Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Lanzhou, China
The Korean Journal of Parasitology
;
: 363-367, 2013.
Article
in English
| WPRIM
| ID: wpr-11039
ABSTRACT
The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in birds has epidemiological significance because birds are indeed considered as a good indicator of environmental contamination by T. gondii oocysts. In this study, the prevalence of T. gondii in 313 house sparrows in Lanzhou, northwestern China was assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies to T. gondii were positive in 39 (12.46%) of 313 samples (MAT titer > or = 15). Tissues of heart, brain, and lung from the 39 seropositive house sparrows were tested for T. gondii DNA, 11 of which were found to be positive for the T. gondii B1 gene by PCR amplification. These positive DNA samples were typed at 9 genetic markers, including 8 nuclear loci, i.e., SAG1, 5'- and 3'-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, GRA6, L358, PK1, c22-8 and an apicoplast locus Apico. Of them, 4 isolates were genotyped with complete data for all loci, and 2 genotypes (Type II variants; ToxoDB #3 and a new genotype) were identified. These results showed that there is a potential risk for human infection with T. gondii in this region. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in house sparrows in China.
Full text:
Available
Index:
WPRIM (Western Pacific)
Main subject:
Toxoplasma
/
Bird Diseases
/
Seroepidemiologic Studies
/
China
/
Toxoplasmosis, Animal
/
Sparrows
/
Genotype
Type of study:
Prevalence study
Limits:
Animals
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
The Korean Journal of Parasitology
Year:
2013
Type:
Article
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