Toxoplasma gondii exposure in arctic-nesting geese: A multi-state occupancy framework and comparison of serological assays

Elmore, Stacey A.; Huyvaert, Kathryn P.; Bailey, Larissa L.; Milhous, Jared; Alisauskas, Ray T.; Gajadhar, Alvin A.; Jenkins, Emily J.

doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2014.05.005

Cited by 36 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Less widely realised, however, is the fact that imperfect detection can affect any organism including plants, insects, and up to large-sized mammals 26 – 30 . It also affects molecules, including antibodies or DNA 31 – 33 . The consequences of imperfect detection can be particularly problematic when the target organism is a human pathogen.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surveillance of vector-borne pathogens under imperfect detection: lessons from Chagas disease risk (mis)measurement

Minuzzi-Souza

Nitz

Cuba

et al. 2018

Sci Rep

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Vector-borne pathogens threaten human health worldwide. Despite their critical role in disease prevention, routine surveillance systems often rely on low-complexity pathogen detection tests of uncertain accuracy. In Chagas disease surveillance, optical microscopy (OM) is routinely used for detecting Trypanosoma cruzi in its vectors. Here, we use replicate T. cruzi detection data and hierarchical site-occupancy models to assess the reliability of OM-based T. cruzi surveillance while explicitly accounting for false-negative and false-positive results. We investigated 841 triatomines with OM slides (1194 fresh, 1192 Giemsa-stained) plus conventional (cPCR, 841 assays) and quantitative PCR (qPCR, 1682 assays). Detections were considered unambiguous only when parasitologists unmistakably identified T. cruzi in Giemsa-stained slides. qPCR was >99% sensitive and specific, whereas cPCR was ~100% specific but only ~55% sensitive. In routine surveillance, examination of a single OM slide per vector missed ~50–75% of infections and wrongly scored as infected ~7% of the bugs. qPCR-based and model-based infection frequency estimates were nearly three times higher, on average, than OM-based indices. We conclude that the risk of vector-borne Chagas disease may be substantially higher than routine surveillance data suggest. The hierarchical modelling approach we illustrate can help enhance vector-borne disease surveillance systems when pathogen detection is imperfect.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surveillance of vector-borne pathogens under imperfect detection: lessons from Chagas disease risk (mis)measurement

Minuzzi-Souza

Nitz

Cuba

et al. 2018

Sci Rep

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“…Therefore, it is more likely that transmission of T. gondii in foxes in the North is maintained through the consumption of oocysts transported from temperate regions in freshwater and/or through consumption of tissue cysts in meat and organs from migratory wildlife infected in temperate regions ( Prestrud et al, 2007 ). Seroprevalence of T.gondii was reported as 26% and 25% in lesser snow geese ( Chen caerulescens ) and Ross's geese ( Chen rossii ), respectively, in Nunavut, Canada ( Elmore et al, 2014 ). DNA of T. gondii has been detected the heart of a hunter-harvested mallard duck in France, the brain of one hunter-harvested goose in Mississipi, USA, and among 8% (n = 156) of Canada geese hunted in Maryland, USA ( Dubey et al, 2004 ; Aubert et al, 2010 ; Verma et al, 2016 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) as sentinels for parasitic zoonoses, Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella nativa, in the northeastern Canadian Arctic

Bachand

Ravel

Leighton

et al. 2018

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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Outbreaks of Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spp. have been recurring for decades among Inuit of Nunavik, northeastern Canada. Contact with wildlife has been identified as a risk factor for Inuit exposure to T. gondii, but reservoirs have yet to be confirmed based on direct detection of DNA or organism. Similarly, little is known about the occurrence of Trichinella spp. in wildlife species of Nunavik other than walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) and bears (Ursus americanus, Ursus maritimus). Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were targeted as possible sentinels for T. gondii and Trichinella spp. because of their high trophic position within the Arctic food chain as carnivorous scavengers. A total of 39 red foxes were sampled from four communities in southern and western Nunavik between November 2015 and September 2016. For the first time in wildlife, a novel magnetic capture DNA extraction and real-time PCR technique was used to isolate and detect T. gondii DNA from the heart and brain of foxes. A double separatory funnel digestion method followed by multiplex PCR was used to recover and genotype larvae of Trichinella spp. from tongues of foxes. Seroprevalence based on detection of antibodies to T. gondii was 41% (95% CI: 27–57%) using a commercially available modified agglutination test (MAT). Detection of DNA of T. gondii and larvae of Trichinella nativa (T2) occurred in 44% (95% CI: 28–60%) and 36% (95% CI: 21–51%) of foxes, respectively. Coinfection with both T. nativa and T. gondii occurred among 23% (95%CI: 13–38%) of foxes which can be attributed to co-transmission from prey and scavenged species in their diet. There was only moderate agreement between T. gondii serology and direct detection of T. gondii DNA using the MC-PCR technique (Kappa test statistic: 0.321), suggesting that using both methods in tandem can increase the sensitivity of detection for this parasite. These findings show that foxes are good sentinels for circulation of parasitic zoonoses in terrestrial northern ecosystems since they are highly exposed, show measurable indicators of infection and do not serve as exposure sources for humans.

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“…In recognition of these high levels of food insecurity, and the nutritional benefits of harvested wildlife, public health messaging in the Canadian Arctic continues to reinforce that consuming foods of wildlife origin is considered to be safe for the general population. While exposure to T. gondii has been documented in caribou, marine mammals, and geese in the Canadian North [25,42,57], the implications of this parasite on the availability and sustainability of foods of wildlife origin remains unknown, under current as well as future conditions. The environment is not static, and there has been much interest in the possible emergence of T. gondii as a result of climate change, hydrology, and pollution [29,49,58,59].…”

Section: Opinionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wildlife parasites in a One Health world

Jenkins

Simon

Bachand

et al. 2015

Trends in Parasitology

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One Health has gained a remarkable profile in the animal and public health communities, in part owing to the pressing issues of emerging infectious diseases of wildlife origin. Wildlife parasitology can offer insights into One Health, and likewise One Health can provide justification to study and act on wildlife parasites. But how do we decide which wildlife parasites are One Health issues? We explore toxoplasmosis in wildlife in the Canadian Arctic as an example of a parasite that poses a risk to human health, and that also has potential to adversely affect wildlife populations of conservation concern and importance for food security and cultural well-being. This One Health framework can help communities, researchers, and policymakers prioritize issues for action in a resource-limited world.

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Toxoplasma gondii exposure in arctic-nesting geese: A multi-state occupancy framework and comparison of serological assays

Abstract: Graphical abstract

Cited by 36 publications

References 36 publications

Surveillance of vector-borne pathogens under imperfect detection: lessons from Chagas disease risk (mis)measurement

Surveillance of vector-borne pathogens under imperfect detection: lessons from Chagas disease risk (mis)measurement

Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) as sentinels for parasitic zoonoses, Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella nativa, in the northeastern Canadian Arctic

Wildlife parasites in a One Health world

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