Toxoplasma gondii in fresh pork sausage and seroprevalence in butchers from factories in Londrina, Paraná State, Brazil

Abstract

The aims of this study were to verify the presence of Toxoplasma gondii cysts in fresh pork sausage and the presence of antibodies against T. gondii in serum of workers from factories with Municipal Inspection Service, in Londrina, PR, Brazil. 149 samples of sausage were collected from eight factories and blood samples from 47 workers. We also took information about the practices that were adopted in the factories and the workers' habits that could influence the prevalence of toxoplasmosis. After bioassay in mice, 13 (8.7%) sausage samples were positive, in one of them T. gondii was isolated and in the other 12 the mice seroconverted. Of 47 workers, 36 (76.6%) worked in sausage production and 11 (23.4%) were involved in other functions; 59.5% (28/47), 55.5% (20/36) and 72.7% (8/11), respectively, had T. gondii antibodies. There were no significant differences in the variables of industries' practices and workers' habits related to T. gondii infection. We concluded that fresh pork sausage could be important in the transmission of toxoplasmosis.

Occurrence of infection by Toxoplasma gondii in slaughtered swine in the northwestern region of Paraná, Brazil

“…The risk of infection from the consumption of sausages produced using pig meat has been investigated in experimental studies. In Brazil and the United States, raw meat is usually derived from young animals, whereas sausages are often produced using meat from discarded animals that are usually older and, according to the literature, most often infected (DIAS et al, 2005;SILVA et al, 2010).…”

Epidemiologic aspects of toxoplasmosis and evaluation of its seroprevalence in pregnant women

“…They found that handling carcass infected with tissue cysts may have contributed to transmission as a risk factor, as well as contact with contaminated soil or cats. In the State of Parana, contaminated fresh sausages were found 43 . Moreover Garcia et al found antibodies to T. gondii in chickens in the City of Jaguapitã, State of Paraná, Brazil 44 .…”

rROP2 from Toxoplasma gondii as a potential vaccine against oocyst shedding in domestic cats

“…The risk of becoming infected depends on culinary habits, including the regular consumption of raw or undercooked meat and living in an environment with a higher risk of oocyst contamination (NAVARRO et al, 1992;DIAS et al, 2005;JONES et al, 2006;SANTOS et al, 2010;SILVA & LANGONI, 2016). Cats play an important role in this process due to their close interactions with human beings where infected cats shed millions of oocysts in their feces that subsequently contaminate the environment (DUBEY, 1995;GARCIA et al, 2007).…”