The Dangerous Side of Being a Predator: <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> and <i>Neospora caninum</i> in Birds of Prey
<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> and <i>Neospora caninum</i> are apicomplexan protozoa of major concern in livestock and <i>T. gondii</i> is also considered one of the major threats and a public health concern. These protozoa have a wide range of intermediate hosts, inclu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/2/271 |
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| author | Stefania Zanet Fabrizia Veronesi Giuseppe Giglia Carolina Raquel Pinto Baptista Giulia Morganti Maria Teresa Mandara Rachele Vada Luis Manuel Madeira De Carvalho Ezio Ferroglio |
| author_facet | Stefania Zanet Fabrizia Veronesi Giuseppe Giglia Carolina Raquel Pinto Baptista Giulia Morganti Maria Teresa Mandara Rachele Vada Luis Manuel Madeira De Carvalho Ezio Ferroglio |
| author_sort | Stefania Zanet |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> and <i>Neospora caninum</i> are apicomplexan protozoa of major concern in livestock and <i>T. gondii</i> is also considered one of the major threats and a public health concern. These protozoa have a wide range of intermediate hosts, including birds. The present work aimed to assess the prevalence of these cyst-forming parasites in migratory and sedentary birds of prey. The skeletal muscle and myocardium of 159 birds of prey from Central Italy, belonging to 19 species and recovered across 6 Wildlife Recovery Centers/Care structures along the Italian migratory route, were collected specifically for molecular (PCR) and for histopathological analysis to detect <i>T. gondii</i> and <i>N. caninum</i>. For the molecular analysis, genomic DNA was extracted. The DNA was tested by sequence typing, targeting GRA6, 529 bp repeated element, B1, PK1, BTUB, SAG2, alt.SAG2, and APICO genes for <i>T. gondii</i> and to end-point PCR targeting NC5 gene for <i>N. caninum</i>. Thirty-seven out of the one hundred and fifty-nine analyzed samples tested positive for <i>T. gondii</i> with a prevalence of 23.27% and nine for <i>N. caninum</i>, with a prevalence of 5.66%. Thirty-two sequences were obtained from the thirty-seven isolates of <i>T. gondii</i>. Among these, 26 presented alleles compatible with type I strain in 1 or more loci, 4 with type II strain and 2 consisted of atypical strains. <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> genetic variability in birds of prey confirms previous findings of wildlife as reservoirs of atypical strains. Results from the histology showed few protozoal tissue cysts in skeletal muscle (n. 4) and hearts (n. 2). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:19:27Z |
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| id | doaj.art-f958863e17374c8c9a7ddf9c47517a29 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:19:27Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-f958863e17374c8c9a7ddf9c47517a292023-11-16T22:34:21ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172023-02-0112227110.3390/pathogens12020271The Dangerous Side of Being a Predator: <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> and <i>Neospora caninum</i> in Birds of PreyStefania Zanet0Fabrizia Veronesi1Giuseppe Giglia2Carolina Raquel Pinto Baptista3Giulia Morganti4Maria Teresa Mandara5Rachele Vada6Luis Manuel Madeira De Carvalho7Ezio Ferroglio8Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, San Costanzo Street 6, 06126 Perugia, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, San Costanzo Street 6, 06126 Perugia, ItalyCentre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, PortugalDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, San Costanzo Street 6, 06126 Perugia, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, San Costanzo Street 6, 06126 Perugia, ItalyDepartment of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, ItalyCentre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, PortugalDepartment of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> and <i>Neospora caninum</i> are apicomplexan protozoa of major concern in livestock and <i>T. gondii</i> is also considered one of the major threats and a public health concern. These protozoa have a wide range of intermediate hosts, including birds. The present work aimed to assess the prevalence of these cyst-forming parasites in migratory and sedentary birds of prey. The skeletal muscle and myocardium of 159 birds of prey from Central Italy, belonging to 19 species and recovered across 6 Wildlife Recovery Centers/Care structures along the Italian migratory route, were collected specifically for molecular (PCR) and for histopathological analysis to detect <i>T. gondii</i> and <i>N. caninum</i>. For the molecular analysis, genomic DNA was extracted. The DNA was tested by sequence typing, targeting GRA6, 529 bp repeated element, B1, PK1, BTUB, SAG2, alt.SAG2, and APICO genes for <i>T. gondii</i> and to end-point PCR targeting NC5 gene for <i>N. caninum</i>. Thirty-seven out of the one hundred and fifty-nine analyzed samples tested positive for <i>T. gondii</i> with a prevalence of 23.27% and nine for <i>N. caninum</i>, with a prevalence of 5.66%. Thirty-two sequences were obtained from the thirty-seven isolates of <i>T. gondii</i>. Among these, 26 presented alleles compatible with type I strain in 1 or more loci, 4 with type II strain and 2 consisted of atypical strains. <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> genetic variability in birds of prey confirms previous findings of wildlife as reservoirs of atypical strains. Results from the histology showed few protozoal tissue cysts in skeletal muscle (n. 4) and hearts (n. 2).https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/2/271birds of prey<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i><i>Neospora caninum</i>genotypingItaly |
| spellingShingle | Stefania Zanet Fabrizia Veronesi Giuseppe Giglia Carolina Raquel Pinto Baptista Giulia Morganti Maria Teresa Mandara Rachele Vada Luis Manuel Madeira De Carvalho Ezio Ferroglio The Dangerous Side of Being a Predator: <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> and <i>Neospora caninum</i> in Birds of Prey Pathogens birds of prey <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> <i>Neospora caninum</i> genotyping Italy |
| title | The Dangerous Side of Being a Predator: <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> and <i>Neospora caninum</i> in Birds of Prey |
| title_full | The Dangerous Side of Being a Predator: <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> and <i>Neospora caninum</i> in Birds of Prey |
| title_fullStr | The Dangerous Side of Being a Predator: <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> and <i>Neospora caninum</i> in Birds of Prey |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Dangerous Side of Being a Predator: <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> and <i>Neospora caninum</i> in Birds of Prey |
| title_short | The Dangerous Side of Being a Predator: <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> and <i>Neospora caninum</i> in Birds of Prey |
| title_sort | dangerous side of being a predator i toxoplasma gondii i and i neospora caninum i in birds of prey |
| topic | birds of prey <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> <i>Neospora caninum</i> genotyping Italy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/2/271 |
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