Herein, a systematic review and a meta-analysis were performed to analyse and compare the transdisciplinary and integrative research under the One Health approach. We searched for articles published between January 1st 2014 and September 5th 2022, focused on the development and evaluation of serological techniques for the diagnosis of T. gondii infection in humans and animals. After an exhaustive search on three scientific databases, a quality assessment was performed on 291 articles by QUADAS-2 tool, and 113 articles were finally selected. A total of 18 variables were extracted and analysed, including bibliometric characteristics, study aims and methodology. Remarkably, none of the studies included in the meta-analysis explicitly quoted the words "One Health", and only 23.9% of them alluded to the principles underlying the One Health approach; in particular, none were conducted by physician-only teams, with the majority of these studies involving interdisciplinary research teams, followed by veterinarians and by non-physician or non-veterinarian researchers. The One Health approach followed in the serodiagnosis of T. gondii still needs further integration among scientific disciplines, which is essential to design effective control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Huertas-López
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, University of Murcia - Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Gema Álvarez-García
- Animal Health Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Roberto Sánchez-Sánchez
- Animal Health Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Cantos-Barreda
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology-A, University of Murcia - Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain; Animal Health Department, University of Murcia - Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Ibáñez-López
- Statistical Support Section (SAE), Scientific and Research Area (ACTI), University of Murcia - Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Silvia Martínez-Subiela
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, University of Murcia - Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - José Joaquín Cerón
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, University of Murcia - Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Carlos Martínez-Carrasco
- Animal Health Department, University of Murcia - Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
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20
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Kauter J, Damek F, Schares G, Blaga R, Schott F, Deplazes P, Sidler X, Basso W. Detection of Toxoplasma gondii-specific antibodies in pigs using an oral fluid-based commercial ELISA: Advantages and limitations. Int J Parasitol 2022:S0020-7519(22)00183-7. [PMID: 36587725 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.11.003] [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: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a major food-borne parasite and undercooked meat of infected pigs represents an important source of infection for humans. Since infections in pigs are mostly subclinical, adequate diagnostic tests for use at the farm level are pursued. Oral fluid (OF) was shown to be a promising matrix for direct and indirect detection of infections with various pathogens in pigs. The objective of this study was to assess whether T. gondii infections in pigs could be diagnosed using an indirect ELISA kit adapted for OF samples (OF-ELISA). Routine serology and OF-immunoblot (IB) were used as standards for the comparison. For this, serial OF samples from sows (n = 8) and fatteners (n = 3) experimentally inoculated with T. gondii oocysts, individual field samples from potentially exposed sows (n = 9) and pooled OF samples from potentially exposed group-housed fatteners (n = 195 pig groups, including 2,248 animals) were analysed for antibodies against T. gondii by ELISA. For individual animals, OF-ELISA exhibited a relative diagnostic specificity of 97.3% and a relative diagnostic sensitivity of 78.8%. In experimentally infected animals, positive OF-ELISA results were observed from 1.5 weeks post inoculation (pi) until the end of the experimental setup (8 to 30 weeks pi); however, values below the estimated cut-off were occasionally observed in some animals despite constant seropositivity. In potentially exposed individual animals, OF- and serum-ELISA results showed 100% agreement. In group-housed fatteners, antibodies against T. gondii could be reliably detected by OF-ELISA in groups in which at least 25% of the animals were seropositive. This OF-ELISA, based on a commercially available serum-ELISA, may represent an interesting non-invasive screening tool for detecting pig groups with a high exposure to T. gondii at the farm level. The OF-ELISA may need further adjustments to consistently detect individual infected pigs, probably due to variations in OF antibody concentration over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Kauter
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Filip Damek
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, BIPAR, Maisons-Alfort F-94700, France
| | - Gereon Schares
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald‑Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Radu Blaga
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, BIPAR, Maisons-Alfort F-94700, France
| | - Franziska Schott
- Department of Farm Animals, Division of Swine Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peter Deplazes
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Xaver Sidler
- Department of Farm Animals, Division of Swine Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Walter Basso
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
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21
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Largo-de la Torre A, Diezma-Díaz C, Calero-Bernal R, Atencia-Cibreiro G, Sánchez-Sánchez R, Ferre I, Regidor-Cerrillo J, Ortega-Mora LM. Archetypal type II and III Toxoplasma gondii oocysts induce different immune responses and clinical outcomes in experimentally infected piglets. