Prevalence of Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in Different Wild Bird Species Admitted to Rehabilitation Centres in Portugal

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide zoonotic parasite. According to the “One Health” approach, studies on toxoplasmosis are essential since it affects humans and domestic and wild animals. In the present study, antibodies to T. gondii were determined in serum samples from 263 wild birds located in five wildlife rehabilitation centres in mainland Portugal by using the modified agglutination test (MAT) with a cut-off titre of 20. An overall seroprevalence of 36.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 30.7–42.6) was observed. For the first time, antibodies to T. gondii were detected in some avian species, including pallid swift (Apus pallidus) (33.3%), black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) (39.3%), European turtle-dove (Streptopelia turtur) (100%), bee-eater (Merops apiaster) (50.0%), carrion crow (Corvus corone) (33.3%), and Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) (100%), which expands the list of intermediate hosts of T. gondii. A lower seroprevalence was found in juvenile birds (31.9%) compared to adults (48.7%) (p = 0.016). The central region of Portugal was considered a risk factor for T. gondii infection in wild birds (odds ratio: 3.61; 95% CI: 1.09–11.91). This pioneer study calls attention to the need for further studies, to provide a clearer understanding of T. gondii epidemiology in Portugal, because it reflects wide dispersion of T. gondii oocysts in the environment.

Protozoan parasites and free-living amoebae contamination in organic leafy green vegetables and strawberries from Spain

“…T. gondii , a worldwide zoonotic parasite ( Lopes et al, 2021 ), was detected in 37.2% (41/110) of the organic vegetables. From these, one lettuce and one spinach sample had 336 and 360 oocysts per 50 g, respectively (Supplementary Table S1).…”

Treatments of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Toxoplasma gondii with Selenium Nanoparticles

“…Seroprevalence estimates for human populations, on the other hand, range significantly between countries, geographical locations within a country, and ethnic groups residing in the same area [ 130 ]. Consequently, antibodies to T. gondii have been identified in 0 to 100% of persons in various adult human populations throughout the last three decades [ 131 ]. When evaluating seroprevalence statistics for T. gondii infections, keep in mind that the numerous serological techniques utilized to help collect this data are not uniform [ 132 ].…”

Global prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in birds: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Specifically, when ground-feeding birds become infected with T. gondii , it signifies the potential contamination of soil with oocysts, which in turn serves as a source of infection for cats ( Gondim et al, 2010 ). Certain opportunistic birds, such as seagulls, serve as reliable indicators of environmental contamination because they rely on dumps and sewage systems for their food sources ( Lopes et al, 2021 ). Moreover, birds frequently preyed upon by felines may be regarded as significant reservoirs of T. gondii .…”

“…These infected birds, harboring tissue cysts, pose a potential risk of transmitting the infection to both humans and cats ( Bata et al, 2021 ). Especially, game birds, if not adequately cooked, present a potential risk of transmitting T. gondii to humans who consume them ( Lopes et al, 2021 ).…”