First molecular evidence of &lt;i&gt;Toxoplasma gondii&lt;/i&gt; in opossums (&lt;i&gt;Didelphis virginiana&lt;/i&gt;) from Yucatan, Mexico

Torres–Castro, Marco; Noh-Pech, Henry; Puerto-Hernández, R; Reyes-Hernández, Bibiana; Panti–May, Jesús Alonso; Hernández-Betancourt, Silvia F.; Yeh-Gorocica, Aarón Beltrán; González-Herrera, Lı́zbeth; Zavala-Castro, Jorge; Fi, Puerto

doi:10.4314/ovj.v6i1.8

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 18 publications

(26 reference statements)

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“…In the present study, only heart tissue was tested for all the individuals and it is possible that specific parasite biotypes allocated in different organs escaped from our PCR analyses. Although false‐negative results are a possible outcome from our analyses, previous studies have shown heart as an effective tissue for the PCR detection of the parasite in wildlife species (Dubey, 2010; Torres‐Castro et al., 2016; Torres‐Castro, Medina‐Pinto et al., 2019; Torres‐Castro, Muñoz‐Dueñas, et al., 2019; Zamora‐Vélez et al., 2020); moreover, our study spans a broad taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity within mammals (304 individuals, 49 species and 4 different orders) from 4 geographically different localities (as well as different ecoregions) which reduces the possibility that a single biotype not associated to hearth tissue is preferably infecting all of our studied taxa.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…In the present study, only heart tissue was tested for all the individuals and it is possible that specific parasite biotypes allocated in different organs escaped from our PCR analyses. Although false-negative results are a possible outcome from our analyses, previous studies have shown heart as an effective tissue for the PCR detection of the parasite in wildlife species (Dubey, 2010;Torres-Castro et al, 2016;Torres-Castro, Medina-Pinto et al, 2019;Torres-Castro, Muñoz-Dueñas, et al, 2019;Zamora-Vélez et al, 2020); moreover, our study spans a broad taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity within activities such as presence of large numbers of felids as pets (house cats) in cities, or to the higher resilience of biodiversity-rich ecosystems to the spread of infection diseases (Keesing et al, 2010;Ostfeld, 2009;Ostfeld & Keesing, 2000;Suzán et al, 2009), or an interaction of both. To better understand this, large-scale studies on the presence and prevalence of T. gondii in native mammal species must be developed following several considerations: (1) special emphasis should be done in evaluating the prevalence of the infection in native felids, as they allow for the sexual cycle of the parasite,…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Toxoplasma gondii infection in Colombia with a review of hosts and their ecogeographic distribution

Pérez-Grisales

Cruz-Moncada

Sanchez³

et al. 2020

Zoonoses and Public Health

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Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most prevalent zoonotic protozoan parasites among warm‐blooded animal populations (humans included) around the world, causing multiple clinic manifestations including death in the most severe cases of infection. Due to the versatile life cycle of T. gondii and its diversity of potential hosts, there is a common perception that natural areas and wildlife are highly prevalent reservoirs for the parasite; however, information and reports of the parasite on wildlife populations in Colombia are scarce. Using PRC‐based detection analyses of the B1 gene, we evaluated the presence of T. gondii in 49 native small mammal species (10% of the mammal species of Colombia) from 4 different undisturbed natural habitats. Additionally, to understand the ecogeographical distribution of the parasite in Colombia, we developed a literature search of infection reports including information on the host species, density of records and occurrence patterns (using landcover and ecoregions) in natural, rural and urban areas. Our literature review showed a total of 8,103 reports of T. gondii for Colombia of which 86% were related to humans, and 14% to non‐human mammals and other categories, with just a single report associated to wildlife; additionally, 82% of all reports were associated to urban areas whereas only 18% to rural sites. Based on the negative results for the presence of T. gondii in our PCR‐based analyses and our literature search, we suggest that T. gondii has a synanthropic distribution in Colombia occurring in ecoregions as variable as the xeric scrubs in the northern lowlands and humid montane Andean forests, also we show a lack of information on the parasite relationship with wildlife, a concerning fact given that zoonoses are the leading mechanism for the emergence of infectious diseases.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…In the present study, only heart tissue was tested for all the individuals and it is possible that specific parasite biotypes allocated in different organs escaped from our PCR analyses. Although false-negative results are a possible outcome from our analyses, previous studies have shown heart as an effective tissue for the PCR detection of the parasite in wildlife species (Dubey, 2010;Torres-Castro et al, 2016;Torres-Castro, Medina-Pinto et al, 2019;Torres-Castro, Muñoz-Dueñas, et al, 2019;Zamora-Vélez et al, 2020); moreover, our study spans a broad taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity within activities such as presence of large numbers of felids as pets (house cats) in cities, or to the higher resilience of biodiversity-rich ecosystems to the spread of infection diseases (Keesing et al, 2010;Ostfeld, 2009;Ostfeld & Keesing, 2000;Suzán et al, 2009), or an interaction of both. To better understand this, large-scale studies on the presence and prevalence of T. gondii in native mammal species must be developed following several considerations: (1) special emphasis should be done in evaluating the prevalence of the infection in native felids, as they allow for the sexual cycle of the parasite,…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Toxoplasma gondii infection in Colombia with a review of hosts and their ecogeographic distribution

