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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #309213
Title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Veracruz State, Mexico and its association with climatic factors

Author
item ALVARADO-ESQUIVEL, COSME - Juarez University Of The State Of Durango
item ROMERO-SALAS, DORA - University Of Veracruzana
item GARCIA-VAZQUEZ, ZEFERINO - Desiderio Finamore Veterinary Research Institute (FEPAGRO)
item CRUZ-ROMERO, ANABEL - University Of Veracruzana
item PENICHE-CARDENA, ALVARO - Desiderio Finamore Veterinary Research Institute (FEPAGRO)
item IBARRA-PRIEGO, NELLY - University Of Veracruzana
item AGUILAR-DOMINGUEZ, MARIEL - University Of Veracruzana
item Perez De Leon, Adalberto - Beto
item Dubey, Jitender

Submitted to: BioMed Central (BMC) Veterinary Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/22/2014
Publication Date: 10/1/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/62304
Citation: Alvarado-Esquivel, C., Romero-Salas, D., Garcia-Vazquez, Z., Cruz-Romero, A., Peniche-Cardena, A., Ibarra-Priego, N., Aguilar-Dominguez, M., Perez-De-Leon, A., Dubey, J.P. 2014. Seroprevalence and correlates of Toxoplasma gondii infection in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Veracruz state, Mexico. BioMed Central (BMC) Veterinary Research. 10:232e.

Interpretive Summary: Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonosis. It is caused by Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled parasite of all warm-blooded hosts. It causes mental retardation and loss of vision inchildren, and abortion in livestock. Cats are the main reservoir of T. gondii because they are the only hosts that can excrete the resistant stage (oocyst) of the parasite in the feces. Humans become infected by eating under cooked meat from infected animals and food and water contaminated with oocysts. In the present study, author report a very high (48.7% f 339) seroprevalence of Toxoplasma in buffaloes slaughtered for human consumption in Mexico. The findings have implications for public health and results will be of interest to biologists and Parasitologists.

Technical Abstract: Background: Infection with Toxoplasma gondii in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) is of epidemiological importance because of the risk for transmission to humans. We sought to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in 339 water buffaloes in Veracruz State, Mexico using the modified agglutination test (MAT, cut off 1:25). Seroprevalence association with general characteristics of buffaloes and their environment was also investigated. Results: Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 165 (48.7%) of the 339 buffaloes with MAT titers of 1:25 in 104, 1:50 in 52, and 1:100 in 9. Bivariate analysis showed that seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was similar in buffaloes regardless of their general characteristics i.e., age, sex, and breed. In contrast, the seroprevalence in buffaloes varied significantly with environmental characteristics including altitude, mean annual temperature, and mean annual rainfall of the municipalities studied. Multivariate analysis showed that T. gondii seropositivity in buffaloes was associated with a mean annual rainfall between 1266-1650 mm (OR =1.84; 95% CI: 1.15-2.94; P=0.01). Conclusions: Results indicate that environmental characteristics may influence the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in buffaloes. This is the first report on the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in buffaloes in Mexico. Further research is needed to assess the risk for infection in humans associated with the ingestion of raw or undercooked meat from buffaloes infected with T. gondii.