Sero-epidemiological investigation on Toxoplasma gondii infection in Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Italy.

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  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: BioMed Central Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101249759 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1746-6148 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 17466148 NLM ISO Abbreviation: BMC Vet Res Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Original Publication: London : BioMed Central, 2005-
    • Subject Terms:
      Wolves* ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal*/epidemiology ; Swine Diseases*/epidemiology ; Toxoplasma*; Swine ; Animals ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Italy/epidemiology ; Sus scrofa ; Antibodies, Protozoan
    • Abstract:
      Background: The wild boar (Sus scrofa) and the Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) are two wild species that have both increased their presence in the Italian territory, albeit in varying numbers. They can be occasionally found in peri-urban areas as well. Both of these species can serve as intermediate hosts for Toxoplasma gondii, as they can become infected either through the consumption of oocysts found in water, soil, or on vegetables, or through the ingestion of meat containing bradyzoites. Consequently, these animals can be regarded as key indicators of Toxoplasma presence in the wild or peri-urban environment. In our study, we examined a total of 174 wild boar meat juice and 128 wolf sera from Italy for the detection of T. gondii IgG using the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT).
      Results: The results showed that 40 (22.6%) of the wild boar meat juice and 34 (26.6%) of the wolf serum samples tested positive. Interestingly, there were no significant differences in seropositivity with respect to gender, age group, or the region of origin in both species.
      Conclusions: Overall the results indicate a moderate exposure in both the species under investigation, highlighting the spread of T. gondii in sylvatic and periurban environments. The prevalence of T. gondii in wild boar is consistent with findings from other studies conducted in Europe. Our study, with a considerably larger sample size compared to the available research in European context, provides valuable data on the seroprevalence of T. gondii in wolves.
      (© 2024. The Author(s).)
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    • Grant Information:
      10.47379/ESR20009 Vienna Science and Technology Fund (WWTF) [10.47379/ESR20009]
    • Contributed Indexing:
      Keywords: Epidemiology ; IFAT; Serology; Toxoplasmosis; Wildlife
    • Accession Number:
      0 (Antibodies, Protozoan)
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20240223 Date Completed: 20240226 Latest Revision: 20240226
    • Publication Date:
      20240226
    • Accession Number:
      PMC10882895
    • Accession Number:
      10.1186/s12917-024-03922-2
    • Accession Number:
      38389083