Survey of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in wild mammals captured from Atlantic Forest fragments in Bahia, northeastern Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii present in wild mammals that were trap captured in forest fragments in the State of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. A total of 368 individuals (246 rodents, 104 marsupials and 18 bats) were captured using live catch traps. Serum samples were tested using the modified agglutination test, with a cut-off point at 1:25 dilution. The total occurrence of antibodies to T. gondii was 10.6% (39/368), being 16.3% (17/104) in marsupials, 8.5% (21/246) in rodents, and 5.5% (1/18) in bats. Antibody titers varied between 25 and 50 for rodents, between 25 and 400 for marsupials, and were 25 for bats. This is the first report on antibodies to T. gondii in certain rodent species (Thaptomys nigrita, Hylaeamys laticeps, and Cerradomys subflavus), marsupial species (Monodelphis americana, Gracilinanus microtarsus, Gracilinanus agilis and Marmosops incanus), and bats of the genus Rhynchonycteris. The presence of antibodies to T. gondii in wild mammals demonstrates the possibility of these animals as sentinels of toxoplasmosis, especially on regions under high anthropogenic effect.

Epidemiological risk factors and phylogenetic affinities of Sarcocystis infecting village chickens and pigs in Peninsular Malaysia

“…Rodent species are known to be invasive and widespread, and are reported to play an important role as transmitters of other coccidian parasites such as Cryptosporidium spp. (Hancke & Suárez, 2022) and T. gondii (Junior et al, 2020). Therefore, it is not surprising that they can facilitate the perpetuation of Sarcocystis infection in pig farms by carrying sporocysts on their bodies and contaminating the feed, or harbouring the cysts in their tissue and gets eaten by the pigs.…”