Persistence of<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i>tissue stages in poultry over a conventional fattening cycle

Geuthner, Anne-Catrin; Koethe, Martin; Ludewig, Martina; Pott, Susan; Schares, Gereon; Daugschies, Arwid; Bangoura, Berit

doi:10.1017/s003118201400078x

Cited by 18 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…However, of seven chickens which were deemed seronegative by MAT (titre ≤ 1:3), six were positive by bioassay (mice were positive by ITS1 PCR and/or serology) and all seven were ITS1 PCR positive (DNA extracted from homogenised chicken tissues). Previous reports have demonstrated that T. gondii could be isolated from defined seronegative chickens [ 12 , 39 ] indicating that MAT is perhaps not as sensitive at detecting early stages of infection when antibody levels are lower, or it could indicate that the chickens were persistently infected and the antibody levels had declined [ 43 ]. A previous study investigating the persistence of T. gondii in tissues of experimentally infected poultry reported decreasing antibody titres in chickens four weeks post-infection [ 43 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous reports have demonstrated that T. gondii could be isolated from defined seronegative chickens [ 12 , 39 ] indicating that MAT is perhaps not as sensitive at detecting early stages of infection when antibody levels are lower, or it could indicate that the chickens were persistently infected and the antibody levels had declined [ 43 ]. A previous study investigating the persistence of T. gondii in tissues of experimentally infected poultry reported decreasing antibody titres in chickens four weeks post-infection [ 43 ]. This would suggest that seroprevalence studies may underestimate the true prevalence of T. gondii in free-roaming chickens.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This discrepancy may have been due to the inhomogeneous distribution of T. gondii tissue cysts in the digested tissues or because the tissues were no longer harbouring cysts. Chickens are clinically resistant to T. gondii [ 10 ] and in a recent study of experimentally infected chickens, only 4 out of 192 tested positive by PCR and only one tissue (heart) was still found to be positive by ten weeks post-infection [ 43 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predominance of atypical genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii in free-roaming chickens in St. Kitts, West Indies

et al. 2017

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Background Toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide protozoan parasite of felids which can infect almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans. Free-roaming chickens are good indicators of environmental contamination with T. gondii oocysts because they feed from the ground. Previous research has demonstrated a high seroprevalence of T. gondii in domestic animals on St. Kitts but little is known about the genotypes circulating in the environment.MethodsHearts and brains from 81 free-roaming chickens in St. Kitts were digested and inoculated into 243 Swiss Webster mice in a bioassay. DNA was extracted from digested chicken tissues and the brains of all mice, and screened for T. gondii. Positive samples were genotyped using restriction fragment length polymorphism. Chicken sera were also screened for T. gondii antibodies using a modified agglutination test (MAT).ResultsOverall, 41% (33 out of 81) of chickens were positive for T. gondii either by serology and/or by PCR. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected by MAT in 32% (26 out of 81) of chickens, and T. gondii DNA was detected in mouse brains representing 26% (21 out of 81) of chickens. Genotyping of 21 DNA isolates, using polymorphisms at 10 loci, including SAG1, SAG2 (5′-3′ SAG2 and alt.SAG2), SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and Apico, revealed that 7 were ToxoDB genotype #141, 6 were #1 (Type II), 3 were #13, 3 were #265, one was #264 and one was #2 (Type III). Genotypes #13 and #141 appear to be more virulent.ConclusionsThe results of this study highlight the greater genetic diversity of T. gondii circulating in the Caribbean region, with potentially different degrees of virulence to humans.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predominance of atypical genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii in free-roaming chickens in St. Kitts, West Indies

et al. 2017

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“…in all chickens and in more than 90% of the turkeys) no parasite DNA was detected at the end of the experiment. Results from prior investigations in 16 different organs of the same animals revealed positive results by conventional nested PCR in 33.3% of the chickens (4/12 infected animals) and 83.3% of the turkeys (20/24 infected animals) (Geuthner et al, 2014). The low extent of tissue positivity by MC-PCR indicates that infection led to a very low parasite density in turkeys.…”

