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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 #376556
Research Project: Detection and Control of Foodborne Parasites for Food Safety

Location: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory

Title: Seroprevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild ungulates that cohabit in a natural park with human-animal interaction in the Mediterranean ecosystem

Author
item ALMERIA, SONIA - Us Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
item CANO-TERRIZA, DAVID - Universidad De Cordoba
item PRIETO, PALOMA - (NCE, CECR)networks Of Centres Of Exellence Of Canada, Centres Of Excellence For Commercilization A
item Dubey, Jitender
item JIMENEZ-MARTIN, DEBORA - Universidad De Cordoba
item CASTRO-SCHOLTEN, SABRINA - Universidad De Cordoba
item PANIAGUA, JORGE - Universidad De Cordoba
item GARCIA-BOCANEGRA, IGNACIO - Universidad De Cordoba

Submitted to: Zoonoses and Public Health
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2021
Publication Date: 2/22/2021
Citation: Almeria, S., Cano-Terriza, D., Prieto, P., Dubey, J.P., Jimenez-Martin, D., Castro-Scholten, S., Paniagua, J., Garcia-Bocanegra, I. 2021. Seroprevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in wild ungulates that cohabit in a natural park with human-animal interaction in the Mediterranean ecosystem. Zoonoses and Public Health. 68(3):263-270. https://doi.org/10.1111/zph.12821.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/zph.12821

Interpretive Summary: Toxoplasma gondii infection is widely prevalent in people and animals, posing public health risk. Ingesting contaminated food or water causes human infection. Uncooked and undercooed game can cause such infections. Here, USDA researches documented frequent infection in large game inhabiting southern Spain frequented by many people. This work was completed before termination of Toxoplasma research at ARS. These results will be of interest to veterinarians, public health workers, and parasitologists.

Technical Abstract: Game meat has been identified as an important zoonotic source for Toxoplasma gondii infection. Here we determined seroprevalence and risk factors associated with T. gondii in large game ungulates that cohabit in Sierras de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas Natural Park (SCSV-NP) (Southern Spain), a natural park with high human-animal interaction. Antibodies against T. gondii in 328 wild ungulates were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT =1:25). Antibodies were found in 39 (11.9%, 95%CI: 8.4-15.4) wild ungulates, with seroprevalence levels of 20.8% in wild boars (Sus scrofa) (5/24), 19.0% in fallow deer (Dama dama) (12/63), 13.9% in Iberian ibexes (Capra pyrenaica hispanica) (14/101), 7.9% in red deer (Cervus elaphus) (6/76), and 3.1% in mouflons (Ovis aries musimon) (2/64). Significantly higher seroprevalence was observed in fallow deer and wild boars compared to mouflons. Animals living close to urban areas (< 2 km) had 4.6 significantly higher risk compared to those living at > 5 km of urban areas. The results indicate high circulation of T. gondii in wild ungulates in SCSV-NP, which is of animal and public health concern. The increased seroprevalence of T. gondii detected in wildlife ungulates living close to urban areas may increase human infection in those areas.