Pérez-Grisales

Cruz-Moncada

Sanchez³

et al. 2020

Zoonoses and Public Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…13 In Yucatan, Mexico, T. gondii is widespread. There are frequent reports of infection in domestic animals such as cats 14 and pigs, 15,16 as well as in wild animals such as opossums 17 and synanthropic rodents, 18 and also in humans. [19][20][21][22] Additionally, T. gondii oocysts have been identified in drinking water sources, 23 which states the relevance of the toxoplasmosis in the region.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular identification of <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> in roadkill wild animals in Yucatan, Mexico

et al. 2019

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Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, recognized as the etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic endemic disease in several countries, including Mexico. In the Yucatan State of Mexico, Toxoplasma infection has a high impact in both human and domestic animal health. Wild animals can also host zoonotic pathogens such as Toxoplasma gondii. The presence of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in roadkill wild animals in Yucatan was detected using a nested Polymerase Chain Reaction. Toxoplasma gondii DNA was identified in several organs retrieved from a Yucatan squirrel (Sciurus yucatanensis), a coatimundi (Nasua narica), and a greater grison (Galictis vittata). The amplified fragments of Toxoplasma gondii DNA were purified, sequenced, and certified by BLAST analysis. Our results confirm that Toxoplasma gondii can infect wild mammals from Yucatan, which could act as intermediate hosts and contribute to the transmission of the disease to humans and domestic animals, as well as other wild animal species. We present the first molecular evidence of Toxoplasma gondii in a squirrel and a coatimundi from Yucatan, and quite possibly in a greater grison at a global level.Figure 1. Agarose gel presenting PCR amplicons (560 bp) positive to Toxoplasma gondii. 1) C+: positive control; A: Yucatan squirrel liver sample; B: great grison femoral muscle sample; C: coatimundi kidney sample; C-: negative control. 2) A: Yucatan squirrel brain sample; B: great grison lung sample; C-: negative control.

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“…These include native rodents, macropods, dasyurids, bandicoots and possums ( Munday et al, 1978 ; Ladds, 2009 ). They have also been identified in South American marsupials, such as opossums ( Smith and Frenkel, 1995 ; Gardiner et al, 1998 ; Torres-Castro et al, 2016 ) and mouse opossums ( Shaw and Lainson, 1969 ; Dubey and Odening, 2001 ; Dubey et al, 2016 ), but have not been previously recognised in feathertail gliders. There is little published information on the effect that Sarcocystis spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disseminated protozoal infection in a wild feathertail glider (Acrobates pygmaeus) in Australia

Holz

Koehler

Gasser

et al. 2020

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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This is the first report of a disseminated protozoal infection in a wild feathertail glider ( Acrobates pygmaeus ) from south-eastern Australia. The glider was found dead in poor body condition. Histologically, large numbers of zoites were seen predominantly in macrophages in the liver, spleen and lung, with protozoal cysts present in the liver. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses inferred that the protozoan parasite belongs to the family Sarcocystidae and is closely related to previously identified apicomplexans found in yellow-bellied gliders ( Petaurus australis ) in Australia and southern mouse opossums ( Thylamys elegans ) in Chile.

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First molecular evidence of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> in opossums (<i>Didelphis virginiana</i>) from Yucatan, Mexico

Cited by 9 publications

References 18 publications

Toxoplasma gondii infection in Colombia with a review of hosts and their ecogeographic distribution

Toxoplasma gondii infection in Colombia with a review of hosts and their ecogeographic distribution

Molecular identification of <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> in roadkill wild animals in Yucatan, Mexico

Disseminated protozoal infection in a wild feathertail glider (Acrobates pygmaeus) in Australia

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