Serological Evidence of Exposure to Globally Relevant Zoonotic Parasites in the Estonian Population

Abstract

We investigated Estonian population and its selected subgroups for serological evidence of exposure to Ascaris lumbricoides, Echinococcus spp., Taenia solium, Toxocara canis, Toxoplasma gondii, and Trichinella spiralis. Serum samples from 999 adults representing general population, 248 children aged 14–18, 158 veterinarians, 375 animal caretakers, and 144 hunters were tested for specific immunoglobulin G antibodies against the selected parasites using commercial enzyme immunoassays (ELISA). Sera yielding positive or twice grey zone Echinococcus spp, T. solium, T. canis, and T. spiralis results were subjected to western blot (WB) analysis. In the general population, based on the ELISA results, the A. lumbricoides seroprevalence was 12.7%, Echinococcus spp. seroprevalence was 3.3%, T. solium seroprevalence was 0.7%, T. canis seroprevalence was 12.1%, T. gondii seroprevalence was 55.8%, and T. spiralis seroprevalence was 3.1%. Ascaris lumbricoides seroprevalences were higher in children and in animal caretakers than in the general population, and T. canis seroprevalence was higher in animal caretakers than in the general population. Compared with the general population, Echinococcus spp. seroprevalence was higher in children. By contrast, T. gondii seroprevalence was higher in animal caretakers, and lower in children, than in the general population. In the general population, the WB-confirmed Echinococcus spp. seroprevalence was 0.5%, T. solium cysticercosis seroprevalence was 0.0%, Toxocara spp. seroprevalence was 14.5%, and Trichinella spp. seroprevalence was 2.7%. WB-confirmed Toxocara spp. seroprevalence was higher in animal caretakers than in the general population. We found serological evidence of exposure to zoonotic parasites in all tested groups. This calls for higher awareness of zoonotic parasitic infections in Estonia.

Zoonotic helminth exposure and risk of allergic diseases: A study of two generations in Norway

“…13 However, zoonotic exposure is not uncommon through exposure to parasites of livestock and companion animals. [14][15][16] Indeed, a number of relatively recent studies have identified Ascaris suum infection and associated pathology (such as Loffler syndrome) to occur (albeit at low levels) in northern European and North American pig farming areas. [17][18][19][20] A more common cause of zoonotic helminth infections comes from Toxocara canis and T. cati which naturally infect dogs and cats.…”

Seroprevalence of Echinococcus spp. and Toxocara spp. in Invasive Non-native American Mink

“…Used on rodent hosts, these methods deduced a 14.2% T. canis seroprevalence and showed ELISA to be more sensitive than PCR for detecting infection with the parasite (Krucken et al 2017). Studies using immunodiagnostic methods have been carried out worldwide (Krucken et al 2017;Li et al 2017;Lassen et al 2016;Klockiewicz et al 2019a). Serological analysis also allows the easy detection of mixed infections in hosts.…”

“…Both echinococcosis and toxocarosis can be diagnosed with ELISA and Western blot. The use of serological data to study infection in wildlife is widely accepted (Fillaux and Magnaval 2013;Lassen et al 2016;Pagnozzi et al 2016). Seroprevalence studies of infected wild animals can be a good, easy, and cheap way to determine the occurrence of these zoonotic parasites in the environment.…”

Risk Factors for Human Cystic Echinococcosis in Latvia

“…In the northernmost Baltic country Estonia, as part of a larger study on zoonotic parasitic infections, 1 (0.7%, 95% CI 0.0-3.4) of 144 hunters tested seropositive for Echinococcus spp. using a commercial ELISA (Lassen et al 2016). In particular, hunters might be more exposed to Echinococcus canadensis (Oksanen andLavikainen 2015, Romig et al 2015).…”