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1021556. [PMID: 36341449 PMCID: PMC9631316 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1021556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Livestock animals, such as swine, are an important source of Toxoplasma gondii in the human population. Currently, there is limited knowledge regarding the potential influence that the T. gondii genotype might exert on establishing infection in swine. Herein, we investigated the role of 2 T. gondii isolates, type II and III, representative of the genotypes circulating in Europe, in the immune responses and infection dynamics in piglets. Recently obtained oocysts (103) from the T. gondii field isolates TgShSp1 (type II, ToxoDB genotype #3) and TgShSp24 (type III, #2) were used for oral infection. Thirteen 50-day-old female piglets of the Landrace-Large White crossbreed were randomly allocated into three different groups: Group 1 (G1, n=5), inoculated with TgShSp1; Group 2 (G2, n=5), inoculated with TgShSp24; and Group 3 (G3, n=3), a non-infected control group. Clinical signs were monitored daily until 42 days post-infection (dpi) when piglets were euthanized. Blood samples were collected weekly to test the cellular immune response in parasite-stimulated peripheral blood and specific IgG, IgG1 and IgG2, responses in sera. Parasite distribution and burden were evaluated in target tissues using a mouse bioassay and quantitative RT−PCR (qPCR). Apathy and a moderate decrease in feed consumption were observed in G1 and G2 piglets between 5 and 8 dpi, coinciding with fever (>40°C). G2 piglets had higher temperatures for a longer duration. Using mouse bioassay and qPCR, the detection frequency was higher in G2 vs. G1, and the highest parasite burdens in target tissues were also found in G2. Seroconversion was detected at 14 dpi in both infected groups, but higher antibody levels were observed in G2 piglets. Cytokine analyses revealed the production of IL-8, IL-1β and IFN-ɤ from 7 dpi in both infected groups. Moreover, IL-12 was produced from 7 dpi in G1 and from 14 dpi in G2. Levels of IL-8 were higher in G2, but IL-1β, IL-12 and IFN-ɤ were higher in G1 at 14 dpi. This cytokine profile reveals a predominant proinflammatory response that could be involved in limiting T. gondii infection in piglets, although it is more efficient against TgShSp1 type II-driven infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos Diezma-Díaz
- SALUVET-Innova, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Calero-Bernal
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Roberto Sánchez-Sánchez
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Ferre
- SALUVET-Innova, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Regidor-Cerrillo
- SALUVET-Innova, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Javier Regidor-Cerrillo, ; Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora,
| | - Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET-Innova, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Javier Regidor-Cerrillo, ; Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora,
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22
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Nie LB, Cong W, He JJ, Zheng WB, Zhu XQ. Global proteomic profiling of multiple organs of cats (Felis catus) and proteome-transcriptome correlation during acute Toxoplasma gondii infection. Infect Dis Poverty 2022; 11:96. [PMID: 36104766 PMCID: PMC9473462 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-022-01022-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite which can infect almost all warm-blooded animals and humans. Understanding the differential expression of proteins and transcripts associated with T. gondii infection in its definitive host (cat) may improve our knowledge of how the parasite manipulates the molecular microenvironment of its definitive host. The aim of this study was to explore the global proteomic alterations in the major organs of cats during acute T. gondii infection. Methods iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic profiling was performed on six organs (brain, liver, lung, spleen, heart and small intestine) of cats on day 7 post-infection by cysts of T. gondii PRU strain (Genotype II). Mascot software was used to conduct the student’s t-test. Proteins with P values < 0.05 and fold change > 1.2 or < 0.83 were considered as differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). Results A total of 32,657 proteins were identified in the six organs, including 2556 DEPs; of which 1325 were up-regulated and 1231 were down-regulated. The brain, liver, lung, spleen, heart and small intestine exhibited 125 DEPs, 463 DEPs, 255 DEPs, 283 DEPs, 855 DEPs and 575 DEPs, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of all proteins and DEPs in all organs showed that many proteins were enriched in binding, cell part, cell growth and death, signal transduction, translation, sorting and degradation, extracellular matrix remodeling, tryptophan catabolism, and immune system. Correlations between differentially expressed proteins and transcripts were detected in the liver (n = 19), small intestine (n = 17), heart (n = 9), lung (n = 9) and spleen (n = 3). Conclusions The present study identified 2556 DEPs in six cat tissues on day 7 after infection by T. gondii PRU strain, and functional enrichment analyses showed that these DEPs were associated with various cellular and metabolic processes. These findings provide a solid base for further in-depth investigation of the complex proteotranscriptomic reprogramming that mediates the dynamic interplays between T. gondii and the different feline tissues. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40249-022-01022-7.
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Ma Y, Cao X, Wang H, Song X, Hu D. In Vitro and In Vivo Activities of Tilmicosin and Acetylisovaleryltylosin Tartrate against Toxoplasma gondii. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179586. [PMID: 36076987 PMCID: PMC9455974 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread intracellular pathogen that infects humans and a variety of animals. The current therapeutic strategy for human toxoplasmosis is a combination of sulphadiazine and pyrimethamine. However, this combination still has a high failure rate and is ineffective against chronic infections. Therefore, it is important to discover a new anti-T. gondii drug that is safer and more effective in both humans and animals. In this study, we describe the anti-T. gondii activities of the 16-membered macrolide tilmicosin and acetylisovaleryltylosin tartrate (ATLL). Both tilmicosin and ATLL potently inhibited T. gondii with a half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 17.96 μM and 10.67 μM, respectively. Interestingly, tilmicosin and ATLL had different effects on the parasites. ATLL exhibited a potent inhibitory effect on intracellular parasite growth, while tilmicosin suppressed parasites extracellularly. By studying the lytic cycle of T. gondii after treatment, we found that ATLL potently inhibited the intracellular proliferation of tachyzoites, while tilmicosin affected the invasion of tachyzoites. Immunofluorescence analysis using ATLL-treated T. gondii showed morphologically abnormal parasites, which may be due to the inhibition of tachyzoite proliferation and division. In addition, tilmicosin and ATLL significantly delayed the death of mice caused by acute toxoplasmosis. Our results suggest that ATLL has potent anti-Toxoplasma activity both in vitro and in vivo and may be an alternative to toxoplasmosis in the future.
