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González-Barrio D, Carpio AJ, Preite L, Miguel-Vicedo M, Estévez-Reboredo RM, González-Viadero M, Barba-Sánchez R, Calero-Bernal R, Carmena D, Fuentes I. Toxoplasma gondii exposure in wildlife in Spain: Is there any predictable threat for humans and domestic animals? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 935:173290. [PMID: 38782291 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic zoonosis of key importance in veterinary and public health. This article summarizes the available data (from 2000 to 2023) of exposition to Toxoplasma gondii in wildlife species in Spain based on a systematic bibliographic search, as well as further analysis of its potential relationship with environmental variables, biodiversity, anthropogenic impact on the habitat, and the reported human cases of toxoplasmosis. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii in carnivorous mammals, birds, ungulate and lagomorph species in Spain was estimated at 69.3 %, 36.4 %, 18.4 %, and 16.2 %, respectively. Among the studies considered, great heterogeneity was observed both between and within taxonomic groups [Cohen's d > 0.8; X2 = 1039.10, df = 4 (p < 0.01) I2 = 97 %, r2 = 1.88, (p < 0.001)] and between and within bioregions [Cohen's d > 0.5; X2 = 368.59, df = 4 (p < 0.01)]. The results of a generalized linear model explaining T. gondii seroprevalence in wild animals suggest the influence of abiotic variables [wetland (p < 0.001), unvegetated (p < 0.001), isothermality (p < 0.001), and mean temperature during wettest quarter (p < 0.05)] and number of intermediate host species as positively associated with increased exposure of wildlife to T. gondii (p < 0.01). Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in both wild birds and wild mammals (range: 0.0-51.2 %) mainly from north-centre, northeast, and central-west of Spain. Regarding hospitalisation rates due to toxoplasmosis in humans, some abiotic variables [permanent crops (p < 0.05) and mean temperature during wettest quarter (p < 0.05)] showed a positive association. Despite certain limitations, this research evidences a substantial gap of knowledge on the implication of wildlife in the life cycle of T. gondii in Spain. This lack of knowledge is particularly evident in areas where the human-livestock-wildlife interface overlaps, preventing us from accurately determining its true distribution in different habitats, as well as its potential direct or indirect implications on public and veterinary health.
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Affiliation(s)
- David González-Barrio
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Health In-stitute Carlos III, Majadahonda, Spain.
| | - Antonio J Carpio
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (UCLM-CSIC-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain; Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, Cordoba, Spain.
| | - Ludovica Preite
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (UCLM-CSIC-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Mariola Miguel-Vicedo
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Health In-stitute Carlos III, Majadahonda, Spain; PhD Programme in Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, IMIENS, National University of Distance Education (UNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa M Estévez-Reboredo
- Epidemiological Surveillance Analysis Area, Spanish National Centre for Epidemiology, Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - María González-Viadero
- Epidemiological Surveillance Analysis Area, Spanish National Centre for Epidemiology, Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Barba-Sánchez
- Epidemiological Surveillance Analysis Area, Spanish National Centre for Epidemiology, Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; The National School of Public Health, Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Rafael Calero-Bernal
- SALUVET, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
| | - David Carmena
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Health In-stitute Carlos III, Majadahonda, Spain; CIBER Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Isabel Fuentes
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Health In-stitute Carlos III, Majadahonda, Spain.
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Kalmár Z, Sándor AD, Balea A, Borşan SD, Matei IA, Ionică AM, Gherman CM, Mihalca AD, Cozma-Petruț A, Mircean V, Györke A. Toxoplasma gondii in small mammals in Romania: the influence of host, season and sampling location. BMC Vet Res 2023; 19:177. [PMID: 37773155 PMCID: PMC10540334 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03729-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects a large spectrum of warm-blooded animals, including humans. Small rodents and insectivores play an important role in the epidemiology of T. gondii and may serve as a source of infection for both, domestic and wild definitive felid hosts. Factors influencing the occurrence of T. gondii in wild small mammals are unknown, despite the fact that many intermediate host species are identified. We have used small mammals (Rodentia and Lipotyphla) captured over two years in various habitats, both in urbanised and in natural landscapes. We assessed the importance of land-use, season and host ecology on T. gondii infection. RESULTS We examined 471 individuals belonging to 20 small mammal species, collected at 63 locations spread over wide altitude, habitat and land-use ranges from Romania. Heart tissue samples were individually analysed by PCR targeting the 529 bp repetitive DNA fragment of T. gondii. The overall prevalence of infection was 7.3%, with nine species of rodents and two species of shrews being found to carry T. gondii DNA. Five species showed high frequency of infection, with the highest prevalence found in Myodes glareolus (35.5%), followed by Spermophilus citellus (33.3%), Sorex minutus (23.1%), S. araneus (21.7%) and Micromys minutus (11.1%). Adults seemed more often infected than young, however when controlling for season, the difference was not significant, as in spring both adults and young showed higher infection rates, but more adults were sampled. Contrary to our expectations, urban/rural areas (with their implicit high density of domestic feline presence) had no effect on infection prevalence. In addition, neither habitat, nor land-use at sampling sites was important as only geographical location and host species were contributing factors to the infection risk. CONCLUSIONS High prevalence of T. gondii infection showed a highly localised, patchy occurrence, with long living and higher mobility host species being the most common carriers, especially during autumn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsuzsa Kalmár
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj- Napoca, RO-400372 Romania
- “Iuliu Hațieganu“ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- HUN-REN-UVMB Climate Change: New Blood-sucking Parasites and Vector-borne Pathogens Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila D. Sándor
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj- Napoca, RO-400372 Romania
- HUN-REN-UVMB Climate Change: New Blood-sucking Parasites and Vector-borne Pathogens Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anamaria Balea
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj- Napoca, RO-400372 Romania
- Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate Cluj, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Silvia-Diana Borşan
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj- Napoca, RO-400372 Romania
| | - Ioana Adriana Matei
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj- Napoca, RO-400372 Romania
| | - Angela Monica Ionică
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj- Napoca, RO-400372 Romania
- Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Călin Mircea Gherman
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj- Napoca, RO-400372 Romania
| | - Andrei Daniel Mihalca
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj- Napoca, RO-400372 Romania
| | | | - Viorica Mircean
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj- Napoca, RO-400372 Romania
| | - Adriana Györke
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj- Napoca, RO-400372 Romania
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Antolová D, Stanko M, Jarošová J, Miklisová D. Rodents as Sentinels for Toxoplasma gondii in Rural Ecosystems in Slovakia-Seroprevalence Study. Pathogens 2023; 12:826. [PMID: 37375516 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060826] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous intracellular parasite with felids as definitive hosts and a broad range of intermediate hosts. Rodents are considered suitable sentinels for prevalence studies of many infections, including toxoplasmosis. This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of T. gondii in rodents from different localities of Slovakia and investigate the correlation between the seropositivity and the species, age, sex, and sexual activity of animals. Altogether, 1009 wild rodents belonging to 9 species were trapped in 2015 and 2019, and antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 6.7% of the animals. Seropositivity was detected in seven species, ranging from 0.0% in Micromys minutus and Apodemus sylvaticus to 7.7% in A. flavicollis. The females reached significantly higher seropositivity (9.7%) than the males (3.8%), and the adults were positive significantly more often (9.2%) than the subadults (4.9%). The seropositivity differed also among localities, with significantly higher positivity detected in suburban and touristic areas (12.2%) than in localities with a lower level of human activities (5.5%). This study showed that the occurrence of T. gondii varies significantly in rodent species and habitats with various environmental conditions and different levels of anthropic use. Several biological and ecological factors, e.g., soil contamination, soil conditions, the susceptibility of rodent species etc., may influence this variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Antolová
