Serological and Molecular Investigation on <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Birds
<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is an obligate apicomplexan zoonotic parasite that infects humans and other animals and is responsible for toxoplasmosis. This parasite causes one of the most common parasitic infections in humans worldwide. Toxoplasmosis meets the requirements for a One Health D...
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MDPI AG
2019-04-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/8/2/58 |
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| author | Simona Nardoni Guido Rocchigiani Ilaria Varvaro Iolanda Altomonte Renato Ceccherelli Francesca Mancianti |
| author_facet | Simona Nardoni Guido Rocchigiani Ilaria Varvaro Iolanda Altomonte Renato Ceccherelli Francesca Mancianti |
| author_sort | Simona Nardoni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is an obligate apicomplexan zoonotic parasite that infects humans and other animals and is responsible for toxoplasmosis. This parasite causes one of the most common parasitic infections in humans worldwide. Toxoplasmosis meets the requirements for a One Health Disease due to its ability to affect the health of human beings as well as domestic and free ranging animals. Integrating human, domestic animal, and wildlife data could better assess the risk and devise methods of control. A first step of such an approach would be the knowledge of the prevalence of parasitosis in humans and animals in selected areas. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the occurrence of <i>Toxoplasma</i> infection in 216 free ranging birds belonging to different genera/species by serology and molecular techniques. Twenty-five out of 216 animals (11.6%) were positive to the immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) with antibody titers ranging from 1/20 to 1/320, and 19 of them (8.8%) also showed a positive PCR for <i>Toxoplasma</i> DNA. The results confirmed the widespread occurrence of <i>Toxoplasma</i> infection in wild birds and serological data were corroborated by molecular results in birds that also had low antibody titers. The knowledge of the wide occurrence of the parasite in game and wild birds should enhance the accurate estimation of the risks in handling, managing, and eating these species with regard to domestic carnivores as well as the impact of viscera and offal in the environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:20:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2a6a3775655a42bea9248316d903dbcc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:20:22Z |
| publishDate | 2019-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-2a6a3775655a42bea9248316d903dbcc2022-12-22T02:20:39ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172019-04-01825810.3390/pathogens8020058pathogens8020058Serological and Molecular Investigation on <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild BirdsSimona Nardoni0Guido Rocchigiani1Ilaria Varvaro2Iolanda Altomonte3Renato Ceccherelli4Francesca Mancianti5Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Pisa, 56124 Pisa, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Pisa, 56124 Pisa, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Pisa, 56124 Pisa, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Pisa, 56124 Pisa, ItalyCentro Recupero Uccelli Marini e Acquatici-CRUMA, 57121 Livorno, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is an obligate apicomplexan zoonotic parasite that infects humans and other animals and is responsible for toxoplasmosis. This parasite causes one of the most common parasitic infections in humans worldwide. Toxoplasmosis meets the requirements for a One Health Disease due to its ability to affect the health of human beings as well as domestic and free ranging animals. Integrating human, domestic animal, and wildlife data could better assess the risk and devise methods of control. A first step of such an approach would be the knowledge of the prevalence of parasitosis in humans and animals in selected areas. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the occurrence of <i>Toxoplasma</i> infection in 216 free ranging birds belonging to different genera/species by serology and molecular techniques. Twenty-five out of 216 animals (11.6%) were positive to the immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) with antibody titers ranging from 1/20 to 1/320, and 19 of them (8.8%) also showed a positive PCR for <i>Toxoplasma</i> DNA. The results confirmed the widespread occurrence of <i>Toxoplasma</i> infection in wild birds and serological data were corroborated by molecular results in birds that also had low antibody titers. The knowledge of the wide occurrence of the parasite in game and wild birds should enhance the accurate estimation of the risks in handling, managing, and eating these species with regard to domestic carnivores as well as the impact of viscera and offal in the environment.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/8/2/58<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i>birdsIFATserologyPCRzoonosisOne Health |
| spellingShingle | Simona Nardoni Guido Rocchigiani Ilaria Varvaro Iolanda Altomonte Renato Ceccherelli Francesca Mancianti Serological and Molecular Investigation on <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Birds Pathogens <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> birds IFAT serology PCR zoonosis One Health |
| title | Serological and Molecular Investigation on <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Birds |
| title_full | Serological and Molecular Investigation on <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Birds |
| title_fullStr | Serological and Molecular Investigation on <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Birds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Serological and Molecular Investigation on <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Birds |
| title_short | Serological and Molecular Investigation on <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Birds |
| title_sort | serological and molecular investigation on i toxoplasma gondii i infection in wild birds |
| topic | <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> birds IFAT serology PCR zoonosis One Health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/8/2/58 |
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