Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in Captive Wild Mammals and Birds in Brazil

Abstract

In this study, serum samples of 203 animals from different locations, from zoos and breeding facilities from the north and northeast regions of Brazil, were analyzed for the presence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies by the modified agglutination test (MAT) with a cutoff of 1:25. Of the sampled animals, 184 were adult mammals of both sexes and 19 were birds. Antibodies were found in 61 of 184 mammals, and no association between sex and age of the animals and the presence of T. gondii antibodies was observed (P < 0.05). Anti-T gondii antibodies were not found in birds. Toxoplasma gondii was detected in Brazilian tapir (Tapirus terrestris) for the first time.

Serological survey of Toxoplamosis in South American coatis (Nasua nasua) in Tietê Ecological Park, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

“…The results from the present study corroborate this information about the widespread presence of antibodies against T. gondii in Brazilian wildlife in general (VITALIANO et al, 2004;ANDRÉ et al, 2010;MINERVINO et al, 2010;VITALIANO et al, 2014). In the present study, T.…”

“…Several studies have reported the presence of antibodies to T. gondii in wild procyonids (SOGORB et al, 1977;DUBEY et al, 1993;HANCOCK et al, 2005;MINERVINO et al, 2010). The results from the present study corroborate this information about the widespread presence of antibodies against T. gondii in Brazilian wildlife in general (VITALIANO et al, 2004;ANDRÉ et al, 2010;MINERVINO et al, 2010;VITALIANO et al, 2014).…”

“…The titers observed here were higher than the titers found in captive South American coatis in northern Brazil, which ranged from 50 to 800 (PIMENTEL et al, 2009;MINERVINO et al, 2010).…”

“…Among all the South American coatis sampled in that study, 72% were seropositive for T. gondii antibodies (THOISY et al, 2003). In a T. gondii survey on captive animals in northern and northeastern Brazil, six out of 11 coatis presented antibodies against this parasite (MINERVINO et al, 2010).…”

Estudo epidemiológico de Toxoplasma gondii em animais silvestres e gatos domésticos de duas unidades de conservação na cidade de Natal, RN.

“…Trabalhos relevantes, visando o diagnóstico de T. gondii em mamíferos e aves silvestres, foram realizados no Brasil GENNARI et al, 2004;MINERVINO et al, 2010;SILVA et al, 2006;YAI, 2009 (LEITE et al, 2007;PENA et al, 2006;PIMENTEL et al, 2009;SOARES et al, 2010  Detectar a presença de fragmentos de DNA de T. gondii nas amostras de água coletadas nas duas Unidades de Conservação.…”