Isolation and Characterization of a Viable <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> from Captive Caracal (<i>Caracal caracal</i>)
<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is a widespread protozoan parasite that infects most warm-blooded animals, and felids can serve as intermediate and definitive hosts. Pathological diagnosis and serological and etiological investigations were conducted on a captive caracal (<i>Caracal carac...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-11-01
|
| Series: | Pathogens |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/12/1412 |
| _version_ | 1827573853230989312 |
|---|---|
| author | Hongjie Ren Gaohui Mao Yan Zhang Niuping Zhu Qunchao Liang Yibao Jiang Yurong Yang |
| author_facet | Hongjie Ren Gaohui Mao Yan Zhang Niuping Zhu Qunchao Liang Yibao Jiang Yurong Yang |
| author_sort | Hongjie Ren |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is a widespread protozoan parasite that infects most warm-blooded animals, and felids can serve as intermediate and definitive hosts. Pathological diagnosis and serological and etiological investigations were conducted on a captive caracal (<i>Caracal caracal</i>) carcass collected from China in 2022. Pathological diagnosis revealed that cardiac insufficiency, pulmonary edema, hepatic failure, and renal insufficiency were the causes of the caracal’s death. A modified agglutination test (cut-off: 1:25) revealed that IgG antibodies against <i>T. gondii</i> were present in the myocardium juice (1:1600), ascitic fluid (1:3200), and hydropericardium (1:800). A viable <i>T. gondii</i> (TgCaracalCHn2) strain was isolated from the tissue samples (heart, brain, spleen, and skeletal muscle) of this caracal using a mouse bioassay. The genotype of TgCaracalCHn2 was ToxoDB#5 (Type II variant), as determined via RFLP-PCR. The strain was avirulent in Swiss mice and matched the prediction of ROP18 and ROP5 gene alleles of TgCaracalCHn2 (2/2). Mild tissue cysts (203 ± 265) were observed in mice brains after inoculation with TgCaracalCHn2 tachyzoites. ToxoDB#5 is the dominant genotype in North American wildlife, and this is the first documented isolation of <i>T. gondii</i> ToxoDB#5 from China. This indicates that caracal plays an important role in the transmission of this <i>T. gondii</i> genotype. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:28:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-82d42f320254445fb5b3e328f652a7e6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:28:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-82d42f320254445fb5b3e328f652a7e62023-12-22T14:30:53ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172023-11-011212141210.3390/pathogens12121412Isolation and Characterization of a Viable <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> from Captive Caracal (<i>Caracal caracal</i>)Hongjie Ren0Gaohui Mao1Yan Zhang2Niuping Zhu3Qunchao Liang4Yibao Jiang5Yurong Yang6College of Animal Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, ChinaCollege of Animal Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, ChinaHenan Yinji Jiabao Amusement Park Management Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou 452300, ChinaCollege of Animal Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is a widespread protozoan parasite that infects most warm-blooded animals, and felids can serve as intermediate and definitive hosts. Pathological diagnosis and serological and etiological investigations were conducted on a captive caracal (<i>Caracal caracal</i>) carcass collected from China in 2022. Pathological diagnosis revealed that cardiac insufficiency, pulmonary edema, hepatic failure, and renal insufficiency were the causes of the caracal’s death. A modified agglutination test (cut-off: 1:25) revealed that IgG antibodies against <i>T. gondii</i> were present in the myocardium juice (1:1600), ascitic fluid (1:3200), and hydropericardium (1:800). A viable <i>T. gondii</i> (TgCaracalCHn2) strain was isolated from the tissue samples (heart, brain, spleen, and skeletal muscle) of this caracal using a mouse bioassay. The genotype of TgCaracalCHn2 was ToxoDB#5 (Type II variant), as determined via RFLP-PCR. The strain was avirulent in Swiss mice and matched the prediction of ROP18 and ROP5 gene alleles of TgCaracalCHn2 (2/2). Mild tissue cysts (203 ± 265) were observed in mice brains after inoculation with TgCaracalCHn2 tachyzoites. ToxoDB#5 is the dominant genotype in North American wildlife, and this is the first documented isolation of <i>T. gondii</i> ToxoDB#5 from China. This indicates that caracal plays an important role in the transmission of this <i>T. gondii</i> genotype.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/12/1412<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i>caracal (<i>Caracal caracal</i>)virulenceToxoDB#5transmissionChina |
| spellingShingle | Hongjie Ren Gaohui Mao Yan Zhang Niuping Zhu Qunchao Liang Yibao Jiang Yurong Yang Isolation and Characterization of a Viable <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> from Captive Caracal (<i>Caracal caracal</i>) Pathogens <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> caracal (<i>Caracal caracal</i>) virulence ToxoDB#5 transmission China |
| title | Isolation and Characterization of a Viable <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> from Captive Caracal (<i>Caracal caracal</i>) |
| title_full | Isolation and Characterization of a Viable <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> from Captive Caracal (<i>Caracal caracal</i>) |
| title_fullStr | Isolation and Characterization of a Viable <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> from Captive Caracal (<i>Caracal caracal</i>) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Isolation and Characterization of a Viable <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> from Captive Caracal (<i>Caracal caracal</i>) |
| title_short | Isolation and Characterization of a Viable <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> from Captive Caracal (<i>Caracal caracal</i>) |
| title_sort | isolation and characterization of a viable i toxoplasma gondii i from captive caracal i caracal caracal i |
| topic | <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> caracal (<i>Caracal caracal</i>) virulence ToxoDB#5 transmission China |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/12/1412 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hongjieren isolationandcharacterizationofaviableitoxoplasmagondiiifromcaptivecaracalicaracalcaracali AT gaohuimao isolationandcharacterizationofaviableitoxoplasmagondiiifromcaptivecaracalicaracalcaracali AT yanzhang isolationandcharacterizationofaviableitoxoplasmagondiiifromcaptivecaracalicaracalcaracali AT niupingzhu isolationandcharacterizationofaviableitoxoplasmagondiiifromcaptivecaracalicaracalcaracali AT qunchaoliang isolationandcharacterizationofaviableitoxoplasmagondiiifromcaptivecaracalicaracalcaracali AT yibaojiang isolationandcharacterizationofaviableitoxoplasmagondiiifromcaptivecaracalicaracalcaracali AT yurongyang isolationandcharacterizationofaviableitoxoplasmagondiiifromcaptivecaracalicaracalcaracali |