我国部分地区牛羊弓形虫血清流行病学调查

为了解我国牛羊弓形虫病流行情况,应用间接血凝试验（IHA）对河南、山东、山西、内蒙古、云南、贵州6省区151份牛血清、50份奶样、490份羊血清进行了弓形虫病血清流行病学调查。结果显示：151份被检牛血清和50份牛奶样品,弓形虫抗体均为阴性。490份羊血清弓形虫抗体总阳性率5.71％,其中母羊、公羊血清阳性率分别为4.03％和9.79％;山羊、绵羊、杂交羊血清阳性率分别为6.58％、4.81％和5.13％;阳性率最高的为公山羊（13.2％）,最低的为母绵羊（2.96％）。28份阳性羊血清中,75％的抗体滴度为1：64,25％的抗体滴度为1：256。1岁后的羊,随年龄增长,血清阳性率升高。     

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Norwegian dairy goats

Background

Toxoplasma gondii is a major problem for the sheep industry as it may cause reproduction problems. The importance of T. gondii in Norwegian goat herds is uncertain, but outbreaks of toxoplasmosis in dairy goat farms have been recorded. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of T. gondii infection in Norwegian dairy goats by using serology.

Findings

Goat serum originally collected as part of two nationwide surveillance and control programmes between 2002 and 2008 were examined for T. gondii antibodies by using direct agglutination test. In total, 55 of 73 herds (75%) had one or more serologically positive animals, while 377 of 2188 (17%) of the individual samples tested positive for T. gondii antibodies.

Conclusions

This is the first prevalence study of T. gondii infection in Norwegian goats. The results show that Norwegian goat herds are commonly exposed to T. gondii. Nevertheless, the majority of goat herds have a low prevalence of antibody positive animals, which make them vulnerable to infections with T. gondii during the gestation period.     

Toxoplasma gondii antibody prevalence and isolation in free-ranging cats in Okinawa,Japan

Cats are an important host of Toxoplasma gondii from an epidemiological perspective because they are the only definitive hosts that excrete oocysts in their feces. In this study, 201 free-ranging cats in Okinawa were examined for T. gondii infection. Using the latex agglutination test, we detected antibodies against T. gondii in 26.9% (54/201) of the cats. Oocysts of T. gondii were not detected upon microscopic examination of the feces of 128 cats. T. gondii was isolated from the tissues of 9 out of 24 seropositive or pseudo-seropositive cats with a bioassay using laboratory mice. Genotyping for the GRA6 gene revealed that five and four of the isolates were type I and II, respectively.     

Prevalence of serum antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging cats on Tokunoshima Island,Japan

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in free-ranging cats on Tokunoshima Island was assessed by testing 125 serum samples using anti-T. gondii IgG indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The overall seropositivity rate was 47.2% (59/125). Seropositivity rates in cats with body weight >2.0 kg (57.4%) were significantly higher than in those with body weight ≤2.0 kg (12.5%, P<0.01). Analysis of the number of seropositive cats by settlement revealed the presence of possibly-infected cats in 17 of 23 settlements, indicating the widespread prevalence of T. gondii on the island. This is the first study to show the seroprevalence of T. gondii in free-ranging cats on Tokunoshima Island. The information revealed in this paper will help to prevent the transmission of T. gondii among cats and also in both wild and domestic animals and humans on the island.     

Porcine abortion outbreak associated with Toxoplasma gondii in Jeju Island, Korea

This report deals with the acute onset of an abortion outbreak and high sow mortality in one pig herd consisted of 1,200 pigs and 120 sows on Jeju Island, Korea. Affected pregnant sows showed clinical signs, including high fever, gradual anorexia, vomiting, depression, recumbency, prostration, abortion, and a few deaths. Four dead sows, five aborted fetuses from the same litter, and 17 sera collected from sows infected or normal were submitted to the Pathology Division of the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service for diagnostic investigation. Grossly, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were observed in sows. Multiple necrotic foci were scattered in the lungs, liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. Microscopically, multifocal necrotizing lesions and protozoan tachyzoites were present in the lesions. Tachyzoites of Toxoplasma (T.) gondii were detected immunohistochemically. Latex agglutination showed that the sera of 7 of 17 (41.2%) sows were positive for antibody to T. gondii. The disease outbreak in this herd was diagnosed as epizootic toxoplasmosis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of porcine toxoplasmosis with a high abortion rate and sow mortality in Korea.     