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Yang Y, Huang Y, Zhao X, Lin M, Chen L, Zhao M, Chen X, Yang Y, Ma G, Yao C, Huang S, Du A. Development of an Immunochromatographic Test Based on Rhoptry Protein 14 for Serological Detection of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Swine. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12151929. [PMID: 35953918 PMCID: PMC9367252 DOI: 10.3390/ani12151929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii, a worldwide distributed apicomplexan protozoan, can infect almost all warm-blooded animals and may cause toxoplasmosis. In order to provide a point-of-care detection method for T. gondii infection, an immunochromatographic test (ICT) was established. The proposed test uses recombinant T. gondii rhoptry protein 14 (ROP14) conjugated with 20 nm gold particles, recombinant protein A as the detection line and monoclonal antibody TgROP14-5D5 as the control line. The specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and stability of this new ICT were evaluated. rTgROP14 was specifically recognized by positive serum of T. gondii but not negative serum. mAb TgROP14-5D5 showed higher specific recognition of T. gondii antigens and was therefore selected for subsequent colloidal gold strip construction. The new ICT based on TgROP14 exhibited good diagnostic performance with high specificity (86.9%) and sensitivity (90.9%) using IHA as a “reference standard”. Among 436 field porcine sera, ICT and IHA detected 134 (30.7%) and 99 (22.7%) positive samples, respectively. The relative agreement was 87.8%. These data indicate that this new ICT based on TgROP14 is a suitable candidate for routine testing of T. gondii in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimin Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Y.Y.); (Y.H.); (M.L.); (L.C.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.Y.); (G.M.)
| | - Yechuan Huang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Y.Y.); (Y.H.); (M.L.); (L.C.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.Y.); (G.M.)
| | - Xianfeng Zhao
- Animals & Plant Inspection and Quarantine Technology Center of Shenzhen Customs, Shenzhen 518045, China;
| | - Mi Lin
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Y.Y.); (Y.H.); (M.L.); (L.C.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.Y.); (G.M.)
| | - Lulu Chen
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Y.Y.); (Y.H.); (M.L.); (L.C.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.Y.); (G.M.)
| | - Mingxiu Zhao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Y.Y.); (Y.H.); (M.L.); (L.C.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.Y.); (G.M.)
| | - Xueqiu Chen
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Y.Y.); (Y.H.); (M.L.); (L.C.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.Y.); (G.M.)
| | - Yi Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Y.Y.); (Y.H.); (M.L.); (L.C.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.Y.); (G.M.)
| | - Guangxu Ma
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Y.Y.); (Y.H.); (M.L.); (L.C.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.Y.); (G.M.)
| | - Chaoqun Yao
- School of Veterinary Medicine and One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre P.O. Box 334, Saint Kitts and Nevis;
| | - Siyang Huang
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
| | - Aifang Du
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Y.Y.); (Y.H.); (M.L.); (L.C.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (Y.Y.); (G.M.)
- Correspondence:
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Betić N, Karabasil N, Djurković-Djaković O, Ćirković V, Bobić B, Branković Lazić I, Djordjević V, Klun I. Seroprevalence, Direct Detection and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pigs in Serbia, and Influence of Biosecurity Measures. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10051069. [PMID: 35630511 PMCID: PMC9146795 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10051069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Consumption of Toxoplasma gondii contaminated pork is a major risk factor for human infection. We thus conducted a cross-sectional survey on the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in a representative sample of slaughter pigs from throughout Serbia and examined the influence of farm biosecurity-related risk factors on infection. In addition, direct detection of the parasite (by mouse bioassay) or its DNA was performed in the hearts of a subset of seropositive sows. The overall seroprevalence in the sample of 825 pigs as determined by the modified agglutination test (MAT) was 16.5%. Older age and inadequate rodent control were independent infection risk factors for pigs. In a subset of 581 pigs with complete biosecurity-related data, in addition to older age, smallholders’ finishing type farms (as opposed to farrow-to-finish), multispecies farming, and origin from Western and Central and South-Eastern Serbia (vs. the Northern region), all increased the risk of infection, while the absence of disinfection boot-dips in front of each barn and Belgrade district origin (vs. the Northern region) were associated with a 62% and 75% lower risk of infection, respectively. Evidence of viable parasites was obtained in 13 (41.9%) of the 31 bioassayed sow hearts, of which by isolation of brain cysts in seven, by detection of T. gondii DNA in an additional four, and by serology in another two. Recovery of brain cysts mostly (5/7) from sows with a MAT titre of ≥1:100 indicates the risk for consumers. These results highlight the public health risk from pork consumption and point to mandatory use of professional rodent control services, abstaining from multispecies farming, keeping disinfection boot-dips clean and freshly refilled, as well as strict implementation of zoo-hygienic measures on smallholders’ farms as specific farm biosecurity measures needed for its reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikola Betić
- Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (N.B.); (I.B.L.); (V.D.)
| | - Nedjeljko Karabasil
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Olgica Djurković-Djaković
- Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia; (O.D.-D.); (V.Ć.); (B.B.)
| | - Vladimir Ćirković
- Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia; (O.D.-D.); (V.Ć.); (B.B.)
| | - Branko Bobić
- Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia; (O.D.-D.); (V.Ć.); (B.B.)
| | - Ivana Branković Lazić
- Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (N.B.); (I.B.L.); (V.D.)