- Institute of Parasitology SAS, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Michal Stanko
- Institute of Parasitology SAS, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Júlia Jarošová
- Institute of Parasitology SAS, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Dana Miklisová
- Institute of Parasitology SAS, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
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Pardo Gil M, Hegglin D, Briner T, Ruetten M, Müller N, Moré G, Frey CF, Deplazes P, Basso W. High prevalence rates of Toxoplasma gondii in cat-hunted small mammals - Evidence for parasite induced behavioural manipulation in the natural environment? Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 20:108-116. [PMID: 36747510 PMCID: PMC9898578 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii causes one of the most frequent parasitic infections in vertebrates on earth. The present study aimed to assess the occurrence of T. gondii infection in cat-hunted wild small mammals, and to determine the circulating T. gondii genotypes in cat prey. There is evidence suggesting that T. gondii may manipulate rodents' behaviour enhancing transmission to their definitive feline host by facilitating predation. Given that most studies focusing on rodent behavior have been performed under laboratory conditions, we tested this hypothesis in the natural environment. We analysed 157 cat-hunted wild small mammals of six different species from Switzerland. Brain and skeletal muscle samples from each animal were tested for T. gondii DNA by PCR, and positive samples were genotyped using a multilocus sequence typing approach, including 10 genetic markers. Additionally, to evaluate exposure to cat faeces, the presence of Taenia taeniaeformis metacestodes was investigated at necropsy. The prevalence of T. gondii in cat-hunted Arvicola amphibius s.l. was 11.1% (7/63), 14.6% (7/48) in Apodemus spp., 13.6% (3/22) in Myodes glareolus, 6.7% (1/15) in Crocidura russula, and 0% in Microtus arvalis (0/8) and Sorex sp. (0/1). All completely genotyped T. gondii parasites, exhibited the ToxoDB #3 genotype, a Type II variant. We additionally analysed 48 trap-captured A. amphibius s.l., which all tested negative for T. gondii infection, contrasting with the higher prevalence in cat-hunted A. amphibius s.l. (0% vs. 11.1%; p = 0.0176). Furthermore, T. taeniaeformis was detected in both groups, indicating widespread contamination with cat faeces in the sampled areas. These results provide evidence that T. gondii infected rodents are at higher risk to be predated by cats and therewith support the behaviour manipulation hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Pardo Gil
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Corresponding author.
| | - Daniel Hegglin
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
- SWILD– Urban Ecology and Wildlife Research, Wuhrstrasse 12, CH-8003, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Briner
- Naturmuseum Solothurn, Klosterplatz 2, CH-4500, Solothurn, Switzerland
| | - Maja Ruetten
- PathoVet AG, Buckstrasse 2, CH-8317, Tagelswangen, Switzerland
| | - Norbert Müller
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gastón Moré
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Caroline F. Frey
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Peter Deplazes
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Walter Basso
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Corresponding author.
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Etougbétché JR, Hamidović A, Dossou HJ, Coan-Grosso M, Roques R, Plault N, Houéménou G, Badou S, Missihoun AA, Abdou Karim IY, Galal L, Diagne C, Dardé ML, Dobigny G, Mercier A. Molecular prevalence, genetic characterization and patterns of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic small mammals from Cotonou, Benin. Parasite 2022; 29:58. [PMID: 36562439 PMCID: PMC9879161 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2022058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis, one of the most prevalent parasitic infections in humans and animals, is caused by the intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Small mammals play a key role as intermediate reservoir hosts in the maintenance of the T. gondii life cycle. In this study, we estimated the molecular prevalence and provide genetic diversity data for T. gondii in 632 small mammals sampled in four areas of Cotonou city, Benin. Both the brain and heart of each individual were screened through T. gondii-targeting qPCR, and positive samples were then genotyped using a set of 15 T. gondii-specific microsatellites. Prevalence data were statistically analyzed in order to assess the relative impact of individual host characteristics, spatial distribution, composition of small mammal community, and urban landscape features. An overall T. gondii molecular prevalence of 15.2% was found and seven genotypes, all belonging to the Africa 1 lineage, could be retrieved from the invasive black rat Rattus rattus and the native African giant shrew Crocidura olivieri. Statistical analyses did not suggest any significant influence of the environmental parameters used in this study. Rather, depending on the local context, T. gondii prevalence appeared to be associated either with black rat, shrew, or mouse abundance or with the trapping period. Overall, our results highlight the intricate relationships between biotic and abiotic factors involved in T. gondii epidemiology and suggest that R. rattus and C. olivieri are two competent reservoirs for the Africa 1 lineage, a widespread lineage in tropical Africa and the predominant lineage in Benin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas R. Etougbétché
- Ecole Polytechnique d’Abomey-Calavi, Laboratoire de Recherche en Biologie Appliquée, Unité de Recherche sur les Invasions Biologiques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi 01 BP 2009 Cotonou Benin,Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire et d’Analyse des Génomes, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi 01BP 526 Cotonou Bénin,Corresponding authors: ;
| | - Azra Hamidović
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidémiologie des maladies chroniques en zone tropicale, Institut d’Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, Omega Health 87000 Limoges France
| | - Henri-Joël Dossou
- Ecole Polytechnique d’Abomey-Calavi, Laboratoire de Recherche en Biologie Appliquée, Unité de Recherche sur les Invasions Biologiques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi 01 BP 2009 Cotonou Benin,Institut du Cadre de Vie (ICaV), Université d’Abomey-Calavi BP 2899 Abomey-Calavi Benin
| | - Maeva Coan-Grosso
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidémiologie des maladies chroniques en zone tropicale, Institut d’Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, Omega Health 87000 Limoges France
| | - Roxane Roques
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidémiologie des maladies chroniques en zone tropicale, Institut d’Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, Omega Health 87000 Limoges France
| | - Nicolas Plault
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidémiologie des maladies chroniques en zone tropicale, Institut d’Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, Omega Health 87000 Limoges France
| | - Gualbert Houéménou
- Ecole Polytechnique d’Abomey-Calavi, Laboratoire de Recherche en Biologie Appliquée, Unité de Recherche sur les Invasions Biologiques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi 01 BP 2009 Cotonou Benin
| | - Sylvestre Badou
- Ecole Polytechnique d’Abomey-Calavi, Laboratoire de Recherche en Biologie Appliquée, Unité de Recherche sur les Invasions Biologiques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi 01 BP 2009 Cotonou Benin
| | - Antoine A. Missihoun
- Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire et d’Analyse des Génomes, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi 01BP 526 Cotonou Bénin
| | - Issaka Youssao Abdou Karim
- Ecole Polytechnique d’Abomey-Calavi, Laboratoire de Biotechnologie Animale et de Technologie des Viandes, Université d’Abomey-Calavi 01 BP 2009 Cotonou Benin
| | - Lokman Galal
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidémiologie des maladies chroniques en zone tropicale, Institut d’Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, Omega Health 87000 Limoges France
| | - Christophe Diagne
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR CBGP (IRD, INRA, Cirad, Montpellier SupAgro), Montpellier Université d’Excellence 755 avenue du campus Agropolis 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez Cedex France
| | - Marie-Laure Dardé
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidémiologie des maladies chroniques en zone tropicale, Institut d’Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, Omega Health 87000 Limoges France,Centre National de Référence (CNR) Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Center (BRC), Centre Hospitalier-Universitaire Dupuytren 87000 Limoges France
| | - Gauthier Dobigny
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR CBGP (IRD, INRA, Cirad, Montpellier SupAgro), Montpellier Université d’Excellence 755 avenue du campus Agropolis 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez Cedex France,Unité Peste, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar BP 1274 Ambatofotsikely Avaradoha 101 Antananarivo Madagascar
| | - Aurélien Mercier
- Inserm U1094, IRD U270, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, EpiMaCT - Epidémiologie des maladies chroniques en zone tropicale, Institut d’Epidémiologie et de Neurologie Tropicale, Omega Health 87000 Limoges France,Centre National de Référence (CNR) Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Center (BRC), Centre Hospitalier-Universitaire Dupuytren 87000 Limoges France