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confidence: 85%

Experimental studies on Toxoplasma gondii in the main livestock species (GP/EFSA/BIOHAZ/2013/01) Final report

Opsteegh

Schares

Blaga

et al. 2016

EFSA Supporting Publications

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After extensive review of the literature, experimental studies were performed in the main livestock species (cattle, small ruminants, pigs, horses and poultry) to address the main knowledge gaps considering (1) the relationship between detection of antibodies and presence of T. gondii, (2) the anatomical distribution of tissue cysts, and (3) on-farm risk factors for infection. In slaughterhouse studies in cattle and horses, a lack of concordance between detection of antibodies by MAT and detection of T. gondii in tissues by mouse bioassay or MC-PCR was demonstrated. Positive mouse bioassay results were obtained in cattle and horses, indicating a potential infection risk for consumers. DISCLAIMERThe present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). In accordance with Article 36 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, this task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a grant agreement between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s). The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the Authority is subject. It cannot be considered as an output adopted by the Authority. The European Food Safety Authority reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors. The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). In accordance with Article 36 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, this task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a grant agreement between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s). The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the Authority is subject. It cannot be considered as an output adopted by the Authority. The European Food Safety Authority reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors. 2In naturally infected pigs and chickens the agreement depended on assays and matrices/analytes used, but was considered fair to substantial. Calves, sheep, pigs, chickens and turkeys were experimentally infected with T. gondii. In calves various tissues were tested and T. gondii was recovered, but no clear predilection sites were identified. There was also little variation in parasite load between the different edible tissues (i.e. skeletal muscles) from pigs and sheep. Brain and heart were clearly identified as predilection sites in chickens and turkeys, with higher parasite loads compared to breast, thigh and drumstick muscle. The observation that drumstick, an edible tissue, tested positive in 25% (8/32) of the bioassay positive organic laying hens, indicated a potential risk for consumers. The seroprevalence of T. gondii in Dutch indoor-housed dairy goats appears to be relatively low and was associated with the presence of cats at the farm. I...

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“…Geuthner et al . ( 2014 ) also reported a very low prevalence of T. gondii DNA in muscle tissue from experimentally infected chickens (2.1%), suggesting that T. gondii does not persist for long periods in this species. Dubey et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Meat juice serology for Toxoplasma gondii infection in chickens

et al. 2016

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Toxoplasma gondii is an important foodborne zoonosis. Free-range chickens are at particularly high risk of infection and are also excellent indicators of soil contamination by oocysts. In the present study, hearts of 77 free-range chickens were collected at slaughter. T. gondii meat juice enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed with a commercial kit, following validation with positive controls, from experimentally infected chickens, and negative ones. Out of 77 samples, only 66 gave sufficient meat juice for serology. Of these, 24 (36.4%) were positive for T. gondii considering the 5*standard deviation values (calculated on the optical density of negative controls), while all the samples were negative considering sample/positive% values. Parasite-specific polymerase chain reaction was carried out on all samples obtained from heart tissue and none were positive for the presence of T. gondii DNA. Results would suggest that further study on the use of meat juice with a validated serological test to detect T. gondii in chickens could lead to widespread epidemiological studies in this important intermediate host. However, sample collection and test specificity require further evaluation.

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Persistence ofToxoplasma gondiitissue stages in poultry over a conventional fattening cycle

Cited by 18 publications

References 27 publications

Predominance of atypical genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii in free-roaming chickens in St. Kitts, West Indies

Predominance of atypical genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii in free-roaming chickens in St. Kitts, West Indies

Experimental studies on Toxoplasma gondii in the main livestock species (GP/EFSA/BIOHAZ/2013/01) Final report

Meat juice serology for Toxoplasma gondii infection in chickens

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