Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in common moles (Talpa europaea) |
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Authors: | Inge M Krijger Jan BWJ Cornelissen Henk J Wisselink Bastiaan G Meerburg |
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Institution: | 1.Wageningen UR (University & Research centre), Livestock Research, Wageningen, 6700 AH The Netherlands ;2.Wageningen UR (University & Research centre), Central Veterinary Institute, Lelystad, 8200 AB The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | BackgroundThe prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in common moles, Talpa europaea, was investigated in order to determine whether moles can serve as an indicator species for T. gondii infections in livestock.FindingsIn total, 86 moles were caught from 25 different sites in the Netherlands. Five different trapping habitats were distinguished: pasture, garden, forest, roadside, and recreation area. No positive samples (brain cysts) were found during microscopic detection (n = 70). Using the Latex Agglutination Test (LAT), sera of 70 moles were examined, whereby no sample reacted with T. gondii antigen. Real Time-PCR tests on brain tissue showed 2 positive samples (2.3%).ConclusionsBecause of the low number of positives in our study, the use of the common mole as an indicator species for livestock infections is currently not recommended.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13028-014-0048-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. |
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Keywords: | Parasite Moles Reservoir Food safety Outdoor farming Wildlife Indicator |
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