Detection of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in Antarctic pinnipeds

Detection of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in Mirounga leonina Linnaeus, 1758 (Pinnipedia, Phocidae) from Elephant Island

“…Different results were found by Rengifo-Herrera et al [5], which reported 76.9% seropositivity in the same species by employing the same techniques and diagnostic dilution of serum. However, these authors had analyzed only 13 samples collected in the Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula.…”

“…Antibodies against T. gondii have been detected in several species of marine mammals [5,[9][10][11][12]. Not only the occurrence of antibodies to T. gondii is known, but the clinical toxoplasmosis has been diagnosed in different species such as Mirounga angustirostris, Callorhinus ursinus, Phoca vitulina richardii, Zalophus californianus, Tursiops truncatus, Stenella coeruleoalba, Tursiops truncatus aduncus, Stenella longirostris, Grampus griseus, Sotalia fluviaatilis guinensis, Trichechus manatus, Delphinapterus leucas [9,10].…”

“…This fact indicates that southern elephant seals in this region should be being infected from the consumption of squids, fishes and small crustaceans containing cysts or oocysts of T. gondii served by the water. In 1991, the Madrid Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, prohibited the introduction of any species to preserve the native wildlife from the possible introduction of diseases [5]. The fulfillment of the Madrid Protocol indicates that elephant seals may reflect the status of the spread of T. gondii through the marine environment.…”

“…The presence of antibodies against T. gondii in marine top predators indicates infections of their preys with tissue cysts, or contaminations of the marine environment with oocysts [4]. Marine mammals, including the southern elephant seals [Mirounga leonina (M. leonina)], are considered good bioindicators of environmental changes [5]. M. leonina has circumpolar distribution with breeding colonies in sub-Antarctic islands.…”

Toxoplasma gondii in stranded marine mammals from the North Sea and Eastern Atlantic Ocean: Findings and diagnostic difficulties

“…Previous studies on T. gondii in marine mammals showed that this parasite is able to reach and infect marine mammals (Cabezón et al, 2011;Rengifo-Herrera et al, 2012). Infection with T. gondii in marine mammals may result in clinical disease (Carlson-Bremer et al, 2015;Mikaelian et al, 2000;Van Bressem et al, 2009).…”