| | - Vesna Djordjević
- Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (N.B.); (I.B.L.); (V.D.)
| | - Ivana Klun
- Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia; (O.D.-D.); (V.Ć.); (B.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +381-11-2685-788
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Athanasiou LV, Katsogiannou EG, Tsokana CN, Dedousi A, Boutsini S, Papakonstantinou G, Papatsiros VG. Detection of Antibodies Against Toxoplasma gondii in Filter Paper-Dried Blood Dot Spots Compared with Serum in Pigs and Assessment of Variation Associated with Packed Cell Volume. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2022; 19:394-399. [PMID: 35443790 DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2021.0115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the agreement between anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibody detection in serum and filter paper (FP) blood spots using the indirect immunofluorescence antibody assay (IFA) and to evaluate the potential impact of the packed cell volume (PCV) on antibody detection in FPs. A pair of a serum and an FP sample was collected from 96 sows at various farms in Greece, with previously identified high seropositivity and/or risk factors associated with high seropositivity against T. gondii. The PCV value was determined using the microhematocrit method. IFA was used for the detection of antibodies against T. gondii. T. gondii-specific antibodies were detected in 45.8% serum samples and 41.6% FP samples showing almost perfect agreement. Detection in FP samples presented high sensitivity (87.1-92.8%) and excellent specificity (100%) when compared with detection in serum, regardless of the PCV values. The findings of this study support the reliability of FPs for the evaluation of the serological status of swine against T. gondii. FPs could be a good alternative sample type compared with serum for large-scale epidemiological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Labrini V Athanasiou
- Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Eleni G Katsogiannou
- Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Constantina N Tsokana
- Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Anna Dedousi
- Veterinary Research Institute, HAO-Demeter, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Sofia Boutsini
- Parasitology - Parasitic Diseases, Entomology, and Bee Health Department, Veterinary Center of Athens/General Directorate of Veterinary Services, Athens, Greece
| | - George Papakonstantinou
- Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Vasileios G Papatsiros
- Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
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Zhang Y, Mi R, Xie J, Jia H, Ling H, Zhang X, Luo L, Gong H, Han X, Huang Y, Zeng Z, Chen Z. Seroprevalence and the Risk Factor of Toxoplasma gondii Infection to Slaughter Pigs in Chongqing, China. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2022; 22:238-243. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2021.0101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yehua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Rongsheng Mi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianhua Xie
- Chongqing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Haiyan Jia
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongquan Ling
- Chongqing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Luo
- Chongqing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Haiyan Gong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangan Han
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheng Zeng
- Chongqing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhaoguo Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
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Liu X, Fan L, Tan Q, Chen X, Li H, Zhao X, Zhang X. Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pigs determined by ELISA based on recombinant SAG1 in Shandong province, China. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2022; 83:101781. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2022.101781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Puchalska M, Wiśniewski J, Klich D, Gołąb E, Jańczak D, Sokołowska J, Urbańska K, Anusz K. A serological survey of Toxoplasma gondii in polish pigs from organic farms, other housing systems and in pigs of different age groups. Acta Vet Scand 2022; 64:3. [PMID: 35130949 PMCID: PMC8822955 DOI: 10.1186/s13028-022-00623-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The consumption of raw or undercooked meat, especially pork, and offal containing infective tissue cysts is suspected to be a significant route of infection with Toxoplasma gondii. Although the use of “animal-friendly pig production systems” ensuring direct contact with the natural environment offers ethical benefits, it limits the ability to ensure animal health; it may also increase the probability of infections by pathogens such as T. gondii, and thus their entry into the food chain. This study determines the seroprevalence of T. gondii in pigs from different housing systems and farms with different hygiene standards in Poland, as well as among pigs of different age groups from farms with high hygiene standards. In total 760 pig serum samples were examined for the presence of specific antibodies using the PrioCHECK® Toxoplasma Ab porcine commercial ELISA test (Prionics, Switzerland). Results Test results with PP ≥ 20% were regarded as positive, as indicated by the manufacturer. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 193 of 760 (25.4%) tested sera. Regarding different housing systems, antibodies were found in 117 pigs: of these, 52.6% (61/116) were from organic farms, 40.9% (47/115) from farms with low hygiene standards, 5.4% (9/167) from farms with high hygiene standards and 0% (0/40) from a farm with a high level of biosecurity. Regarding age groups, antibodies were found in 76 animals on farms with high hygiene standards: 11.1% (7/63) were pigs younger than 3 months, 0% (0/60) aged 3–4 months, 12.3% (7/57) aged 5–6 months (final fattening stage) and 43.7% (62/142) were sows aged 9 months and older. Conclusions Antibodies to T. gondii were most often found in pigs from organic and low-hygiene farms, as well as in pigs aged 9 months and older. Meat derived from seropositive animals can pose a potential source of infection for humans. As maternal antibodies to T. gondii can be present in the blood of piglets aged up to 3–4 months, serological examination is unjustified in piglets up to this age.
