Serological evidence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Melanosuchus niger (Spix, 1825) and Caimam crocodilus (Linnaeus, 1758)

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

André Luis Quagliatto Santos¹  Murilo Vieira Silva²  Eliézer Lucas Pires Ramos²  Álvaro Ferreira Júnior²  Fernanda Maria Santiago²  José Roberto Mineo²  Tiago Wilson Patriarca Mineo²  Flávia Batista Ferreira²  Carolina Salomão Lopes²  Arlindo Gomes de Macêdo-Júnior²  Sérgio Netto Vitaliano³ 

[1] Laboratory for Education and Research on Wild Animals (LAPAS), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil;Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720, Uberlândia, CEP, 38400 902, Brazil;Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, University of São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil;

关键词: Alligators;    Toxoplasma gondii;    Serology;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan with worldwide prevalence, known to affect a large variety of warm-blooded hosts. However, its ability to induce long-lasting infections in cold-blooded animals remains unclear. The most likely source of infection is through consumption of meat containing tissue cysts or by ingestion of food or water contaminated with oocysts. The current global climate change trend and the progressive degradation of natural habitats are prone to alter the distribution of ectotherm populations over a short period of time, which may favor contact between these animals and the protozoan. In association, alligator meat is considered a delicacy in many regions and its consumption has been previously related to a diversity of foodborne diseases. In that sense, we proposed in this study to search for specific antibodies against T. gondii in serum samples of two common species of alligators from the Brazilian fauna (Melanosuchus niger and Caimam crocodilus). We obtained the serum samples from 84 alligators from the Araguaia region, which were tested by agglutination assays that do not require species-specific secondary antibodies (Modified Agglutination Test – MAT; Indirect Hemagglutination Assay – IHA). From the 84 samples tested, eight (9.5%) were positive by MAT. From those, seven (87.5% of MAT+, 8.3% of the total) were also positive by IHA, reassuring a probable exposure of these animals to the parasite. Direct parasite detection in muscle fragments of one serologically reactive alligator did not yield positive results. Our results provide serological evidence that Brazilian alligators may be exposed to T. gondii and further studies should be performed to elucidate whether alligators are natural hosts of this ubiquitous protozoan parasite.

【 授权许可】

Unknown