Prevalence of IgG Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in Veterinary and Undergraduate Students at Virginia Tech,Blacksburg, Virginia

Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed parasitic protozoan that infects humans and other warm‐blooded vertebrates. Felids are the only definitive host for T. gondii, and they excrete oocysts in their faeces. The national prevalence in humans is declining in the United States. This zoonotic organism is of particular interest due to its importance in pregnant women, in individuals with altered immune systems, and in reactivated ocular infections. Exposure to the parasite in humans is usually associated with consumption of raw or undercooked meat or by accidental ingestion of oocysts. It was hypothesized that veterinary students would have a greater chance at exposure to the parasite than an average population of undergraduate students due to increased contact with cats who are infected. A commercially available ELISA was used to examine serum samples from 336 students (252 veterinary students and 84 undergraduate students) at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and the Virginia‐Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine for serum IgG antibodies to T. gondii antigen. The prevalence of T. gondii in these subjects was 5.6% in veterinary school students (n = 252) and 2.4% in undergraduates (n = 84). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies in veterinary versus undergraduate students. The overall prevalence of 4.8% in all students in this study reflects the continuing decline of antibodies to T. gondii in humans in the United States.     

分子佐剂鞭毛素对弓形虫SAG1蛋白抗体应答的影响

将沙门氏菌鞭毛素和弓形虫免疫优势表面抗原1(SAG1)融合表达,研究其在小鼠上激发的体液免疫应答.首先,采用PCR扩增SAG1片段.其次,将SAG1连接到原核表达载体pET-28a中构建表达质粒pET-28a-SAG1;连接到实验室已有的pET-28a鞭毛素质粒中构建表达质粒pET-28a-F-SAG1;质粒转化至大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)菌株中并进行表达.将纯化后的蛋白免疫小鼠,每隔2周免疫一次,共免疫3次,第3次免疫后15 d取小鼠血清.最后,采用蛋白印迹检测蛋白的大小;用酶联免疫吸附方法检测血清中多克隆抗体的效价.结果表明,诱导出的SAG1蛋白大小为30 ku,F-SAG1大小为70 ku.酶联免疫吸附方法检测的D450 nm均为阴性对照的两倍,表明该多克隆抗体具有较高效价.可见,鞭毛素可以作为分子佐剂促进弓形虫亚单位疫苗的体液免疫应答.     

Pathologic and immunohistochemical findings in an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of red kangaroos

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan pathogen that infects many endothermic vertebrates, including humans; the domestic cat and other felids serve as the definitive host. Macropodids are considered highly susceptible to toxoplasmosis. Here, we describe the clinical, pathologic, and immunohistochemical findings of an outbreak of systemic toxoplasmosis in a mob of 11 red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), with high morbidity (73%) and mortality (100%) rates. Affected animals had either severe and rapidly deteriorating clinical conditions or sudden death, which was correlated with widespread necrotizing lesions in multiple organs and intralesional T. gondii organisms identified via MIC3-specific immunohistochemistry and confirmed by REP529-specific rtPCR. Quantification of parasites demonstrated the highest parasite density in pulmonary parenchyma compared with other tissues. Our study highlights the continued importance of this severe condition in Australian marsupials.     

桦褐孔菌不同提取物抗弓形虫效果的比较

为了探讨桦褐孔菌不同提取物抗弓形虫的效果,对桦褐孔菌水煎剂、多糖、白桦脂醇的体外抗弓形虫作用和对感染弓形虫小白鼠的治疗效果进行了比较。结果表明,体外试验中3种提取物均能抑制弓形虫的生长和繁殖,其中多糖组的抗虫效果优于其他2组,但试药组均弱于阳性对照组;在染虫试验中,桦褐孔菌多糖组中小白鼠平均存活天数与阳性对照组比较无显著性差异,表明桦褐孔菌多糖体内抗虫效果较好。     

Toxoplasma gondii Infections in Chickens (Gallus domesticus): Prevalence,Clinical Disease,Diagnosis and Public Health Significance

Chickens are considered one of the most important hosts in the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection because they are an efficient source of infection for cats that excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts and because humans may become infected with this parasite after eating undercooked infected chicken meat. The objective of this study is to review worldwide prevalence of T. gondii infection in chickens and to assess the role of infected chickens in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in humans. A very high prevalence of the parasite was found in chickens raised in backyards (up to 100%) and free‐range organic (30–50%) establishments.     

Seroprevalence of and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii in the US Swine Herd Using Sera Collected During the National Animal Health Monitoring Survey (Swine 2006)

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiated the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) in 1983 to collect, analyse and disseminate data on animal health, management and productivity in US domestic livestock populations, including swine. The programme includes an on‐farm serological sampling component which can be used to monitor seroprevalence of various pathogens, including Toxoplasma gondii. The purpose of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii in grower/finisher pigs using sera collected during NAHMS Swine 2006 and to determine farm level factors associated with differences in seroprevalence on farms where sera was collected during the Swine 2006 survey. Sera and data on management practices for this study were collected from 185 grower/finisher swine production sites located in 16 states accounting for >90% of US swine production (Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin). A total of 6238 sera were tested for T. gondii antibodies using a commercial ELISA assay (Vet. Parasitol. 128 , 2005, 177). Seroprevalence in this study, as determined by ELISA, was 2.6%, with a herd prevalence of 21.6% and a mean within‐herd prevalence of 2.7%. Analysis of swine management practices indicated that rodent control methods and carcass disposal methods were associated with differences in the number of T. gondii positive samples on farm. These results are consistent with current epidemiological knowledge of the transmission of Toxoplasma on the farm (ingestion of organic matter containing oocysts, or ingestion of infected animal tissues). Production practices which eliminate these sources of exposure can reduce the risk of Toxoplasma infection in pigs, and reduce the likelihood of human infection from consumption of infected pork.     

青海省英得尔种羊场种羊流产血清学调查

通过间接血凝试验(IHA)和虎红平板凝集试验(RBPT),对来自青海省英得尔种羊场的353份羊血清进行布鲁氏菌、弓形虫和衣原体三种主要疫病的血清抗体检测。结果表明,18.9%(33/174)的山羊血清和3.9%(7/179)的绵羊血清其衣原体抗体血清凝集效价≥1:16(++),被判为阳性;抗布鲁氏菌和弓形虫的血清抗体均未检测到。     

弓形虫卵囊感染小鼠的急性期与慢性期的脑组织蛋白质组变化

弓形虫是一种呈世界性分布的机会性致病原虫,可引起致命性脑炎。人弓形虫病急性感染往往与弓形虫卵囊污染密切相关。探究弓形虫卵囊感染对宿主的致病机制和防控弓形虫病具有重要意义。因此,本研究利用iTRAQ技术,结合2D-LC-MS/MS分析弓形虫PRU虫株卵囊急、慢性感染小鼠后,其脑组织蛋白质的差异表达情况。结果表明,在急性感染期和慢性感染期小鼠脑组织中分别鉴定到85和51个差异表达的蛋白,而慢性感染期与急性感染期相比有114个蛋白差异表达。对差异表达蛋白进行功能分析发现其主要涉及到免疫、代谢过程等通路。本研究结果为进一步阐明弓形虫卵囊急慢性感染引起宿主脑组织损伤及致病机制提供了重要的数据。