Detection of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in wild animals in Brazil

Journal of venomous animals and toxins

Rodrigo Costa da Silva²  Ciro Alexandre Cruvinel⁵  Tatiane Morosini de Andrade Cruvinel⁶  Gustavo Puglia Machado⁸  Helio Langoni⁹ 

[1] do Rio Preto, Brazil;Departamento de Higiene VeterináVeterinary Consultant, Bady Bassit, Brazil;Veterinary Hospital, University Center of Rio Preto (UNiRP), Sãblica, Faculdade de Medicina Veterináde Púo Joséria e Saúria e Zootecnia (FMVZ), Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, Brasil

关键词: Toxoplasma gondii;    Natural infection;    Antibodies;    Wild animals;    MAT;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1678-9199-20-41

学科分类：药理学

来源: BioMed Central

【 摘 要 】

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, that affects all warm-blooded animals, including wild animals. The increased number of cases of parasitic infections is mainly due to the destruction of environmental conservation areas, which is driving wild animals out of their habitats and towards urban areas. In this study, the occurrence of T. gondii infection was investigated by the modified agglutination test (MAT) in 26 different species of run over and injured wild animals that were treated at a Brazilian university veterinary hospital, from June 2007 to August 2008. Of the studied animals, six (23.1%; CI95% 11.1-42.2%) had T. gondii antibodies, with titers equal to 10 (4; 66.7%) and 40 (2; 33.3%). The species Pseudalopex vetulus, Cerdocyon thous, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris and Tapyrus terrestris had titers of 10, while Alouatta caraya and Puma concolor had titers of 40. There was no significant association regarding age, gender or purpose of care (p > 0.05). Carnivorous, herbivorous and omnivorous wild animals are potential sentinels of human toxoplasmosis, especially when wild felids are present, maintaining the environmental contamination.

【 授权许可】

CC BY