1. Assessment of Toxoplasma gondii levels in zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) by real-time PCR: an organotropism study
- Author
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Isabelle Villena, M. Palos Ladeiro, Dominique Aubert, Alain Geffard, Aurélie Bigot-Clivot, Stress Environnementaux et BIOsurveillance des milieux aquatiques (SEBIO), Université Le Havre Normandie (ULH), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA)-SFR Condorcet, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA)-Université de Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA)-Université de Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Epidémiosurveillance de protozooses à transmission alimentaire et vectorielle (ESCAPE), Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail (ANSES)-Université de Rouen Normandie (UNIROUEN), and Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA)
- Subjects
Gill ,animal structures ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,010501 environmental sciences ,Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ,01 natural sciences ,Dreissena ,Host Specificity ,Microbiology ,law.invention ,03 medical and health sciences ,law ,Water Quality ,parasitic diseases ,Hemolymph ,Animals ,Environmental Chemistry ,ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS ,Polymerase chain reaction ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,0303 health sciences ,biology ,030306 microbiology ,Ecology ,fungi ,Toxoplasma gondii ,General Medicine ,Mussel ,DNA, Protozoan ,biology.organism_classification ,Pollution ,6. Clean water ,3. Good health ,Real-time polymerase chain reaction ,[SDE]Environmental Sciences ,Zebra mussel ,Toxoplasma - Abstract
Water quality is a public health concern that calls for relevant biomonitoring programs. Molecular tools such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are progressively becoming more sensitive and more specific than conventional techniques to detect pathogens in environmental samples such as water and organisms. The zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) has already been demonstrated to accumulate and concentrate various human waterborne pathogens. In this study, first, a spiking experiment to evaluate detection levels of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in zebra mussel organs using real-time PCR was conducted. Overall, lower DNA levels in the hemolymph, digestive gland, and remaining tissues (gonad and foot) were detected compared to mantle, muscle, and gills. Second, an in vivo experiment with 1000 T. gondii oocysts per mussel and per day for 21 consecutive days, followed by 14 days of depuration time in protozoa-free water was performed. T. gondii DNA was detected in all organs, but greatest concentrations were observed in hemolymph and mantle tissues compared to the others organs at the end of the depuration period. These results suggest that (i) the zebra mussel is a potential new tool for measuring T. gondii concentrations and (ii) real-time PCR is a suitable method for pathogen detection in complex matrices such as tissues.
- Published
- 2015
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