我国牛羊弓形虫感染情况及影响因素研究进展

弓形虫几乎可以感染所有的温血动物,是一种十分重要的人兽共患原虫病病原。牛羊弓形虫感染不仅影响其自身的发育和繁殖,对畜牧业发展造成一定的经济损失,更重要的是感染弓形虫的牛羊肉和奶可成为人类健康和生命安全的潜在威胁。牛羊弓形虫感染受多种因素(年龄、品种、养殖场管理及犬、猫和鼠的存在等)的影响,不同地区牛羊弓形虫感染的风险因素不尽相同。基于此,论文对弓形虫感染的检测方法、我国不同地区牛羊弓形虫的感染情况及影响弓形虫感染的因素进行综述,旨在为相应地区牛和羊的饲养管理及保障其奶和肉产品的安全供给提供参考。     

Mic1-3 Knockout Toxoplasma gondii is a good candidate for a vaccine against T. gondii-induced abortion in sheep

This study assessed the effectiveness of a mutant strain of Toxoplasma gondii (RH strain) lacking the mic1 and mic3 genes (Mic1-3KO) against Toxoplasma abortion in sheep. Ewes were inoculated subcutaneously with 10⁵ Mic1-3KO tachyzoïtes in three independent experiments. Following vaccination, Mic1-3KO induced a mild febrile response and serum IgG antibodies, which persisted throughout the experiments. Tissue cysts formed in the sheep, but were not, under our experimental conditions, infectious when given orally. Ewes were mated two months after vaccination and were orally challenged with the PRU strain of T. gondii at mid-gestation (400 oocysts in Experiments 1 and 2; 100 oocysts in Experiment 3). Challenge of vaccinated pregnant ewes resulted in a slight febrile response, whereas unvaccinated ewes developed a more severe, characteristic febrile response of longer duration. After challenge, all unvaccinated ewes aborted whereas 62%, 91% and 64% (Experiments 1, 2 and 3 respectively) of the lambs from vaccinated ewes were viable, with no clinical signs of infection. Mic1-3KO was as effective as S48, the strain used as a live vaccine for sheep (Toxovax^®). A dose of 10⁵ Mic1-3KO tachyzoites was sufficient to induce protection (versus a dose of 2 × 10⁶). Both subcutaneous and intraperitoneal injections were effective. Moreover, preliminary results showed the potential of Mic1-3KO to reduce the development of tissue cysts in lambs born to vaccinated ewes. This study demonstrates that Mic1-3KO is a potent vaccine candidate.     

屠宰羊弓形虫感染情况调查

为了保障羊肉制品的生物安全,对屠宰羊进行弓形虫感染情况调查以及对羊肉进行弓形虫检测。采用间接血凝试验,对677份屠宰羊的血清进行了弓形虫抗体检测。结果显示,弓形虫抗体阳性有47份,阳性率为6.9%。     

Prevalence of agglutinating antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in small ruminants of the Madrid region,Spain, and identification of factors influencing seropositivity by multivariate analysis

A seroepidemiological survey of Toxoplasma gondii infection in sheep and goats was conducted in the Madrid region of Spain. Sera were collected from 60 herds, for which farming management information and other relevant data for their characterization were also obtained through a questionnaire. The seroprevalence was 11.8% (64 out of 541), using the modified (2-mercaptoethanol) direct agglutination technique with a 1:64 cut-off titre. The relationship between seropositivity and the variables in the questionnaire was assessed by multivariate analysis. Four variables were found to be significantly associated with seroprevalence. Two of them, the presence of cats and a previous history of abortion outbreaks in the farm, were factors known to be linked with toxoplasmosis, indicating the validity of the serological data. Seropositivity was also related to a lack of replacements in the preceding year. Proximity to other farms appeared to be a protective factor negatively associated with seropositivity, probably because it was an indicator of proximity to an urban area and the availability of local sanitary facilities.Abbreviations AIDS acquired immune deficiency syndrome - logistic regression coefficient - CI confidence interval - MDAT modified direct agglutination test - OR odds ratio - p level of significance - SE standard error     

Biologic and molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from pigs from Portugal

Little is known of Toxoplasma gondii infections in animals in Portugal. In the present paper, we report the first isolation of viable T. gondii from pigs in Portugal. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 52 (15.6%) of 333 pigs prior to slaughter using the modified agglutination test (MAT) at a serum dilution of 1:20. Attempts were made to isolate T. gondii from 37 seropositive pigs. Samples of brain and/or heart from each pig were digested in acid pepsin, and bioassayed into mice. Viable T. gondii was isolated from 15 pigs. Restriction fragment length polymorphism on products of SAG2 locus amplified by PCR and microsatellite analysis revealed that 11 isolates were Type II and four were Type III. The results indicate that phenotypically and genetically T. gondii are similar to isolates from pigs from the U.S.     