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A Review on Alaria alata, Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis spp. in Mammalian Game Meat Consumed in Europe: Epidemiology, Risk Management and Future Directions. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12030263. [PMID: 35158587 PMCID: PMC8833328 DOI: 10.3390/ani12030263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In many European countries, game meat consumption is related to the traditional hunting culture. Its demand and consumption are increasing, also due to the growing populations of wild ungulates. However, specific public health issues exist and should be taken into account. This review focuses on the causal agents, epidemiology, potential risk for human health and its management along the supply chain, including parasite detection at slaughtering and inactivation in meat, of three parasites (Alaria alata, Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis spp.), which can be transmitted by the main mammalian game meat species in the EU: wild boar (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama dama), Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), moose (Alces alces), hare (Lepus europaeus) and wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). By presenting the main issues and knowledge gaps, this study aims to contribute to an improved control supporting the risk analysis process. Abstract Game meat is increasingly appreciated and consumed in Europe, also due to the growing population of wild ungulates. In addition to interesting nutritional properties and market opportunities, game meat is characterized by some specific public health issues. This review focuses on the etiology, epidemiology, public health aspects and risk management along the supply chain, including parasite detection at slaughtering and inactivation in meat, of three selected foodborne parasitic hazards (Alaria alata, Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis spp.) in the main mammalian game meat species in the EU: wild boar (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama dama), Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), moose (Alces alces), hare (Lepus europaeus) and wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The presented data point out the main issues, and knowledge gaps as well as the potential for improved control in order to contribute to the risk analysis process. To pursue an effective management of these parasitic zoonoses, awareness raising should involve all figures in the supply chain, including hunters, restaurateurs and consumers. Human behaviour and the lack of knowledge regarding meat borne parasitic zoonoses and the health risks they pose seem to be the most important factors responsible for human infections. However, detection methods, starting from the sampling procedure, should be further developed and standardized in order to improve the collection of accurate and up-to-date epidemiological data.
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Miura AC, Barros LDD, Minutti AF, Martins TA, Sasse JP, Nino BDSL, Garcia JL. Evaluation of quantitative polymerase chain reaction for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts shed by cats. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA = BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY : ORGAO OFICIAL DO COLEGIO BRASILEIRO DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2021; 30:e016621. [PMID: 34878069 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612021091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Felines are definitive hosts of Toxoplasma gondii and can shed oocysts in their feces, contaminating the environment. Sporulated oocysts are highly resistant to the environment and have higher infectivity, which are attributed to many toxoplasmosis outbreaks. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique for the detection of T. gondii oocysts shed by cats. Twelve cats from a previous vaccine experiment were challenged orally with 600 cysts of the TgDoveBr8 strain on day 72. Fecal samples were collected daily using the centrifugal flotation technique, with microscopic examination (Sheather technique) and qPCR for 20 days after the challenge. Cats from all groups shed oocysts in their feces. Five negative cats in the Sheather were positive according to qPCR on the 3rd day post-inoculation (dpi). Oocysts were detected on the 4th dpi using the Sheather; however, there was no statistical difference between the two methods (p=0.1116). In addition, there was no statistically significant difference in oocyst shedding between the groups according to the Sheather technique (p=0.6534) and qPCR (p=0.9670). In conclusion, these results demonstrate that qPCR can be used as an alternative to the Sheather to detect and quantify T. gondii oocysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carolina Miura
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Laboratório de Protozoologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Londrina - UEL, Londrina, PR, Brasil
| | - Luiz Daniel de Barros
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Laboratório de Protozoologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Londrina - UEL, Londrina, PR, Brasil
| | - Ana Flávia Minutti
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Laboratório de Protozoologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Londrina - UEL, Londrina, PR, Brasil
| | - Thais Agostinho Martins
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Laboratório de Protozoologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Londrina - UEL, Londrina, PR, Brasil
| | - João Pedro Sasse
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Laboratório de Protozoologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Londrina - UEL, Londrina, PR, Brasil
| | - Beatriz de Souza Lima Nino
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Laboratório de Protozoologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Londrina - UEL, Londrina, PR, Brasil
| | - João Luis Garcia
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Laboratório de Protozoologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Londrina - UEL, Londrina, PR, Brasil
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Zhang Y, Xie J, Mi R, Ling H, Luo L, Jia H, Zhang X, Huang Y, Gong H, Han X, Zeng Z, Chen Z. Molecular detection and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in pork from Chongqing, southwest China. Acta Trop 2021; 224:106134. [PMID: 34509456 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106134] [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] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Raw or undercooked meat is an important source of Toxoplasma gondii infection in China, but there is little research data on these infections in Chongqing. This study determined the prevalence of T. gondii, and its genotypes, in pork. A total of 1,223 diaphragm muscle samples were collected from eight slaughterhouses and 79 markets and detected by PCR amplification of the ITS gene. All of the positive samples were used for genotype identification by PCR-RFLP with 11 genetic markers. The total positive rate of T. gondii in Chongqing pork was 8.7%, and differences in T. gondii infection rates were found between different districts (0%-23.3%), seasons (e.g., 4.3% from Spring, 7.3% from Summer, 11.4% from Autumn, 12.0% from Winter) and years (2.7%-14.3%). Six samples were successfully genotyped, of which one was identified as ToxoDB#9 and five were ToxoDB#9-like. This was the first continuous study about the prevalence of T. gondii in pork in Chongqing for several years. Slaughterhouses in different districts, pork source, farm scale, season and year were potential risk factors for T. gondii contamination by the univariate logistic regression, and using multivariate logistic regression districts, pork source and year were the independent risk factor. These data may help reducing the levels of toxoplasmosis in pigs and humans in Chongqing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yehua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianhua Xie
- Chongqing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Rongsheng Mi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongquan Ling
- Chongqing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Lu Luo
- Chongqing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Haiyan Jia
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Haiyan Gong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangan Han
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheng Zeng
- Chongqing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chongqing, China.
| | - Zhaoguo Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China.
