Search

The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in captive capuchin monkeys at a facility in the northeastern Brazil. Serum samples from 116 bearded capuchin (Sapajus libidinosus), nine blonde capuchin (Sapajus flavius), five black-capped capuchin (Sapajus apella), and four capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) were tested for T. gondii antibodies using the modified agglutination test (MAT, cut-off ≥25); antibodies were found in 85.3% (99/116) of S. libidinosus, 55.6% (5/9) of S. flavius, 80.0% (4/5) of S. apella, and 75.0% (3/4) of S. spp. The risk factors associated with T. gondii seropositivity were ingestion of raw meat [OR = 4.13 (1.26; 13.50)] and old age [OR = 4.90 (1.70; 14.13)]. Results indicate a very high T. gondii seropositivity in these primate populations. To minimize exposure to T. gondii raw meat should not be fed to these animals., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Felids are important in the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii because they are the only hosts that can excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts in their feces. Cats acquire T. gondii infection in nature by ingesting tissues of small mammals and birds. Serum samples of 223 feral marsupials and 174 feral rodents captured in 7 segments of the Atlantic Forest of the State of Pernambuco, northeastern region of Brazil, and in urban areas of the municipality of Recife were examined for antibodies to T. gondii by the modified agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies (MAT ≥ 25) were found in 6.7% (15 of 223) of the marsupials and 5.7% (10 of 174) of the rodents. No association was observed between seropositivity in marsupials or rodents and sex, age, or different areas of collection (P > 0.05). This is the first study on the seroprevalence of T. gondii in marsupials and rodents performed in the Atlantic Forest of the northeastern region of Brazil. The presence of antibodies to T. gondii are reported for the first time in long-furred woolly mouse opossum ( Micoureus demerarae ), murine mouse opossum ( Marmosa murina ), brown four-eyed opossum ( Metachirus nudicaudatus ), and gray short-tailed opossum ( Monodelphis domestica ).

Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago of 21 islands and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, state of Pernambuco, Brazil, which has a varied biodiversity including alien species or sinantropic animals. The objective here was to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic and wild animals from Fernando de Noronha archipelago, Brazil. Between July 2007 and May 2010, blood samples were collected from 764 animals (533 domestic and 231 wild animals). Sera were tested by the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) or the modified agglutination test (MAT), or by both. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 80 (80.0%) of 100 chickens ( Gallus domesticus ), 3 (3.0%) of 100 cattle ( Bos taurus ), 59 (60.8%) of 97 sheep ( Ovis aries ), 9 (81.8%) of 11 goats ( Capra hircus ), 7 (43.7%) of 16 horses ( Equus caballus ), 70 (59.3%) of 118 cats ( Felis catus ), 36 (39.6%) of 91 dogs ( Canis familiaris ), 13 (38.2%) of 34 black rats ( Rattus rattus ), and 157 (79.7%) of 197 cattle egrets ( Bubulcus ibis ). Results indicate endemic infection by this zoonotic parasite among the animal and avian fauna in this archipelago from Brazil.

Toxoplasma gondii is an important pathogen in aquatic mammals and its presence in these animals may indicate the water contamination of aquatic environment by oocysts. Serum samples from 95 free-living Amazon River dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) from the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve (RDSM), Tefé, Amazonas, Central Amazon, Brazil were tested for T. gondii antibodies using the modified agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies (MAT ≥ 25) to T. gondii were found in 82 (86.3%) dolphins with titers of 1:25 in 24, 1:50 in 56, and 1:500 in 2. Results suggest a high level contamination of the aquatic environment of the home range of these animals., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Toxoplasma gondii isolates are highly diverse in domestic animals from Brazil. However, little is known about the genetics of this parasite from wild mammals in the same region. Reveal genetic similarity or difference of T. gondii among different animal populations is necessary for us to understand transmission of this parasite. Here we reported isolation and genetic characterisation of three T. gondii isolates from wild animals in Brazil. The parasite was isolated by bioassay in mice from tissues of a young male red handed howler monkey (Alouatta belzebul), an adult male jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi), and an adult female black-eared opossum (Didelphis aurita). The monkey and the jaguarundi had inhabited the Zoo of Parque Estadual Dois Irmãos, Pernambuco State, Northeastern Brazil, for 1 year and 8 years, respectively. The wild black-eared opossum was captured in São Paulo State, Southeastern Brazil, and euthanised for this study because it was seropositive for T. gondii (titre 1:100 by the modified agglutination test, MAT). Ten PCR-RFLP (Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) markers, SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and Apico, were used to genotype the isolates. T. gondii was isolated from the brain and heart homogenate of the monkey, the muscle homogenate of the jaguarundi, and the heart homogenate of the black-eared opossum. This was the first isolation of T. gondii from a neotropical felid from Brazil. The isolate from the monkey (TgRhHmBr1) was not virulent in mice, whereas the isolates from the jaguarundi (TgJagBr1) and the black-eared opossum (TgOpBr1) were virulent in mice. The genotype of the isolate from the monkey has been identified in isolates from a goat and ten chickens in the same region of Brazil, suggesting that it may be a common lineage circulating in this region. The genotypes of the isolates from the jaguarundi and the black-eared opossum have not been previously reported. Although there are already 88 genotypes identified from a variety of animal hosts in Brazil, new genotypes are continuously being identified from different animal species, indicating an extremely high diversity of T. gondii in the population., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Worldwide comparison of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from free-range chickens ( Gallus domesticus ) has indicated that T. gondii isolates from Brazil are phenotypically and genetically different from isolates from other countries; most strains from Brazil are pathogenic to mice, there is great genetic variability, most isolates are nonclonal, and Type II is absent or rare. The prevalence of T. gondii in 50 free-range chickens from the island of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil (this island is 350 km from the mainland) was determined. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT); 42 (84%) chickens had titers of 1ratio5 in 2, 1ratio10 in 4, 1ratio20 in 3, 1ratio40 in 6, 1ratio80 in 6, 1ratio160 in 5, 1ratio320 in 3, and 1ratio640 or higher in 13 chickens. Hearts of 40 seropositive chickens were bioassayed individually in mice. Toxoplasma gondii was isolated from 24 chickens with MAT titers of 1ratio5 or higher; the isolates were designated TgCKBr210-233. None of the isolates was pathogenic for mice. The restricted fragment length polymorphism using 10 markers revealed 6 genotypes, including the Type II, Type III, and 4 new chicken genotypes (#59-#62) that were different from genotypes so far reported in Brazil. All 24 isolates were successfully genotyped; 15 isolates were Brazil chicken type #59, 1 type #60, 1 type #61, 1 type #62; 5 were Type II (with Type I allele at the Apico locus); and 1 isolate was clonal Type III. Results in this study indicate that T. gondii on this island consists of unique genotypes as well as clonal genotypes that are dominant in Europe and North America.