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Okada S, Shoshi Y, Takashima Y, Sanjoba C, Watari Y, Miyashita T. Role of landscape context in Toxoplasma gondii infection of invasive definitive and intermediate hosts on a World Heritage Island. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 19:96-104. [PMID: 36105679 PMCID: PMC9465111 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Free-ranging cats are invasive species threatening biodiversity worldwide. They may also impose an environmental risk to humans and livestock through the transmission of zoonotic diseases. We investigated antibody levels against Toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging cats and black rats (definitive and representative intermediate hosts) by ELISA and determined their relationships with landscape environmental factors on Tokunoshima Island, Japan, the Natural World Heritage site. We found a higher seroprevalence (>70%) in both cats and black rats in landscapes where the cattle barn density was high. This was consistent with higher density of rats revealed in our trapping survey. The spatial scale of landscape factors affecting infection was broader in cats (1 km buffer radius) than in black rats (100 m buffer radius). Both cats and rats showed an increasing trend in optical density (OD) values with increasing body weight and landscape cattle barn density, suggesting that the antibody concentration increases as the chance of exposure to T. gondii in the environment increases. Thus, management actions to stop humans from feeding cats and to control rat populations without using cats are both necessary to reduce the human health risk as well as to conserve endangered species on the island. High seroprevalence of T. gondii was found in cats and black rats on an island. Seroprevalence was high (>70%) in landscapes where there were many cattle barns. Antibody level in cats was lower in forests and higher around residential areas. Spatial scale of environmental factors affecting infection was broader in cats.
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Rats and the city: Implications of urbanization on zoonotic disease risk in Southeast Asia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2112341119. [PMID: 36122224 PMCID: PMC9522346 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2112341119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is rapidly transforming Southeast Asia, altering the landscape and the interactions between people, animals, and the environment. These changes have the potential to exacerbate many existing health challenges in the region, including those posed by zoonoses. Here, we used a novel, multidisciplinary, ecosystem-level approach to examine the influence of urbanization on zoonotic disease risk in a Southeast Asian city. We infer that urbanization alters the ecology of animal reservoirs, arthropod vectors, and pathogens in a manner that may increase transmission risk from multiple zoonotic diseases in urban areas. This effect was particularly strong for pathogens associated with environmental or tick-borne transmission, providing targets for the development of low-cost interventions to reduce zoonotic disease risk in tropical cities. Urbanization is rapidly transforming much of Southeast Asia, altering the structure and function of the landscape, as well as the frequency and intensity of the interactions between people, animals, and the environment. In this study, we explored the impact of urbanization on zoonotic disease risk by simultaneously characterizing changes in the ecology of animal reservoirs (rodents), ectoparasite vectors (ticks), and pathogens across a gradient of urbanization in Kuching, a city in Malaysian Borneo. We sampled 863 rodents across rural, developing, and urban locations and found that rodent species diversity decreased with increasing urbanization—from 10 species in the rural location to 4 in the rural location. Notably, two species appeared to thrive in urban areas, as follows: the invasive urban exploiter Rattus rattus (n = 375) and the native urban adapter Sundamys muelleri (n = 331). R. rattus was strongly associated with built infrastructure across the gradient and carried a high diversity of pathogens, including multihost zoonoses capable of environmental transmission (e.g., Leptospira spp.). In contrast, S. muelleri was restricted to green patches where it was found at high densities and was strongly associated with the presence of ticks, including the medically important genera Amblyomma, Haemaphysalis, and Ixodes. Our analyses reveal that zoonotic disease risk is elevated and heterogeneously distributed in urban environments and highlight the potential for targeted risk reduction through pest management and public health messaging.
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Galeh TM, Sarvi S, Hosseini SA, Daryani A. Genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from rodents in the world: A systematic review. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:943-957. [PMID: 33825346 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is one of the most frequent food-borne infections in humans caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. Rodents, as intermediate and reservoir hosts, play key role in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis; because they are the main source of infection for the Felidae family members and establish the parasite life cycle. Hence, the infectious isolates of T. gondii in rodents may be the main genotypes infecting the environment, humans and animals. Our review aimed to present the population structure of T. gondii in these mammals. To access the relevant studies, six English language databases were systematically searched from 1990 to 2019. Finally, 3,395 samples of rodents were analysed for the genotyping data and 118 isolates were separated from the samples. The results of the present study showed that atypical genotypes were dominant with a frequency of 65.2% of the total isolates (77 out of 118). Clonal Types II, III and I had less frequency, respectively. Type I clonal isolates were identified only from Asia. The examination of genotypes circulating in rodents around the world revealed that ToxoDB #1 or #3 (Type II) were the most common, followed by ToxoDB #9 and #2, respectively. Overall, our data showed low genetic diversity of T. gondii with circulating clonal strains in rodents compare to the isolates from Europe, North America and Africa, while non-clonal parasites with high genetic diversity were dominant in South America and Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahereh Mikaeili Galeh
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Student of Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahabeddin Sarvi
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Seyed Abdollah Hosseini
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Daryani
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
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9
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Manabella Salcedo I, Fraschina J, Busch M, Guidobono JS, Unzaga JM, Dellarupe A, Farace MI, Pini N, León VA. Role of Mus musculus in the transmission of several pathogens in poultry farms. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2021; 14:130-136. [PMID: 33659179 PMCID: PMC7890300 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the role of Mus musculus as a host of Leptospira spp., lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and Toxoplasma gondii, in poultry farms of Buenos Aires province, Argentina, and to assess the potential risk of transmission to humans and domestic or breeding animals. Samplings were performed between 2009 and 2011 (S1) and during 2016 (S2). In S1, we studied the prevalence of infection for Leptospira spp. and LCMV, whereas, in S2, we studied the prevalence of infection for Leptospira spp. and T. gondii. In S1, we found an overall Leptospira spp. prevalence in M. musculus of 18% (14/79) and no positive serum samples for LCMV (0/166). In S2, we detected no positive individuals for Leptospira spp. (0/56) and an overall T. gondii seroprevalence of 3.6% (2/56). The probability of Leptospira spp. infection in M. musculus was higher in reproductively active individuals and in samplings subsequent to months with high accumulated precipitation. Our results suggest that, in the poultry farms studied, the presence of M. musculus may be a risk factor in the transmission of Leptospira spp. and T. gondii to humans and domestic animals. The management of farms should include biosecurity measures for farm workers and more effective rodent control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Manabella Salcedo
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Instituto IEGEBA (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jimena Fraschina
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Instituto IEGEBA (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Busch
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Instituto IEGEBA (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Santiago Guidobono
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Instituto IEGEBA (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Manuel Unzaga
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología LAINPA, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina
| | - Andrea Dellarupe
- Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología LAINPA, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
| | - María Isabel Farace
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas ANLIS Dr. Calos G Malbrán- Departamento Bacteriología. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Noemi Pini
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas (INEVH-ANLIS), Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Vanina Andrea León
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Instituto IEGEBA (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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10