弓形虫棒状蛋白17基因的克隆与序列分析

为研究弓形虫棒状体蛋白17(ROP17)基因的遗传变异,本研究以弓形虫RH株、PRU株和TgC7株为研究对象,首次PCR扩增了其ROP17基因部分序列,将PCR产物纯化后克隆到pMD18-T并测序。将测定的序列与网上下载的弓形虫VEG株、GT1株和ME49株相应序列进行比对,然后用Mega 5.0程序的NJ法和Puzzle 5.2程序的ML法构建系统发育树。结果表明,3株弓形虫分离株的ROP17基因部分序列长度均为1375 bp,A+T含量在49.53%~50.04%之间,3个虫株相应序列的变异碱基数皆小于20个,其变异率为2.3%,氨基酸序列变异率在0~6.11%之间。系统发育结果显示, ROP17基因部分序列能区分弓形虫基因Ⅰ型和Ⅱ型的虫株。本研究结果为进一步研究弓形虫ROP17基因的变异及研制弓形虫ROP17基因的亚单位疫苗提供了理论依据。     

Population genetics of Toxoplasma gondii: new perspectives from parasite genotypes in wildlife

Toxoplasma gondii, a zoonotic protozoal parasite, is well-known for its global distribution and its ability to infect virtually all warm-blooded vertebrates. Nonetheless, attempts to describe the population structure of T. gondii have been primarily limited to samples isolated from humans and domesticated animals. More recent studies, however, have made efforts to characterize T. gondii isolates from a wider range of host species and geographic locales. These findings have dramatically changed our perception of the extent of genetic diversity in T. gondii and the relative roles of sexual recombination and clonal propagation in the parasite's lifecycle. In particular, identification of novel, disease-causing T. gondii strains in wildlife has raised concerns from both a conservation and public health perspective as to whether distinct domestic and sylvatic parasite gene pools exist. If so, overlap of these cycles may represent regions of high probability of disease emergence. Here, we attempt to answer these key questions by reviewing recent studies of T. gondii infections in wildlife, highlighting those which have advanced our understanding of the genetic diversity and population biology of this important zoonotic pathogen.     

内蒙古部分地区放牧牛羊弓形虫血清学调查

[目的]了解内蒙古部分地区放牧牛羊弓形虫病感染情况。[方法]采用间接血凝试验(IHA)对阿拉善盟及呼伦贝尔市随机采集的286份放牧牛羊血清样本进行弓形虫抗体检测。[结果]绵羊血清弓形虫抗体总阳性率为1.68%,其中,阿拉善盟阳性率为4.84%,呼伦贝尔市阳性率为0.56%;经统计学分析,两个地区的绵羊血清弓形虫抗体阳性率差异不显著(P>0.05);牛血清弓形虫抗体总阳性率为0。[结论]内蒙古主要牧区放牧绵羊存在弓形虫感染,应引起足够的重视,并制定相应的弓形虫病防治措施。     

弓形虫微线体蛋白研究新进展

微线体蛋白(microneme protein,MIC)是由位于弓形虫前端的微线体(microneme)分泌产生的,具有识别、黏附与侵染宿主细胞的性质。近年来研究结果证明,弓形虫的多种微线体蛋白在侵染宿主的过程中发挥重要作用,并且可以作为抗弓形虫病的疫苗候选分子。作者对目前研究较多的弓形虫微线体蛋白进行综述,为弓形虫疫苗的研究提供理论依据。     

Primary structure of mature SAG1 gene of an Indonesian Toxoplasma gondii and comparison with other strains

Toxoplasma gondii is a persistent protozoan parasite capable of infecting almost any warm-blooded vertebrates. SAG1 (p30) is the prototypic member of a superfamily of surface antigens called SRS (SAG1-related sequence). It constitutes the most abundant and predominant antigen. In this paper the primary structure of mature SAG1 gene of an Indonesian T. gondii isolate is described and sequence comparison is made with published sequence data of 7 other strains or isolates. Sequence comparison indicated that SAG1 is highly conserved through evolution and despite parasite spreading world-wide. Sequences may be divided into two major families, independent of the strain/isolate geographic origin. Variations were mainly localized at the C-terminal half or domain 2 and some clustered in restricted areas. Sequence comparison allowed us to define the Indonesian isolate as genuine virulent RH strain. A phylogenetic tree of Toxoplasma strains/isolates was constructed based on SAG1.