Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Toxoplasma gondii in Free-Ranging Chickens from the Caribbean

Autor: Frank Katzer, Patrick Kelly, E.A. Innes, R. Thomas, C. Oura, Clare M. Hamilton, R. Robins, Isabelle Villena, Solange Oliveira
Přispěvatelé: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas Santa Casa de São Paulo [Brazil], Epidémiosurveillance de protozooses à transmission alimentaire et vectorielle (ESCAPE), Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA)-Université de Rouen Normandie (UNIROUEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail (ANSES), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Reims (CHU Reims)
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Zdroj: Acta Parasitologica
Acta Parasitologica, Springer Verlag, 2019, 64 (4), pp.738-744. ⟨10.2478/s11686-019-00071-7⟩
ISSN: 1896-1851
1230-2821
DOI: 10.2478/s11686-019-00071-7⟩
Popis: Purpose Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite capable of infecting a wide range of hosts. Free-range chickens are important sentinels in the epidemiology of this parasite as they feed from the ground and are likely to ingest oocysts shed in the faeces of infected cats. Atypical strains of T. gondii are known to dominate in South America where they are associated with more severe disease in humans, yet relatively little is known about the strains circulating in neighbouring Caribbean islands. Methods In this study, hearts and brains were collected from free-range chickens in Antigua and Barbuda (n = 45), Dominica (n = 76) and Trinidad (n = 41), and DNA was extracted for nested ITS1 PCR and PCR–RFLP. Sera were collected and screened for antibodies using the modified agglutination test (MAT). Results Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 20.5, 38.2 and 17.1% of chickens in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and Trinidad, respectively. Toxoplasma gondii DNA was also detected by PCR in 24.4, 17.1 and 17.1% of chickens, respectively, giving an overall prevalence of 31.1, 42.1, and 29.3% for each of the 3 island nations. Results of PCR–RFLP revealed 2 new atypical genotypes (designated ToxoDB #281 and #282) and one Type III (ToxoDB #2) in chickens from Antigua. Partial genotyping of a further 8 isolates (7 from Antigua and one from Trinidad) revealed different allele-types at five or more markers for 7 of the isolates, suggesting atypical genotypes. Conclusions This is the first study to report the prevalence of T. gondii in free-range chickens in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago. It is also the first to report the presence of atypical genotypes in Antigua and Barbuda and Trinidad and Tobago.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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