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Deng H, Cummins R, Schares G, Trevisan C, Enemark H, Waap H, Srbljanovic J, Djurkovic-Djakovic O, Pires SM, van der Giessen JW, Opsteegh M. Mathematical modelling of Toxoplasma gondii transmission: A systematic review. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2021; 22:e00102. [PMID: 33364472 PMCID: PMC7753131 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2020.e00102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan parasite that can infect virtually all warm-blooded animals. It is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, a significant public health issue worldwide. Mathematical models are useful to study the transmission dynamics of T. gondii infection in different settings, and may be used to compare the effectiveness of prevention measures. METHODS To obtain an overview of existing mathematical models for transmission of T. gondii, a systematic review was undertaken. The review was conducted according to an a priori protocol and the results were reported according to the PRISMA guidelines. Specific search terms were developed and used in the search of three databases (Scopus, PubMed, and Embase). RESULTS In total, 484 unique records were retrieved from the systematic search. Among them, 15 studies that used mathematical models to study the transmission of T. gondii. These studies were categorized into four groups based on the primary aims: dynamics of transmission (n = 8), intervention (n = 5), spatial distribution (n = 1), and outbreak investigation (n = 1). CONCLUSIONS Considering the high disease burden caused by T. gondii, the number of studies using mathematical models to understand the transmission dynamics of this parasite and to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention measures was only 15. This systematic review provides an overview of existing mathematical models and identifies the data gaps for model building. The results from this study can be helpful for further development of mathematical models and improved understanding of the transmission dynamics of T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huifang Deng
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control - Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, 3720, BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Rachel Cummins
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control - Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, 3720, BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Gereon Schares
- Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Chiara Trevisan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Heidi Enemark
- Department of Animal Health and Food Safety, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 750, Sentrum, NO-0106 Oslo, Norway
| | - Helga Waap
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Av. da República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Jelena Srbljanovic
- Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-borne Zoonoses, National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 4, Belgrade 11129, Serbia
| | - Olgica Djurkovic-Djakovic
- Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-borne Zoonoses, National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 4, Belgrade 11129, Serbia
| | - Sara Monteiro Pires
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet 201, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Joke W.B. van der Giessen
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control - Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, 3720, BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Marieke Opsteegh
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control - Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, 3720, BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
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11
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Dubey JP, Murata FHA, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OCH, Su C. Epidemiological Significance of Toxoplasma Gondii Infections in Wild Rodents: 2009-2020. J Parasitol 2021; 107:182-204. [PMID: 33662119 DOI: 10.1645/20-121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. Rodents are one of the most important intermediate hosts for T. gondii because they are preyed on by cats, who in turn excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts in their feces and thus spread the infection. Information on T. gondii infections is spread in numerous reports and is not easily accessible to readers. Here, we review prevalence, persistence of infection, clinical disease, epidemiology, and genetic diversity of T. gondii infections in wild rodents worldwide. Data are tabulated by country, by each rodent species alphabetically, and chronologically. Recent genetic diversity of T. gondii strains in rodents is critically evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - F H A Murata
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - C K Cerqueira-Cézar
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - O C H Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350
| | - C Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-0845
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12
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Galeh TM, Sarvi S, Montazeri M, Moosazadeh M, Nakhaei M, Shariatzadeh SA, Daryani A. Global Status of Toxoplasma gondii Seroprevalence in Rodents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:461. [PMID: 32851037 PMCID: PMC7411222 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is one of the most prevalent infections in humans and animals caused by the intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Rodents, as intermediate and reservoir hosts, play a key role in the maintenance and transmission of T. gondii. They can be contaminated and maintain the parasite in the form of cysts in their bodies, demonstrating an infection source for their offsprings, predators (particularly felids), and other animals. Therefore, the present systematic review and meta-analysis study was carried out to evaluate the global seroprevalence of T. gondii in these mammals. For achieving the purpose of the current study, six English databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar) were systematically searched for related studies from 1970 to 2018. Finally, a total of 52,372 records were screened, 105 records including 26,221 rodents were incorporated in the present study. By random effect models, the overall seroprevalence was calculated at 6% (95% CI = 6-7%), with the highest amount was observed in Africa (24%) and South America (18%), and the lowest amount in Europe (1%). The subgroup data analysis by gender manifested that the prevalence of Immunoglobulin G antibodies did not differ between genders (P > 0.05). Due to the significant heterogeneity, meta-regression models were applied based on serological techniques and continental regions; however, the obtained values were not statistically significant (P = 0.480 and P = 0.295, respectively). The present study revealed a relatively low level of T. gondii seroprevalence in rodents; however, if they were the main food source for their predators, they would cause high transmission of T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahereh Mikaeili Galeh
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahabeddin Sarvi
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahbobeh Montazeri
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Fatemeh Zahra Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahmood Moosazadeh
- Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Maryam Nakhaei
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Seyyed Ali Shariatzadeh
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Daryani
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.,Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
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13
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Fernández-Escobar M, Millán J, Chirife AD, Ortega-Mora LM, Calero-Bernal R. Molecular survey for cyst-forming coccidia (Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Sarcocystis spp.) in Mediterranean periurban micromammals. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:2679-2686. [PMID: 32588173 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06777-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Rodents and other micromammals constitute important reservoirs of infectious diseases; their role in the life cycle of apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, and Sarcocystis spp. still needs clarification. In the present study, we analyzed by PCR and Sanger sequencing methods the presence of specific parasite DNA within brain and heart tissues of 313 individuals of five synanthropic small mammal species (Apodemus sylvaticus, Mus spretus, M. musculus, Rattus rattus, and Crocidura russula) collected in Barcelona metropolitan area (NE Spain). In addition, PCR-RFLP and microsatellites were also used as tools for genotypic characterization of T. gondii and N. caninum, respectively. Specific DNA of T. gondii, N. caninum, and Sarcocystis spp. was detected in 0.3% (n = 1), 1.3% (n = 4), and 3.8% (n = 12) of the animals, respectively. No mixed infections were observed. Crocidura russula stood out as the main host for Sarcocystis spp. Toxoplasma gondii-specific DNA detected in a house rat was genetically characterized by PCR-RFLP, presenting type II and III alleles (SAG1 [II], SAG3 [II], GRA6 [II], c22-8 [III], Apico [III]). Also, unsuccessful DNA sequencing and microsatellite typing were attempted in N. caninum-positive samples, which suggested a lack of PCR specificity and open avenues to speculate the host competence of rodents for N. caninum. Likewise, Sarcocystis spp. identity was studied by alignment and phylogenetic analyses of cox1 and 28S rRNA sequences from the 14 positive samples. It resulted in at least three unknown organisms closely similar (95.7-100% cox1-sequence homology) to Sarcocystis pantherophisi from the Eastern rat snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) (KU891603), suggesting together with 28S rRNA sequences analyses, three Sarcocystis sp. with a life cycle conformed by rodents as intermediate host (IH) and snakes as definitive hosts (DH) infecting the periurban micromammals surveyed. Prevalence figures found in this first survey carried out in Spain agree with other international studies focused on periurban areas. Further surveys should be conducted in farms and their surroundings in order to unravel the role of wild micromammals in the epidemiology of such protozoan parasites affecting our livestock, and therefore human population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Fernández-Escobar