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging chickens is a good indicator of the prevalence of T. gondii oocysts in the soil because chickens feed from the ground. The prevalence of T. gondii in 152 free-range chickens (Gallus domesticus) from 22 municipalities in 7 northeastern states (Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, Maranhão, Bahia, Ceará, Sergipe, and Alagoas) of Brazil was determined. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT); 81 (53.3 %) chickens had titers of 1:5 in 26, 1:10 in 9, 1:20 in 4, 1:40 in 1, 1:80 in 6, 1:160 in 6, 1:320 in 13, 1:640 in 6, 1:1,280 in 3, 1:2,560 in 6, and 1:5,120 or higher in 1. Hearts and brains of 81 seropositive chickens were bioassayed individually in mice. Toxoplasma gondii was isolated from 23 chickens with MAT titers of 1:5 or higher; the isolates were designated TgCKBr165-187. Five isolates killed all infected mice. Results indicate widespread contamination of rural environment in Brazil with T. gondii oocysts.

The prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in dogs in an urban area of the municipality of Monte Negro, Rondônia, Brazil, was evaluated using an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Blood samples were taken from 157 dogs living in 85 of the 94 blocks of the city. A seropositivity of 76.4% (120/157) was found and associations between the prevalence and the variables sex, age, type of raising and food were studied. The prevalence tended to increase with age (p < 0.05); dogs over 24 months old had 85.5% (100/117) positivity, compared with 50% (20/40) in dogs less than 24 months old, showing postnatal exposure to the agent. It was also observed that dogs with access to the streets showed greater prevalence (84.9%) than companion animals (58.8%). There was no association between sex or the type of food (home-made or commercial) and anti-T. gondii antibodies.

Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii were determined in serum samples of 502 domestic cats from Brazil by the modified agglutination test (MAT), using formalin-fixed whole tachyzoites and mercaptoethanol. Antibodies (MAT > or = 1:20) were found in 132 (26.3%) of 502 cats. With respect to origin, antibodies were found in 26.7% of 430 stray cats from São Paulo, 10% of 40 stray cats from Guarulhos, and 40.6% of 32 cats from a cat breeder in São Paulo. Antibody titers were: 1:20 in 10 cats, 1:25 in 40 cats, 1:50 in 73 cats, and > or = 1:500 in 9 cats. Exposure rates of T. gondii in cats from São Paulo, Brazil are similar to that in domestic cats in North America.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii was determined in 865 captive neotropical felids from 20 states from Brazil, sampled from September 1995 to April 1997. Sera were tested by the modified agglutination test (MAT) using formalin-fixed whole tachyzoites and mercaptoethanol. Antibodies (MAT> or =1:20) to T. gondii were found in 472 of 865 (54.6%) cats: in 45 of 99 (45.9%) jaguarundis (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), in 97 of 168 (57.7%) ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), in 68 of 131 (51.9%) oncillas (L. tigrinus), in 35 of 63 (55.5%) margays (L. wiedii), in 1 of 8 (12.5%) Pampas-cat (Oncifelis colocolo), in 9 of 12 (75.0%) Geoffroys-cat (O. geoffroyi), in 134 of 212 (63.2%) jaguars (Panthera onca), and in 83 of 172 (48.2%) pumas (Puma concolor). Antibody titers were: 1:20 in 27 felids, 1:25 in 142 felids, 1:40 in 6 felids, 1:50 in 292 felids, and > or =1:500 in 5 felids. The high seroprevalence of T. gondii antibodies found in the present study suggested a widespread exposure of neotropical cats to T. gondii in zoos in Brazil. The results warrant an investigation on the mode of exposure and oocyst shedding by neotropical cats.

Serum samples from 37 captive exotic felids in 12 zoos from six Brazilian states were assayed for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by the modified agglutination test using formalin-fixed whole tachyzoites. Titers greater than or equal to 1:20 were considered positive. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 24 of 37 (64.9%) felids, including one European lynx (Lynx lynx), two jungle cats (Felis chaus), two servals (Leptailurus serval), two tigers (Panthera tigris), three leopards (Panthera pardus), and 14 of 27 lions (Panthera leo). This is the first serologic analysis for T. gondii infection in exotic wild felids from Brazilian zoos.