PCR Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in European Wild Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from Portugal

Coelho, Catarina; Vieira-Pinto, Madalena; Vilares, Anabela; Gargaté, Maria João; Rodrigues, M.A.M.; Cardoso, Luı́s; Lopes, Ana Patrícia

doi:10.3390/microorganisms8121926

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in three (2.4%) of 126 domestic rabbits ( O. cuniculus ) from Zhengzhou, eight of 248 (3.2%) from Luoyang, and two of 96 (2.1%) rabbit brains and hearts from slaughtered rabbits from food markets in China [ 7 ] ( Table 4 ). A very high prevalence of infection was recently reported in European wild rabbits from central Portugal, with 67.9% of 28 hunted rabbits showing T. gondii DNA based on a nested PCR targeting the surface antigen 2 ( SAG2 ) gene [ 46 ]. T. gondii DNA was also detected in tissues of three (brain of one, skeletal muscle of two) of 144 wild cotton-tailed rabbits ( S. floridanus ) [ 13 ].…”

Section: Detection Of T Gondii Dna In Tissues mentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiological and Public Health Significance of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Wild Rabbits and Hares: 2010–2020

et al. 2021

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Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis of global distribution, and Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide. Hares and rabbits are important small game species, and their meat is consumed by humans in many countries. Demand for rabbit meat for human consumption is increasing; therefore, toxoplasmosis in rabbits and hares is of epidemiological significance. Viable T. gondii has been isolated from rabbits. The present review summarizes worldwide information on the seroprevalence, parasitological investigations, clinical cases, isolation, and genetic diversity of T. gondii in wild rabbits, free domestic rabbits, hares, and other rabbits from 2010 to 2020. Differences in prevalence, susceptibility, genetic variants, and clinical implications of T. gondii infection in rabbits and hares are discussed. This review will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists, veterinarians, and public health workers. Additional studies are needed to increase our knowledge of genetic variants and the population structure of T. gondii in rabbits and hares and to understand the differences in susceptibility to T. gondii in hares in different areas.

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Section: Detection Of T Gondii Dna In Tissues mentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiological and Public Health Significance of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Wild Rabbits and Hares: 2010–2020

et al. 2021

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“…Molecular diagnostic methods used to identify the T. gondii parasite include PCR, RFLP PCR, RAPD, Microsatellite PCR, LAMP, Nested PCR, and the newer real-Time PCR method [19][20][21]. In this study, we conducted an experimental investigation on pregnant women who were candidates for amniocentesis to determine toxoplasmosis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In-house real-time PCR to detection Toxoplasma gondii in pregnant women candidates for amniocentesis and comparison with nested PCR and serologic methods in several clinical samples

Abedian,

Fakhar,

Kordi

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Background: Toxoplasmosis is a common parasitic infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), an obligate and intracellular parasite, that affects both humans and animals globally. It can cause severe damage to neonates during pregnancy and immunocompromised patients. Therefore, finding a new method with high sensitivity for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis that involves low-risk sampling is crucial for patient management. This study aims to diagnose toxoplasmosis in pregnant women from plasma, amniotic fluid, buffy coat, and urine specimens using serological, nested PCR, and real-time PCR tests. Methods: We collected amniotic fluid, blood, and urine samples from 100 pregnant women referred to a gynecologist in Mazandaran province, northern Iran, who were candidates for amniocentesis. We performed anti-T. gondii IgM, IgG, and IgG avidity tests using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (chemiluminescence, ELISA), as well as nested PCR, real-time PCR, and multilocus PCR genotyping using RE and GRA6 target genes, respectively. Results: Based on the serologic test, 52% of subjects were seropositive (51 samples were positive for IgG, and 1 was positive for both IgG and IgM antibodies), and all cases showed high avidity. Among 100 amniotic fluid samples, 2 and 3 cases tested positive using nested and real-time PCR, respectively, while all samples from buffy coat and urine were negative. All positive DNA samples were genotyped as type I. Conclusions Our study results suggest that diagnosing congenital toxoplasmosis is achievable using a combination of serological and molecular tests. We also found that the real-time PCR method is more sensitive than the nested PCR.

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“…The congenital infection is caused by transplacental transmission. Furthermore, humans who receive blood transfusion and organ transplantation, which may contain tachyzoites or tissue cysts, are vulnerable to infection ( Paduan et al, 2018 ; Coelho et al, 2020 ; Garweg et al, 2022 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animal venoms: a novel source of anti-Toxoplasma gondii drug candidates

Yang

Liu

et al. 2023

Front. Pharmacol.

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Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a nucleated intracellular parasitic protozoan with a broad host selectivity. It causes toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised or immunodeficient patients. The currently available treatments for toxoplasmosis have significant side effects as well as certain limitations, and the development of vaccines remains to be explored. Animal venoms are considered to be an important source of novel antimicrobial agents. Some peptides from animal venoms have amphipathic alpha-helix structures. They inhibit the growth of pathogens by targeting membranes to produce lethal pores and cause membrane rupture. Venom molecules generally possess immunomodulatory properties and play key roles in the suppression of pathogenic organisms. Here, we summarized literatures of the last 15 years on the interaction of animal venom peptides with T. gondii and attempt to explore the mechanisms of their interaction with parasites that involve membrane and organelle damage, immune response regulation and ion homeostasis. Finally, we analyzed some limitations of venom peptides for drug therapy and some insights into their development in future studies. It is hoped that more research will be stimulated to turn attention to the medical value of animal venoms in toxoplasmosis.

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PCR Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in European Wild Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from Portugal

Cited by 10 publications

References 29 publications

Epidemiological and Public Health Significance of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Wild Rabbits and Hares: 2010–2020

Epidemiological and Public Health Significance of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Wild Rabbits and Hares: 2010–2020

In-house real-time PCR to detection Toxoplasma gondii in pregnant women candidates for amniocentesis and comparison with nested PCR and serologic methods in several clinical samples

Animal venoms: a novel source of anti-Toxoplasma gondii drug candidates

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