- SALUVET Group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Millán
- Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, Miguel Servet 177, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain.,Fundación ARAID, Avda. de Ranillas, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | - Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET Group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Calero-Bernal
- SALUVET Group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
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14
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Sarr A, Galal L, Boumediene F, Hamidović A, Dardé ML, Diallo M, Sow A, Niang Y, Cuny T, Mercier A. Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Free-Range Chickens in Senegal, West Africa. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 20:15-21. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2019.2481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Amedine Sarr
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - Lokman Galal
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - Farid Boumediene
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - Azra Hamidović
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - Marie-Laure Dardé
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France
- Centre National de Référence Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center, CHU Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - Mamoudou Diallo
- BIOPASS, CBGP-IRD, ISRA, UCAD, Campus de Bel-Air, Dakar, Senegal
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Université Montpellier, Montferrier-sur-Lez, Cedex, France
| | - Aliou Sow
- BIOPASS, CBGP-IRD, ISRA, UCAD, Campus de Bel-Air, Dakar, Senegal
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Université Montpellier, Montferrier-sur-Lez, Cedex, France
| | - Youssoupha Niang
- BIOPASS, CBGP-IRD, ISRA, UCAD, Campus de Bel-Air, Dakar, Senegal
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Université Montpellier, Montferrier-sur-Lez, Cedex, France
| | - Thomas Cuny
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - Aurélien Mercier
- INSERM UMR_S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France
- Centre National de Référence Toxoplasmose/Toxoplasma Biological Resource Center, CHU Limoges, Limoges, France
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15
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Krijger IM, Cornelissen JB, Belmain SR, Shafali RB, Meerburg BG. Evidence of Toxoplasma gondii in Rodents from Bangladesh. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2019; 19:884-888. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2019.2440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Inge M. Krijger
- Wageningen University and Research, Livestock Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Wageningen University and Research, Farm Technology Group, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Steven R. Belmain
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Rokeya Begum Shafali
- Association for Integrated Development-Comilla (AID-COMILLA), Comilla, Bangladesh
| | - Bastiaan G. Meerburg
- Wageningen University and Research, Livestock Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Dutch Pest and Wildlife Expertise Centre (KAD), Wageningen, the Netherlands
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16
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Strand TM, Lundkvist Å. Rat-borne diseases at the horizon. A systematic review on infectious agents carried by rats in Europe 1995-2016. Infect Ecol Epidemiol 2019; 9:1553461. [PMID: 30834071 PMCID: PMC6394330 DOI: 10.1080/20008686.2018.1553461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
To investigate the spectrum of rat-borne pathogens circulating in Europe a systematic review spanning across 55 European countries during the years 1995-2016 was performed. The study surveyed viruses, bacteria, macroparasites and unicellular eukaryotes (protozoa). Fifty-three different infectious agents, all with zoonotic potential, were reported to be carried by commensal rats; 48 by the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) and 20 by the black rat (R. rattus). There was a tendency for rural areas to harbour more rat-borne microbes than urban areas regarding the brown rat, but the opposite could be observed for the black rat. The study clearly indicated that an improved surveillance on wild rats is needed in Europe, and further indicated the pathogens and geographical areas where the major focus is required. For example, six zoonotic microbes seemed to be clearly more geographically widespread in Europe than others; virulent or resistant E. coli, pathogenic Leptospira spp., Hymenolepis diminuta, H. nana, Capillaria hepatica and Toxoplasma gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Maria Strand
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Zoonosis Science Center, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Åke Lundkvist
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Zoonosis Science Center, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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17
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de Wit LA, Croll DA, Tershy B, Correa D, Luna-Pasten H, Quadri P, Kilpatrick AM. Potential public health benefits from cat eradications on islands. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007040. [PMID: 30763304 PMCID: PMC6392314 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cats (Felis catus) are reservoirs of several pathogens that affect humans, including Toxoplasma gondii. Infection of pregnant women with T. gondii can cause ocular and neurological lesions in newborns, and congenital toxoplasmosis has been associated with schizophrenia, epilepsy, movement disorders, and Alzheimer's disease. We compared seroprevalence of T. gondii and risk factors in people on seven islands in Mexico with and without introduced cats to determine the effect of cat eradication and cat density on exposure to T. gondii. Seroprevalence was zero on an island that never had cats and 1.8% on an island where cats were eradicated in 2000. Seroprevalence was significantly higher (12-26%) on the five islands with cats, yet it did not increase across a five-fold range of cat density. Having cats near households, being male and spending time on the mainland were significant risk factors for T. gondii seroprevalence among individuals, whereas eating shellfish was protective. Our results suggest that cats are an important source of T. gondii on islands, and eradicating, but not controlling, introduced cats from islands could benefit human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luz A. de Wit
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Donald A. Croll
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Bernie Tershy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Dolores Correa
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Hector Luna-Pasten
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Paulo Quadri
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - A. Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
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18
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Diversity of Toxoplasma gondii strains shaped by commensal communities of small mammals. Int J Parasitol 2018; 49:267-275. [PMID: 30578812 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Commensal rodent species are key reservoirs for Toxoplasma gondii in the domestic environment. In rodents, different T. gondii strains show variable patterns of virulence according to host species. Toxoplasma gondii strains causing non-lethal chronic infections in local hosts will be more likely to persist in a given environment, but few studies have addressed the possible role of these interactions in shaping the T. gondii population structure. In addition, the absence of validated techniques for upstream detection of T. gondii chronic infection in wild rodents hinders exploration of this issue under natural conditions. In this study, we took advantage of an extensive survey of commensal small mammals in three coastal localities of Senegal, with a species assemblage constituted of both native African species and invasive species. We tested 828 individuals for T. gondii chronic infection using the modified agglutination test for antibody detection in serum samples and a quantitative PCR assay for detection of T. gondii DNA in brain samples. The infecting T. gondii strains were genotyped whenever possible by the analysis of 15 microsatellite markers. We found (i) a very poor concordance between molecular detection and serology in the invasive house mouse, (ii) significantly different levels of prevalence by species and (iii) the autochthonous T. gondii Africa 1 lineage strains, which are lethal for laboratory mice, only in the native African species of commensal small mammals. Overall, this study highlights the need to reconsider the use of MAT serology in natural populations of house mice and provides the first known data about T. gondii genetic diversity in invasive and native species of small mammals from Africa. In light of these results, we discuss the role of invasive and native species, with their variable adaptations to different T. gondii strains, in shaping the spatial structure of T. gondii genetic diversity in Africa.
