Toxoplasma gondii Infection in South-East Europe: Epidemiology and Epizootiology

Bobić, Branko; Klun, Ivana; Nikolić, Aleksandra; Djurković–Djaković, Olgica

doi:10.5772/50831

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…The current study showed out of 248 apparently healthy males from different ages (22-60 years) enrolled in this study, 57(22.98%) were seropositive for T. gondii antibodies. The rate of the infection increased with the increase in the age from 5.6% in the 22-30 age group to 11.3% in the 31-40 age group up to the age group 41-50 at which was decreased to 5.6%, then dramatically decreased to 0.4% at the age group 51-60.Various rates of seropositivity of T. gondii Abs using different serological tests have been reported among different age groups in previous studies performed in different parts of Kurdistan and Iraq, in some of them higher rates were reported, while in others lower rates than that reported in this study were reported, this might be due to sample size, method of calculation, residency, age, type of test used, or other factors [36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43] (Figures2-3).…”

Section: Seropositivity Of Toxoplasma Gondii According To Agecontrasting

confidence: 43%

Toxoplasmosis Seropositivity and Male Sex Hormones

RiadhHussien¹

2018

AIBM

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Background: Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan disease with acute and chronic infections, caused by the obligate intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii that can infect a variety of cells in almost all warm-blooded animals including humans. The study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection among males in Duhok city using ELISA (IgG and IgM).The relationship between toxoplasmosis and reproductive hormones including testosterone, free testosterone, and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) levels and its association with male sterility were also investigated.

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Section: Seropositivity Of Toxoplasma Gondii According To Agecontrasting

confidence: 43%

Toxoplasmosis Seropositivity and Male Sex Hormones

RiadhHussien¹

2018

AIBM

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“…As cats are shedding Toxoplasma oocysts only for a short period, sero-surveys are suitable measures to study the epidemiology of the pathogen, and they can be used as an indicator of the environmental contamination [ 17 - 19 ]. Toxoplasmosis is widespread in south-east Europe [ 20 ]. The average prevalence of IgG antibodies was reported to be approximately 50% in pregnant woman in Albania [ 21 ] and among Albanians who migrated to Italy [ 22 ] and this percentage of exposure represents the upper limit of the range of currently reported data from the Balkans [ 23 - 25 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Survey of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum, haemotropic mycoplasmas and other arthropod-borne pathogens in cats from Albania

Silaghi

Knaus²,

Rapti

et al. 2014

Parasites & Vectors

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BackgroundAlbania is a country on the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. The Mediterranean climate is favourable for the stable development of many arthropod species, which are incriminated as vectors for various agents. Recently, several papers have reported on epidemiological aspects of parasitic diseases including vector-borne disease agents of dogs with zoonotic characteristics in Albania. However, data on the epidemiology of feline parasitic and bacterial agents in Albania is scarce.MethodsSerum and EDTA-blood samples collected from 146 domestic cats from Tirana during 2008 through 2010 were examined for exposure to Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Leishmania infantum, and Anaplasma spp. with IFAT, for infection with L. infantum, A. phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp. and haemotropic mycoplasmas with conventional PCR and real-time PCR and for Dirofilaria immitis with antigen ELISA. Additionally blood smear microscopy was carried out for detection of blood-borne pathogens.ResultsAntibodies to T. gondii (titre ≥1:100) were demonstrated in 91 cats (62.3%). Antibodies to N. caninum (titre ≥1:100), L. infantum (titre ≥1:64) and Anaplasma spp. (titre ≥1:100) were found in the serum of 15 (10.3%), 1 (0.7%) or 3 (2.1%) cats, respectively. DNA of haemotropic mycoplasmas was detected in the blood of 45 cats (30.8%), namely Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum (21.9%), Mycoplasma haemofelis (10.3%), and Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis (5.5%), with ten cats harbouring co-infections of two mycoplasmas each; blood from one cat was PCR positive for Bartonella henselae. No DNA of Leishmania spp. and A. phagocytophilum or circulating D. immitis antigen was detected in any cat sample. The overall prevalence of haemotropic mycoplasmas was significantly higher in male compared to female cats (40.6% vs. 24.1%, p = 0.0444); and age was associated positively with the prevalence of antibodies to T. gondii (p = 0.0008) and the percentage of haemotropic mycoplasma infection (p = 0.0454).ConclusionsWith the broad screening panel including direct and indirect methods applied in the present study, a wide spectrum of exposure to or infection with parasitic or bacterial agents was detected.

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“…In fact, infection is facilitated, as Mangulitsa are sustained by the consumption of food and water from the environment. Indeed, T. gondii oocysts have been detected in rivers in Serbia [ 58 ], and their presence in soil has been demonstrated by the isolation of T. gondii from birds that feed off the ground, such as backyard chickens (2/8) and city pigeons (5/70) [ 59 ]. Although Mangulitsa husbandry is breed-specific, it may not significantly differ from backyard husbandry.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Pork Industry in the Backyard: An Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Serbia’s Pigs

et al. 2023

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As pork is an important source for Toxoplasma gondii infection, we have analyzed T. gondii genotypes and toxoplasmosis prevalence in pigs in Serbia in the context of production statistics and economics to assess the specific risk to public health. Genotyping was performed using MnPCR-RFLP; T. gondii-specific IgG antibodies were detected using a modified agglutination test (MAT); and statistical data were extracted from official records and provided by government authorities. The results indicate that, from 2006 to 2021, the median number of annually slaughtered pigs was 5.6 million, yet only 36.1% were processed by abattoirs. The remainder were “backyard pigs” slaughtered on family farms and homesteads. Toxoplasmosis seroprevalence in market-weight (MW) pigs prior to 2006 was 15.2%, and was 15.1% in 2019. The seroprevalence in owned city cats, likely infected by livestock meat, was 33.2%. ToxoDB#1 was identified in pig tissues. The results indicate that backyard pigs are the backbone of the industry and provide as much as 60% of the pork in Serbia. The seroprevalence in pigs and city cats shows that farms are reservoirs for the parasite. Thus, innovative means of reducing T. gondii infection designed with backyard farmers in mind are needed to reduce the risk to public health.

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Toxoplasma gondii Infection in South-East Europe: Epidemiology and Epizootiology

Cited by 6 publications

References 51 publications

Toxoplasmosis Seropositivity and Male Sex Hormones

Toxoplasmosis Seropositivity and Male Sex Hormones

Survey of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum, haemotropic mycoplasmas and other arthropod-borne pathogens in cats from Albania

A Pork Industry in the Backyard: An Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Serbia’s Pigs

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