Avian are considered important intermediate hosts for Toxoplasma gondii because they serve as source of infection for Felidae, which shed environmentally resistant oocysts after ingesting infected tissues. Little is known of epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in wild birds. In the present study, antibodies to T. gondii were determined in 202 wild birds of 37 species captured in seven small areas of the Atlantic Forest, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, and provided information on possible associated risk factors. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT) and found in 73 (36.1%) of 202 birds with titers of 1:5 in 16 samples, 1:10 in 26 samples, 1:20 in 17 samples, 1:40 in 10 samples, 1:80 in three samples, and 1:160 in one sample. No association was observed between T. gondii seropositivity and the local where the birds were collected. Seropositivity was higher in birds that lived on the forest floor (p<0.001; U=1230.0), and in omnivorous birds (p=0.007; U=3939.0). T. gondii antibodies were reported for the first time in 23 species of birds enlarging the host range of this parasite. Notably, T. gondii antibodies were found in 83.3% (15/18) of the Rufous-bellied Thrush (Turdus rufiventris).
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.10.003 | DOI Listing |
BMC Public Health
January 2025
Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Background: Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous parasite that can cause significant complications when it infects pregnant women and immunocompromised patients. These complications include miscarriage, fetal abnormalities, and fatal cerebral toxoplasmosis. Despite its significance, the true burden of toxoplasmosis in Indonesia remains underexplored.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFToxoplasmosis is a significant food-borne protozoal disease in humans and animals. The study aimed to find out Toxoplasma seropositivity in sheep, estimate epidemiological risk factors and assess haemato-biochemical parameter changes. Blood samples were collected from 276 indigenous sheep in five districts surrounding Sulaymaniyah Province in the northern region of Iraq.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
January 2025
Laboratory of Pathogens and Host Immunity, UMR 5294 CNRS, UA15 INSERM, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, 34095, France.
Programmed-cell death is an antimicrobial defense mechanism that promotes clearance of intracellular pathogens. Toxoplasma counteracts host immune defenses by secreting effector proteins into host cells; however, how the parasite evades lytic cell death and the effectors involved remain poorly characterized. We identified ROP55, a rhoptry protein that promotes parasite survival by preventing lytic cell death in absence of IFN-γ stimulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVet Parasitol
January 2025
Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, PR China; Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, PR China. Electronic address:
Toxoplasmosis is an important public health concern. Cats play a crucial role in increasing the risk of toxoplasmosis transmission to humans. Early diagnosis in cats is essential for the prevention and control of toxoplasmosis.
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