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Brouat C, Diagne CA, Ismaïl K, Aroussi A, Dalecky A, Bâ K, Kane M, Niang Y, Diallo M, Sow A, Galal L, Piry S, Dardé ML, Mercier A. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in commensal rodents sampled across Senegal, West Africa. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 25:32. [PMID: 30016257 PMCID: PMC6050035 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2018036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Risks related to Toxoplasma gondii infection in humans remain poorly known in Senegal. Although rodent surveys could help to assess the circulation of T. gondii, they have seldom been set up in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to examine Toxoplasma seroprevalence in rodents from villages and towns across Senegal. Rodents were sampled in 40 localities using a standardised trapping protocol. Detection of T. gondii antibodies was performed on 1205 rodents, using a modified agglutination test (MAT) technique. Seroprevalence data were analysed depending on geography, the local rodent community, and individual characteristics of the rodent hosts. We found 44 seropositive rodents from four different species (Mastomys erythroleucus, Mastomys natalensis, Mus musculus domesticus, Rattus rattus). Toxoplasma seroprevalence was low, averaging 4% in the localities. Higher Toxoplasma seroprevalence (up to 24%) was found in northern Senegal, a region known to be the heart of pastoral herding in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carine Brouat
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ. Montpellier, 755 avenue du campus Agropolis, 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez cedex, France
| | - Christophe Amidi Diagne
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ. Montpellier, 755 avenue du campus Agropolis, 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez cedex, France - BIOPASS, CBGP-IRD, ISRA, UCAD, Campus de Bel-Air, BP 1386, Dakar CP 18524, Senegal
| | - Khadija Ismaïl
- UMR-S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, INSERM, Univ. Limoges, 2 rue du Dr Marcland, 87025 Limoges, France
| | - Abdelkrim Aroussi
- UMR-S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, INSERM, Univ. Limoges, 2 rue du Dr Marcland, 87025 Limoges, France
| | - Ambroise Dalecky
- LPED, IRD, Aix Marseille Univ., Centre St Charles, case 10, 3 place Victor Hugo, CS 80249, 13331 Marseille cedex 03, France
| | - Khalilou Bâ
- BIOPASS, CBGP-IRD, ISRA, UCAD, Campus de Bel-Air, BP 1386, Dakar CP 18524, Senegal
| | - Mamadou Kane
- BIOPASS, CBGP-IRD, ISRA, UCAD, Campus de Bel-Air, BP 1386, Dakar CP 18524, Senegal
| | - Youssoupha Niang
- BIOPASS, CBGP-IRD, ISRA, UCAD, Campus de Bel-Air, BP 1386, Dakar CP 18524, Senegal
| | - Mamoudou Diallo
- BIOPASS, CBGP-IRD, ISRA, UCAD, Campus de Bel-Air, BP 1386, Dakar CP 18524, Senegal
| | - Aliou Sow
- BIOPASS, CBGP-IRD, ISRA, UCAD, Campus de Bel-Air, BP 1386, Dakar CP 18524, Senegal
| | - Lokman Galal
- UMR-S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, INSERM, Univ. Limoges, 2 rue du Dr Marcland, 87025 Limoges, France
| | - Sylvain Piry
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ. Montpellier, 755 avenue du campus Agropolis, 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez cedex, France
| | - Marie-Laure Dardé
- UMR-S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, INSERM, Univ. Limoges, 2 rue du Dr Marcland, 87025 Limoges, France
| | - Aurélien Mercier
- UMR-S 1094, Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale, INSERM, Univ. Limoges, 2 rue du Dr Marcland, 87025 Limoges, France
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Simon JA, Pradel R, Aubert D, Geers R, Villena I, Poulle ML. A multi-event capture-recapture analysis of Toxoplasma gondii seroconversion dynamics in farm cats. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:339. [PMID: 29884240 PMCID: PMC5994099 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2834-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Domestic cats play a key role in the epidemiology of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii by excreting environmentally-resistant oocysts that may infect humans and other warm-blooded animals. The dynamics of Toxoplasma gondii seroconversion, used as a proxy for primo-infection dynamics, was investigated in five cat populations living on farms. Methods Serological tests on blood samples from cats were performed every three months over a period of two years, for a total of 400 serological tests performed on 130 cats. Variations in seroconversion rates and associated factors were investigated using a multi-event capture-recapture modelling approach that explicitly accounted for uncertainties in cat age and serological status. Results Seroprevalence varied between farms, from 15 to 73%, suggesting differential exposure of cats to T. gondii. In farms with high exposure, cats could become infected before reaching the age of six months. Seroconversion rates varied from 0.42 to 0.96 seroconversions per cat per year and were higher in autumn and winter than in spring and summer. Conclusion Our results suggest inter-farm and seasonal variations in the risks of exposure to T. gondii oocysts for humans and livestock living on farms. The paper also discusses the role of young cats in the maintenance of environmental contamination by T. gondii oocysts on farms. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-2834-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Alice Simon
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Laboratoire de Parasitologie - Mycologie, EA 3800, UFR Médecine, SFR CAP-SANTÉ, 51 rue Cognacq Jay, 51095, Reims, France. .,Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Centre d'Etude et de Formation en Eco-Ethologie (URCA, CERFE), 5 rue de la Héronnière, 08240, Boult-aux-Bois, France.