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Saito T, Kitamura Y, Tanaka E, Ishigami I, Taniguchi Y, Moribe J, Kitoh K, Takashima Y. Spatial distribution of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody-positive wild boars in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17207. [PMID: 34446779 PMCID: PMC8390498 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96758-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a globally wide-spread parasite that infects almost all species of mammals and birds, including humans. We studied the spatial distribution of individual T. gondii-seropositive wild boar in Gifu Prefecture (10,621 km2), Japan. Altogether, 744 wild boars were captured at 663 points around human settlements in Gifu Prefecture. Serum samples were collected after recording the exact capture locations, along with each wild boar’s body length and sex. We then used a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit for swine to measure anti-T. gondii antibodies in these animals. Among the 744 wild boars, 169 tested positive for T. gondii (22.7%). No significant difference in T. gondii seroprevalence was observed between the mountainous northern region with high winter snow cover and the mild-wintered geographical plain of the southern part of the prefecture. In contrast, 8 of the 11 wild boars that were captured in a public park surrounded by residential areas showed T. gondii seropositivity (72.7%), a value significantly higher than those of the wild boar populations in the other prefecture areas. This in-depth analysis, which spans the big city suburbs and rural areas of a whole prefecture, explains the seroprevalence of zoonotic T. gondii in wild boar and has public health implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taizo Saito
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Yuko Kitamura
- Gifu Prefectural Chuo Livestock Hygiene Service Center, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1112, Japan.,Department of Applied Veterinary Science, The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Eiji Tanaka
- Gifu Prefectural Chuo Livestock Hygiene Service Center, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1112, Japan
| | - Itsuki Ishigami
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Yuji Taniguchi
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Junji Moribe
- School of Social System Management, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan.,Laboratory of Wildlife Resources, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Katsuya Kitoh
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan.,Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Takashima
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan. .,Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan.
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Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and associated risk factors in domestic pigs raised from Cuba. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:2897-2903. [PMID: 34313806 PMCID: PMC8370946 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07245-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and associated risk factors in pigs in the largest pork-producing region in Cuba. Serum samples from 420 pigs, including 210 sows and 210 post-weaning pigs, were tested for antibodies against T. gondii using a commercial indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Anti-T. gondii antibodies were detected in 56 animals (13.3%, 95% CI: 10.1–16.6). A generalized estimating equations model revealed that the risk factors associated with higher seropositivity in pigs were altitude (higher in farm’s location < 250 m above sea level (masl) versus ≥ 250 masl) and age (higher in sows compared to post-weaning pigs). The results indicated that this protozoan parasite is widely distributed on pig farms in the study area, which is a public health concern since the consumption of raw or undercooked pork meat products containing tissue cysts is considered one of the main routes of T. gondii transmission worldwide. Control measures should be implemented to reduce the risk of exposure to T. gondii in pigs in Cuba.
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Xie W, Xin S, Jiang N, Zhang G, Zhang L, Li X, Yang Y. Lower seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in swine from central China after an outbreak of African swine fever. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 28:55. [PMID: 34213413 PMCID: PMC8253045 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2021053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is widespread worldwide and can infect swine. This study evaluated the seroprevalence of T. gondii in swine from central China after an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF). A total of 2683 swine serum samples were collected from farms in four provinces. Of the serum samples, 1.42% (38/2683) (95% CI, 1.03–1.94) tested positive for T. gondii IgG antibody by a modified agglutination test (MAT) (cut-off: 1:25). Comparing with the results of previous studies, specifically our survey from before the outbreak, the seroprevalence of T. gondii in swine from central China was significantly decreased after the occurrence of ASF (OR = 7.679, 2015–2017 vs. 2019–2020). In general, the proportion of seropositive animals increased with the age of the swine, indicating post-natal transmission of T. gondii. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in seroprevalence between suckling pigs and weaned pigs (p < 0.05). This is the first large-scale investigation of T. gondii infection in swine after an ASF outbreak in China. The lower seroprevalence of T. gondii in swine after ASF may be due to stricter biosecurity measures on the farms, but results indicated swine exposure to zoonotic parasites despite these measures. This highlights that pigs must be considered a potential source of human T. gondii infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weitao Xie
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095 Nanjing, PR China
| | - Shilin Xin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, 450046 Zhengzhou, PR China
| | - Nan Jiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, 450046 Zhengzhou, PR China
| | - Gaiping Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, 450046 Zhengzhou, PR China
| | - Longxian Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, 450046 Zhengzhou, PR China
| | - Xiangrui Li
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095 Nanjing, PR China
| | - Yurong Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, 450046 Zhengzhou, PR China
