Isolation and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from free-ranging and captive birds and mammals in Pernambuco state, Brazil

Abstract

Recent genetic population studies on Toxoplasma gondii in Brazil have shown large genetic variability. The objective of the present study was to isolate and genotypically characterize T. gondii from free-ranging and captive wild mammals and birds in Pernambuco state, Brazil. Fragments of heart, brain, skeletal muscle and diaphragm tissue from 71 birds and 34 mammals, which were either free-ranging or captive, were collected. Samples from 32 of these animals were subjected to bioassays in mice. Samples from the remaining 73 animals underwent biomolecular diagnosis, using PCR technique, targeting a repetitive DNA fragment of 529 bp in T. gondii. A non-virulent isolate (TgButstBrPE1) was obtained from a free-ranging striated heron (Butorides striata) and, based on primary samples, seven animals were found to be positive. The primary samples and the isolate obtained were subjected to PCR-RFLP using the markers SAG1, 5'3'SAG2, alt.SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico and CS3. ToxoDB-RFLP genotype #13 from the striated heron isolate and Type BrIII genotype from a captive otter ( Lontra longicaudis) (PS-TgLonloBrPE1) were obtained. The present study describes the first isolation and genotypic characterization of T. gondii in free-ranging striated heron, and the first genotypic characterization of T. gondii in a captive otter.

Early immune responses and parasite tissue distribution in mice experimentally infected with oocysts of either archetypal or non-archetypal genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii

“…Large genetic variability of T. gondii in Brazil has been shown both in animal and human reservoirs, which could be implicated in the clinical disease outcome. Recent studies in Brazil predominantly reported diverse new non-archetypal genotypes; the most common single genotype found was BrIII and it was identified in chickens, horses and wild mammals (Fournier et al ., 2014; Silva et al ., 2018; Pena et al ., 2018 a ) in addition a type I genotype, although rare, was also described (Pena et al ., 2018 b ). Finding such diverse strains supports the need for further studies comparing specific and cross protection immune responses raised against them by the hosts.…”

First Isolation and Genotyping of Toxoplasma Gondii Strains From Domestic Animals in Tunisia

“…Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic apicomplexan parasite infecting humans and other warm-blooded animals including livestock 1,2 and poultry 3,4 . The latters serve as an intermediate host, while felines are the nal hosts of T. gondii 5 .…”

>b<Caracterização molecular de >i<Sarcocystis>/i< spp. em aves silvestres de diversas classes taxonômicas: relações entre >i<Sarcocystis>/i< >i<falcatula>/i<, >i<Sarcocystis neurona>/i< e organismos correlacionados prevalentes no Brasil>/b<

“…Duas espécies de coccídeos pertencentes à família Sarcocystidae foram detectados na triagem com nPCR-ITS1 (Tabela 1) para esta dimensão de fragmento. (BARROS et al, 2014;VITALIANO et al, 2014;RÊGO et al, 2018;SILVA et al, 2018).…”

“…Também nessa região, três pardais (P. domesticus) de 293 analisados por um teste comercial de hemaglutinação indireta, resultaram reagentes para T. gondii(GONDIM et al., 2010). Em São Paulo e Pernambuco, foi notificada sorologia positiva nas aves de rapina, gavião-carijó (Rupornis magnirostris), chimango (Milvago chimango) e murucututu (Pulsatrix perspicillata)(GONÇALVES et al, 2013;SILVA et al, 2018). Um recente estudo no pinguim-de-magalhães (S. magellanicus) foi conduzido no litoral do Espíritu Santo, de 145 animais avaliados pelo MAT, 18 pinguins (12,4%) resultaram positivos, mas tentativas de isolamento foram malsucedidas(ACOSTA et al, 2018).…”

“…Ao parecer, não é raro encontrar quiriquiris (F. sparverius) infectados com T. gondii no Brasil. Neste estudo, em 33% das aves analisadas dessa espécie (2/6), conseguimos amplificar DNA do parasito a partir de músculo peitoral Silva et al (2018). detectaram também uma amostra positiva no músculo e coração em um exemplar de vida livre.…”