| | - Roger Pradel
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE) UMR 5175, CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul Valéry - EPHE, 1919 route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier 5, France
| | - Dominique Aubert
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Laboratoire de Parasitologie - Mycologie, EA 3800, UFR Médecine, SFR CAP-SANTÉ, 51 rue Cognacq Jay, 51095, Reims, France.,Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre National de Référence de la Toxoplasmose, Hôpital Maison Blanche, CHU Reims, 45 rue Cognacq Jay, 51092, Reims, France
| | - Régine Geers
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Laboratoire de Parasitologie - Mycologie, EA 3800, UFR Médecine, SFR CAP-SANTÉ, 51 rue Cognacq Jay, 51095, Reims, France.,Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre National de Référence de la Toxoplasmose, Hôpital Maison Blanche, CHU Reims, 45 rue Cognacq Jay, 51092, Reims, France
| | - Isabelle Villena
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Laboratoire de Parasitologie - Mycologie, EA 3800, UFR Médecine, SFR CAP-SANTÉ, 51 rue Cognacq Jay, 51095, Reims, France.,Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre National de Référence de la Toxoplasmose, Hôpital Maison Blanche, CHU Reims, 45 rue Cognacq Jay, 51092, Reims, France
| | - Marie-Lazarine Poulle
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Laboratoire de Parasitologie - Mycologie, EA 3800, UFR Médecine, SFR CAP-SANTÉ, 51 rue Cognacq Jay, 51095, Reims, France.,Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Centre d'Etude et de Formation en Eco-Ethologie (URCA, CERFE), 5 rue de la Héronnière, 08240, Boult-aux-Bois, France
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21
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Bastien M, Vaniscotte A, Combes B, Umhang G, Germain E, Gouley V, Pierlet A, Quintaine T, Forin-Wiart MA, Villena I, Aubert D, Boue F, Poulle ML. High density of fox and cat faeces in kitchen gardens and resulting rodent exposure to Echinococcus multilocularis and Toxoplasma gondii. Folia Parasitol (Praha) 2018. [DOI: 10.14411/fp.2018.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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22
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Lewis JS, Logan KA, Alldredge MW, Carver S, Bevins SN, Lappin M, VandeWoude S, Crooks KR. The effects of demographic, social, and environmental characteristics on pathogen prevalence in wild felids across a gradient of urbanization. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187035. [PMID: 29121060 PMCID: PMC5679604 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmission of pathogens among animals is influenced by demographic, social, and environmental factors. Anthropogenic alteration of landscapes can impact patterns of disease dynamics in wildlife populations, increasing the potential for spillover and spread of emerging infectious diseases in wildlife, human, and domestic animal populations. We evaluated the effects of multiple ecological mechanisms on patterns of pathogen exposure in animal populations. Specifically, we evaluated how ecological factors affected the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii (Toxoplasma), Bartonella spp. (Bartonella), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and feline calicivirus (FCV) in bobcat and puma populations across wildland-urban interface (WUI), low-density exurban development, and wildland habitat on the Western Slope (WS) and Front Range (FR) of Colorado during 2009-2011. Samples were collected from 37 bobcats and 29 pumas on the WS and FR. As predicted, age appeared to be positively related to the exposure to pathogens that are both environmentally transmitted (Toxoplasma) and directly transmitted between animals (FIV). In addition, WS bobcats appeared more likely to be exposed to Toxoplasma with increasing intraspecific space-use overlap. However, counter to our predictions, exposure to directly-transmitted pathogens (FCV and FIV) was more likely with decreasing space-use overlap (FCV: WS bobcats) and potential intraspecific contacts (FIV: FR pumas). Environmental factors, including urbanization and landscape covariates, were generally unsupported in our models. This study is an approximation of how pathogens can be evaluated in relation to demographic, social, and environmental factors to understand pathogen exposure in wild animal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse S. Lewis
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Kenneth A. Logan
- Mammals Research, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Montrose, CO, United States of America
| | - Mat W. Alldredge
- Mammals Research, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Scott Carver
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Sarah N. Bevins
- USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services’ National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Michael Lappin
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Kevin R. Crooks
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
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23
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Schares G, Bangoura B, Randau F, Goroll T, Ludewig M, Maksimov P, Matzkeit B, Sens M, Bärwald A, Conraths F, Opsteegh M, Van der Giessen J. High seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and probability of detecting tissue cysts in backyard laying hens compared with hens from large free-range farms. Int J Parasitol 2017; 47:765-777. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2017.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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24
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Khademvatan S, Foroutan M, Hazrati-Tappeh K, Dalvand S, Khalkhali H, Masoumifard S, Hedayati-Rad F. Toxoplasmosis in rodents: A systematic review and meta-analysis in Iran. J Infect Public Health 2017; 10:487-493. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2017.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2016] [Revised: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
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25
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Simon J, Kurdzielewicz S, Jeanniot E, Dupuis E, Marnef F, Aubert D, Villena I, Poulle ML. Spatial distribution of soil contaminated with Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in relation to the distribution and use of domestic cat defecation sites on dairy farms. Int J Parasitol 2017; 47:357-367. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2017.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Revised: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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26
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Gao X, Wang H, Wang H, Qin H, Xiao J. Land use and soil contamination with Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in urban areas. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 568:1086-1091. [PMID: 27373378 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.06.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2016] [Revised: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Because soil contaminated with Toxoplasma gondii oocysts is increasingly recognized as a major source of infection for humans, in this study, we investigated the spatial pattern of soil contamination with T. gondii oocysts in urban area of northeastern Mainland China. From April 2014 to May 2015, more than 9000 soil samples were collected. Detection of T. gondii oocysts was performed applying real-time quantitative PCR. Sensitivity was improved by analyzing four replicates for each sampling point. T. gondii was detected in 30.3% of all samples. Subsequently, a maximum entropy model was used to evaluate the effect of land use and intrinsic soil properties on the risk of contamination with oocysts. Jackknife analysis revealed that the likelihood for positive results is significantly enhanced in soil originating from foci of human habitation, wood land and grass land. Furthermore, soil temperature and humidity significantly influence the probability of contamination with T. gondii oocysts. Our findings indicate that land use may affect distribution of T. gondii oocysts in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Gao
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China
| | - Hongbin Wang
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China
| | - Huan Wang
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China
| | - Hongyu Qin
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China
| | - Jianhua Xiao
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China.
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27
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Müller UB, Howard JC. The impact of Toxoplasma gondii on the mammalian genome. Curr Opin Microbiol 2016; 32:19-25. [PMID: 27128504 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2016.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Nobody doubts that infections have imposed specialisations on the mammalian genome. However sufficient information is usually missing to attribute a specific genomic modification to pressure from a specific pathogen. Recent studies on mechanisms of mammalian resistance against the ubiquitous protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, have shown that the small rodents presumed to be largely responsible for transmission of the parasite to its definitive host, the domestic cat, possess distinctive recognition proteins, and interferon-inducible effector proteins (IRG proteins) that limit the potential virulence of the parasite. The phylogenetic association of the recognition proteins, TLR11 and TLR12, with T. gondii resistance is weak, but there is evidence for reciprocal polymorphism between parasite virulence proteins and host IRG proteins that strongly suggests current or recent coevolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urs B Müller
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Jonathan C Howard
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47a, 50674 Cologne, Germany; Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal; Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Cologne, Germany.
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28
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Impact of environmental factors on the emergence, transmission and distribution of Toxoplasma gondii. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:137. [PMID: 26965989 PMCID: PMC4785633 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1432-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan that poses a great threat to human health and economic well-being worldwide. The effects of environmental factors such as changing climate and human activities on the ecology of this protozoan are being discovered. Accumulated evidence shows that changes of these environmental factors can exert influence on the occurrence, transmission and distribution of T. gondii. This article reviews studies from different geographical regions with varying climates, social cultures and animal welfare standards. It aims to illustrate how these environmental factors work, highlighting their importance in influencing the ecology of T. gondii, as well as providing clues which may contribute to preventing transmission of this important zoonotic pathogen.