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Towards an Integrated Approach for Monitoring Toxoplasmosis in Southern Italy. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11071949. [PMID: 34208943 PMCID: PMC8300179 DOI: 10.3390/ani11071949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Toxoplasmosis is a significant public health issue worldwide, caused by the intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. It has a heteroxenous life cycle in which felines act as definitive reservoirs and a wide range of warm-blooded animals, including humans, act as intermediate hosts. Due to the complex life cycle, monitoring, prevention and control of this parasite are very difficult. A thorough analysis of the epidemiology of T. gondii in humans, animals and food as well as the risk factors associated with the infection are needed to plan adequate control strategies in a given geographical area. Based on this, an integrated approach for monitoring toxoplasmosis was developed and conducted in an endemic area of southern Italy. The main tasks of this approach were based on the following strategies: parasitological and risk factor analysis for T. gondii in livestock farms, serological and molecular monitoring in meat-producing livestock at slaughterhouses, hospital discharge records (HDRs) analysis and outreach activities. The findings of this study confirmed the spread of T. gondii infection in southern Italy with high prevalence values in ruminants and the need of valid control strategies based on comprehensive and transdisciplinary actions according to the One Health approach. Abstract Toxoplasmosis is a widespread worldwide zoonotic infection caused by the intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. This protozoan infection is considered one of the most important food-borne parasitic zoonoses globally. Beyond its impact on public health, toxoplasmosis has also important veterinary implications, because it causes miscarriage or congenital malformations in livestock with negative economic impacts. An integrated monitoring programme aimed to deepen the epidemiological data on toxoplasmosis and to identify the risk factors that may favour T. gondii infections in animals and humans was conducted in an endemic area of southern Italy. The monitoring activities were based on the following tasks: (i) parasitological analysis and risk factors for T. gondii in livestock (sheep, goat, cattle and water buffalo) farms; (ii) serological and molecular monitoring at slaughterhouse in meat-producing livestock; (iii) analysis of hospital discharge records (HDRs); (iv) outreach activities (information, dissemination and health education) to farmers, vet practitioners and school-age children. The present study confirmed a very high seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in livestock farms (e.g., up to 93.1% in sheep farms) in southern Italy and highlighted the potentially significant public health risk in this area.
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Nzelu IN, Kwaga JKP, Kabir J, Lawal IA, Beazley C, Evans L, Blake DP. Detection and genetic characterisation of Toxoplasma gondii circulating in free-range chickens, pigs and seropositive pregnant women in Benue state, Nigeria. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009458. [PMID: 34077414 PMCID: PMC8202946 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii parasites present strong but geographically varied signatures of population structure. Populations sampled from Europe and North America have commonly been defined by over-representation of a small number of clonal types, in contrast to greater diversity in South America. The occurrence and extent of genetic diversity in African T. gondii populations remains understudied, undermining assessments of risk and transmission. The present study was designed to establish the occurrence, genotype and phylogeny of T. gondii in meat samples collected from livestock produced for human consumption (free-range chickens, n = 173; pigs, n = 211), comparing with T. gondii detected in blood samples collected from seropositive pregnant women (n = 91) in Benue state, Nigeria. The presence of T. gondii DNA was determined using a published nested polymerase chain reaction, targeting the 529 bp multicopy gene element. Samples with the highest parasite load (assessed using quantitative PCR) were selected for PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) targeting the surface antigen 3 (SAG3), SAG2 (5’ and 3’), beta-tubulin (BTUB) and dense granule protein 6 (GRA6) loci, and the apicoplast genome (Apico). Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in all three of the populations sampled, presenting 30.6, 31.3 and 25.3% occurrence in free-range chickens, pigs and seropositive pregnant women, respectively. Quantitative-PCR indicated low parasite occurrence in most positive samples, limiting some further molecular analyses. PCR-RFLP results suggested that T. gondii circulating in the sampled populations presented with a type II genetic background, although all included a hybrid type I/II or II/III haplotype. Concatenation of aligned RFLP amplicon sequences revealed limited diversity with nine haplotypes and little indication of host species-specific or spatially distributed sub-populations. Samples collected from humans shared haplotypes with free-range chickens and/or pigs. Africa remains under-explored for T. gondii genetic diversity and this study provides the first detailed definition of haplotypes circulating in human and animal populations in Nigeria. Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that infects most warm-blooded animals and can be transmitted from animals to humans. Three dominant genetic types have been described from a larger pool of around 16, and it has been suggested that the severity of disease may be influenced by genetic type. Little is known of T. gondii in Africa. The burden of disease is unclear, while lack of knowledge around genetic diversity and population structure undermines effective risk assessment and control. We sought to determine if T. gondii was prevalent in pigs and poultry produced for human consumption in Nigeria, comparing with genetic types detected in the overlapping human population. Using meat samples from free-range chickens and pigs, and blood samples from seropositive pregnant women in Benue state, Nigeria, we found that T. gondii with a type II genetic background were most common with limited genetic diversity. Detection of comparable genetic types in the free-range chicken, pig and human populations indicate an overlapping parasite population and can be used to inform assessments of risk to human health, most notably pregnant women. The information reported here informs on the occurrence and population structure of T. gondii in Nigeria, contributing to improved understanding in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ifeoma N. Nzelu
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Jacob K. P. Kwaga
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
| | - Junaidu Kabir
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
| | - Idris A. Lawal
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
| | - Christy Beazley
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Evans
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Damer P. Blake
