Prevalence, molecular detection and risk factors investigation for the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in slaughter pigs in North India
Abstract Background Toxoplasma gondii, an important food borne zoonotic parasite, infects almost all warm-blooded animals including pigs. People primarily become infected with T. gondii via consuming meat of infected animals. Status of T. gondii is largely unknown in pigs in India including northern...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2019-12-01
|
| Series: | BMC Veterinary Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-019-2178-0 |
| _version_ | 1818648002178318336 |
|---|---|
| author | Rashmi Thakur Rajnish Sharma R. S. Aulakh J. P. S. Gill B. B. Singh |
| author_facet | Rashmi Thakur Rajnish Sharma R. S. Aulakh J. P. S. Gill B. B. Singh |
| author_sort | Rashmi Thakur |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Toxoplasma gondii, an important food borne zoonotic parasite, infects almost all warm-blooded animals including pigs. People primarily become infected with T. gondii via consuming meat of infected animals. Status of T. gondii is largely unknown in pigs in India including northern regions. We, therefore, determined the prevalence of T. gondii infection in pigs from North India. Results DNA of T. gondii was detected in 6.7% (54/810) of the tested slaughter pigs. Highest prevalence was observed in pigs from Punjab (8.2%) followed by Chandigarh (5.3%) and Uttarakhand (4.8%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolates from pigs had 96–100% nucleotide identity with Type I RH strain (AF179871), 96–99.7% with VEG type III strain (LN714499) and 67–72% with type II ME 49 strain (XM002370240). However, low level of polymorphism in the targeted B1 gene did not allow the determination of the clonal lineages of the isolates. Antibodies against T. gondii was reported in 48.3% (73/151) of the sera obtained from pigs slaughtered at Chandigarh abattoir, and scavenging by pigs was a significant risk factor. Conclusion Prevalence of T. gondii DNA was low in pigs in North India, however, presence of the parasite warrants food safety concerns. Further studies are required to identify the clonal lineage of T. gondii circulating in pigs reared in North India. Pig farmers should be educated about the hygienic management practices. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T01:11:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f9c7b497049a4dc2be61e0c72f83ad53 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1746-6148 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T01:11:30Z |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Veterinary Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-f9c7b497049a4dc2be61e0c72f83ad532022-12-21T22:09:07ZengBMCBMC Veterinary Research1746-61482019-12-011511710.1186/s12917-019-2178-0Prevalence, molecular detection and risk factors investigation for the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in slaughter pigs in North IndiaRashmi Thakur0Rajnish Sharma1R. S. Aulakh2J. P. S. Gill3B. B. Singh4School of Public Health and Zoonoses, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences UniversitySchool of Public Health and Zoonoses, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences UniversitySchool of Public Health and Zoonoses, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences UniversitySchool of Public Health and Zoonoses, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences UniversitySchool of Public Health and Zoonoses, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences UniversityAbstract Background Toxoplasma gondii, an important food borne zoonotic parasite, infects almost all warm-blooded animals including pigs. People primarily become infected with T. gondii via consuming meat of infected animals. Status of T. gondii is largely unknown in pigs in India including northern regions. We, therefore, determined the prevalence of T. gondii infection in pigs from North India. Results DNA of T. gondii was detected in 6.7% (54/810) of the tested slaughter pigs. Highest prevalence was observed in pigs from Punjab (8.2%) followed by Chandigarh (5.3%) and Uttarakhand (4.8%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolates from pigs had 96–100% nucleotide identity with Type I RH strain (AF179871), 96–99.7% with VEG type III strain (LN714499) and 67–72% with type II ME 49 strain (XM002370240). However, low level of polymorphism in the targeted B1 gene did not allow the determination of the clonal lineages of the isolates. Antibodies against T. gondii was reported in 48.3% (73/151) of the sera obtained from pigs slaughtered at Chandigarh abattoir, and scavenging by pigs was a significant risk factor. Conclusion Prevalence of T. gondii DNA was low in pigs in North India, however, presence of the parasite warrants food safety concerns. Further studies are required to identify the clonal lineage of T. gondii circulating in pigs reared in North India. Pig farmers should be educated about the hygienic management practices.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-019-2178-0IndiaPigsPrevalenceToxoplasma gondiiZoonosis |
| spellingShingle | Rashmi Thakur Rajnish Sharma R. S. Aulakh J. P. S. Gill B. B. Singh Prevalence, molecular detection and risk factors investigation for the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in slaughter pigs in North India BMC Veterinary Research India Pigs Prevalence Toxoplasma gondii Zoonosis |
| title | Prevalence, molecular detection and risk factors investigation for the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in slaughter pigs in North India |
| title_full | Prevalence, molecular detection and risk factors investigation for the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in slaughter pigs in North India |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence, molecular detection and risk factors investigation for the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in slaughter pigs in North India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence, molecular detection and risk factors investigation for the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in slaughter pigs in North India |
| title_short | Prevalence, molecular detection and risk factors investigation for the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in slaughter pigs in North India |
| title_sort | prevalence molecular detection and risk factors investigation for the occurrence of toxoplasma gondii in slaughter pigs in north india |
| topic | India Pigs Prevalence Toxoplasma gondii Zoonosis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-019-2178-0 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rashmithakur prevalencemoleculardetectionandriskfactorsinvestigationfortheoccurrenceoftoxoplasmagondiiinslaughterpigsinnorthindia AT rajnishsharma prevalencemoleculardetectionandriskfactorsinvestigationfortheoccurrenceoftoxoplasmagondiiinslaughterpigsinnorthindia AT rsaulakh prevalencemoleculardetectionandriskfactorsinvestigationfortheoccurrenceoftoxoplasmagondiiinslaughterpigsinnorthindia AT jpsgill prevalencemoleculardetectionandriskfactorsinvestigationfortheoccurrenceoftoxoplasmagondiiinslaughterpigsinnorthindia AT bbsingh prevalencemoleculardetectionandriskfactorsinvestigationfortheoccurrenceoftoxoplasmagondiiinslaughterpigsinnorthindia |