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29
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Protozoan Parasites of Rodents and Their Zoonotic Significance in Boyer-Ahmad District, Southwestern Iran. Vet Med Int 2016; 2016:3263868. [PMID: 26998380 PMCID: PMC4779541 DOI: 10.1155/2016/3263868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Revised: 01/24/2016] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Backgrounds. Wild rodents are reservoirs of various zoonotic diseases, such as toxoplasmosis, babesiosis, and leishmaniasis. The current study aimed to assess the protozoan infection of rodents in Boyer-Ahmad district, southwestern Iran. Materials and Methods. A total of 52 rodents were collected from different parts of Boyer-Ahmad district, in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, using Sherman live traps. Each rodent was anesthetized with ether, according to the ethics of working with animals, and was dissected. Samples were taken from various tissues and stool samples were collected from the contents of the colon and small intestines. Moreover, 2 to 5 mL of blood was taken from each of the rodents and the sera were examined for anti-Leishmania antibodies, by ELISA, or anti-T. gondii antibodies, by modified agglutination test (MAT). DNA was extracted from brain tissue samples of each rodent and PCR was used to identify the DNA of T. gondii. Results. Of the 52 stool samples of rodents studied by parasitological methods, intestinal protozoa infection was seen in 28 cases (53.8%). From 52 rodents, 19 (36.5%) were infected with Trichomonas, 10 (19.2%) with Giardia muris, and 11 (21.2%) with Entamoeba spp. Also, 10 cases (19.2%) were infected with Blastocystis, 3 (5.8%) were infected with Chilomastix, 7 (13.5%) were infected with Endolimax, 1 (1.9%) was infected with Retortamonas, 3 (5.77%) were infected with T. gondii, and 6 (11.54%) were infected with Trypanosoma lewisi. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in the sera of 5 (9.61%) cases. Results of the molecular study showed T. gondii infection in 3 (5.77%) of the rodents. Findings of this study showed that rodents in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, southwestern Iran, are infected with several blood and intestinal parasites; some of them might be potential risks to residents and domestic animals in the region.
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Foronda P, Plata-Luis J, del Castillo-Figueruelo B, Fernández-Álvarez Á, Martín-Alonso A, Feliu C, Cabral MD, Valladares B. Serological survey of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and Coxiella burnetii in rodents in north-western African islands (Canary Islands and Cape Verde). Onderstepoort J Vet Res 2015; 82:e1-e4. [PMID: 26244685 PMCID: PMC6238698 DOI: 10.4102/ojvr.v82i1.899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Revised: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Coxiella burnetii and Toxoplasma gondii are intracellular parasites that cause important reproductive disorders in animals and humans worldwide, resulting in high economic losses. The aim of the present study was to analyse the possible role of peridomestic small mammals in the maintenance and transmission of C. burnetii and T. gondii in the north-western African archipelagos of the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, where these species are commonly found affecting humans and farm animals. Between 2009 and 2013, 108 black rats (Rattus rattus) and 77 mice (Mus musculus) were analysed for the presence of Coxiella and Toxoplasma antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect immunofluorescence (IFA), respectively. Our results showed a wide distribution of C. burnetii and T. gondii, except for T. gondii in Cape Verde, in both rodent species. The overall seroprevalence of C. burnetii antibodies was 12.4%; 21.1% for Cape Verde and 10.2% for the Canary Islands. With respect to T. gondii, seropositive rodents were only observed in the Canary Islands, with an overall seroprevalence of 15%. Considering the fact that both pathogens can infect a large range of hosts, including livestock and humans, the results are of public health and veterinary importance and could be used by governmental entities to manage risk factors and to prevent future cases of Q fever and toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Foronda
- University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna.
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31
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Prevalence ofToxoplasma gondiiin localized populations ofApodemus sylvaticusis linked to population genotype not to population location. Parasitology 2014; 142:680-90. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182014001760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYToxoplasma gondiiis a globally distributed parasite infecting humans and warm-blooded animals. Although many surveys have been conducted forT. gondiiinfection in mammals, little is known about the detailed distribution in localized natural populations. In this study, host genotype and spatial location were investigated in relation toT. gondiiinfection. Wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) were collected from 4 sampling sites within a localized peri-aquatic woodland ecosystem. Mice were genotyped using standardA. sylvaticusmicrosatellite markers andT. gondiiwas detected using 4 specific PCR-based markers: SAG1, SAG2, SAG3 and GRA6 directly from infected tissue. Of 126 wood mice collected, 44 samples were positive giving an infection rate of 34·92% (95% CI: 27·14–43·59%). Juvenile, young adults and adults were infected at a similar prevalence, respectively, 7/17 (41·18%), 27/65 (41·54%) and 10/44 (22·72%) with no significant age-prevalence effect (P = 0·23). Results of genetic analysis of the mice showed that the collection consists of 4 genetically distinct populations. There was a significant difference inT. gondiiprevalence in the different genotypically derived mouse populations (P = 0·035) but not between geographically defined populations (P = 0·29). These data point to either a host genetic/family influence on parasite infection or to parasite vertical transmission.
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32
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Gotteland C, McFerrin BM, Zhao X, Gilot-Fromont E, Lélu M. Agricultural landscape and spatial distribution of Toxoplasma gondii in rural environment: an agent-based model. Int J Health Geogr 2014; 13:45. [PMID: 25352091 PMCID: PMC4271439 DOI: 10.1186/1476-072x-13-45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Predicting the spatial distribution of pathogens with an environmental stage is challenging because of the difficulty to detect them in environmental samples. Among these pathogens, the parasite Toxoplasma gondii is the causative agent of the zoonosis toxoplasmosis, which is responsible for public health issues. Oocysts of T. gondii are excreted by infected cats in the environment, where they may survive and remain infectious for intermediate hosts, specifically rodents, during months to years. The landscape structure that determines the density and distribution of cats may thus impact the spatial distribution of T. gondii. In this study, we investigated the influences of rural settings on the spatial distribution of oocysts in the soil. Method We developed a spatially explicit agent based model to study how landscape structures impact on the spatial distribution of T. gondii prevalence in its rodent intermediate host as well as contamination in the environment. The rural landscape was characterized by the location of farm buildings, which provide shelters and resources for the cats. Specifically, we considered two configurations of farm buildings, i.e. inside and outside a village. Simulations of the first setting, with farm buildings inside the village, were validated using data from previous field studies. Then, simulation results of the two settings were compared to investigate the influences of the farm locations. Results Model predictions showed a steeper relationship between distance to the nearest farm and infection levels when farm buildings, and thus cats, were concentrated in the same area than when the farms were spread over the area. The relationship between distance to the village center and level of environmental contamination also differed between settings with a potential increased risk for inhabitants when farms are located inside the village. Maps of the risk of soil contaminated with oocysts were also derived from the model. Conclusion The agent-based model provides a useful tool to assess the risk of contamination by T. gondii oocysts at a local scale and determine the most at risk areas. Moreover it provides a basis to investigate the spatial dynamics of pathogens with an environmental stage. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1476-072X-13-45) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Maud Lélu
- National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
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The relationship between socioeconomic indices and potentially zoonotic pathogens carried by wild Norway rats: a survey in Rhône, France (2010-2012). Epidemiol Infect 2014; 143:586-99. [PMID: 24838220 PMCID: PMC4411646 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268814001137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospira interrogans, hantaviruses (particularly Seoul virus), hepatitis E virus (HEV), and Toxoplasma gondii are rat-associated zoonoses that are responsible for human morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study aimed to describe the infection patterns of these four pathogens in wild rats (Rattus norvegicus) across socioeconomic levels in neighbourhoods in Lyon, France. The infection or exposure status was determined using polymerase chain reaction or serology for 178 wild rats captured in 23 locations; additionally, confirmatory culture or mouse inoculation was performed. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate whether morphological and socioeconomic data could predict the infection status of the rats. This study revealed that the rat colony's age structure may influence the prevalence of L. interrogans, hantavirus, and HEV. In addition, areas with high human population densities and low incomes may be associated with a greater number of infected rats and an increased risk of disease transmission.
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