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Olsen A, Alban L, Denwood M, Houe H, Birk Jensen T, Vedel Nielsen H. A longitudinal study of Toxoplasma gondii seroconversion on four large Danish sow farms. Vet Parasitol 2021; 295:109460. [PMID: 34029851 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Serological tests are routinely used to detect Toxoplasma gondii specific IgG antibodies in serum. Serological surveys of T. gondii show a medium to high prevalence in Danish indoor sows at the time of slaughter. However, little is known about when sows acquire T. gondii, and for how long they remain seropositive. Our focus was on quantifying the incidence rates in different age-cohorts and on investigating the T. gondii IgG antibody dynamics in sows. Four large Danish sow farms were longitudinally surveyed for 1 year. A total of 320 animals from 6, 12, 18, and 24-months age-cohorts were sampled at 5-week intervals. In total, 2989 plasma samples were tested using commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The incidence rate in each of the four age-cohorts was calculated, and a time-to-event analysis was applied to the interval censored data to investigate the relationship between age and probability of T. gondii seroconversion. In the initial ELISA testing, eight sows tested positive for T. gondii at first survey, of which seven remained seropositive throughout the follow-up period. Additionally, 16 sows seroconverted, but only five of these remained seropositive. Weekly incidence rates in the 6, 12, 18, and 24-month age-cohorts were 0.0017 (95% CI = 0.0008 - 0.0037), 0.0009 (95% CI = 0.0003 - 0.0027), 0.0003 (95% CI = 0.0000 - 0.0018), and 0.0023 (95% CI = 0.0010 - 0.0051), respectively. Time-to-event analysis suggested that the incidence rate increased with age but could not conclude this definitively. The retesting of a subsample of the sows (n = 200) with the same ELISA and with modified direct agglutination test (MAT), and western blot (WB) assays suggested that 12 out of the 24 initial ELISA seropositive sows may have been false positive. These 12 sows also showed fluctuating antibody dynamics in ELISA. Hence, the unstable antibody dynamics in ELISA may pose a challenge for serological surveys of T. gondii in sows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbey Olsen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 8, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark; Department of Food Safety, Veterinary Issues & Risk Analysis, Danish Agriculture & Food Council, Axelborg, Axeltorv 3, DK-1609, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Lis Alban
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 8, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark; Department of Food Safety, Veterinary Issues & Risk Analysis, Danish Agriculture & Food Council, Axelborg, Axeltorv 3, DK-1609, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Matthew Denwood
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 8, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
| | - Hans Houe
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 8, DK-1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
| | | | - Henrik Vedel 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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Synergistic activity of insulin combined with glucose on Toxoplasma gondii proliferation in Vero cells. Chin Med J (Engl) 2021; 134:2762-2764. [PMID: 33950873 PMCID: PMC8631406 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000001516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
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Barroso P, García-Bocanegra I, Acevedo P, Palencia P, Carro F, Jiménez-Ruiz S, Almería S, Dubey JP, Cano-Terriza D, Vicente J. Long-Term Determinants of the Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in a Wild Ungulate Community. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E2349. [PMID: 33317081 PMCID: PMC7764155 DOI: 10.3390/ani10122349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan which infects warm-blooded vertebrates, including humans, worldwide. In the present study, the epidemiology of T. gondii was studied in the wild ungulate host community (wild boar, red deer, and fallow deer) of Doñana National Park (DNP, south-western Spain) for 13 years (2005-2018). We assessed several variables which potentially operate in the medium and long-term (environmental features, population, and stochastic factors). Overall, the wild ungulate host community of DNP had high seroprevalence values of T. gondii (STG; % ± confidence interval (CI) 95%; wild boar (Sus scrofa) 39 ± 3.3, n = 698; red deer (Cervus elaphus) 30.7 ± 4.4, n = 423; fallow deer (Dama dama) 29.7 ± 4.2, n = 452). The complex interplay of hosts and ecological/epidemiological niches, together with the optimal climatic conditions for the survival of oocysts that converge in this area may favor the spread of the parasite in its host community. The temporal evolution of STG oscillated considerably, mostly in deer species. The relationships shown by statistical models indicated that several factors determined species patterns. Concomitance of effects among species, indicated that relevant drivers of risk operated at the community level. Our focus, addressing factors operating at broad temporal scale, allows showing their impacts on the epidemiology of T. gondii and its trends. This approach is key to understanding the epidemiology and ecology to T. gondii infection in wild host communities in a context where the decline in seroprevalence leads to loss of immunity in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Barroso
- Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; (P.A.); (P.P.); (S.J.-R.); (J.V.)
| | - Ignacio García-Bocanegra
- Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Universidad de Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain; (I.G.-B.); (D.C.-T.)
| | - Pelayo Acevedo
- Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; (P.A.); (P.P.); (S.J.-R.); (J.V.)
| | - Pablo Palencia
- Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; (P.A.); (P.P.); (S.J.-R.); (J.V.)
| | | | - Saúl Jiménez-Ruiz
- Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; (P.A.); (P.P.); (S.J.-R.); (J.V.)
- Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Universidad de Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain; (I.G.-B.); (D.C.-T.)
| | - Sonia Almería
- Division of Virulence Assessment, Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment (OARSA), Center for Food Safety and Nutrition (CFSAN), Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD 20708, USA;
| | - Jitender P. Dubey
- Animal Parasitic Disease Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Building 1001, BARC-East, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA;
| | - David Cano-Terriza
- Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ), Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Universidad de Córdoba, 14014 Córdoba, Spain; (I.G.-B.); (D.C.-T.)
| | - Joaquín Vicente
- Grupo Sanidad y Biotecnología (SaBio), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain; (P.A.); (P.P.); (S.J.-R.); (J.V.)
- Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos, UCLM, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
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