Abstract
BackgroundToxoplasma gondii is found on all continents and can infect all endothermic vertebrates. Toxoplasmosis is a globally important zoonosis with potentially devastating health impacts both for humans and a range of domestic and wild species. The World Health Organisation have repeatedly recommended the collection of accurate epidemiological data for T. gondii, yet despite recognised links between infection of wildlife, domestic animals and humans, seroprevalence in wild species is rarely monitored. Here, serological investigation using the Gold Standard Sabin-Feldman Dye Test was used to test for T. gondii in Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) found dead, mainly as road-kill, in England and Wales. This is the first spatially widespread study of T. gondii in UK wildlife, and the first extensive survey of T. gondii in Eurasian otters, a sentinel species of fresh waters.FindingsInfection was both common (39.5% prevalence, n = 271) and widespread, with significantly more infection in the east than the west of the UK. There was an increase in seroprevalence with age, but no sex bias.ConclusionsThe relatively high prevalence of T. gondii in a predominantly piscivorous freshwater mammal suggests widespread faecal contamination of freshwater ecosystems with oocysts. Continued surveillance of the Eurasian otter for T. gondii is valuable because of conservation concerns due to the otter’s ‘near threatened’ status on the IUCN Red List and because of the host’s role as a sentinel for freshwater health.
Highlights
Toxoplasma gondii is found on all continents and can infect all endothermic vertebrates
Non-significant terms were removed from the model by ANOVA comparisons and the simplest model chosen using the Akaike Information Criteria (AIC); pairwise comparisons were made for significant factors using parameter contrast within the Generalised Linear Model (GLM)
Contrast analysis showed that prevalence in Wales (29%) was significantly lower than in Anglian (49%) (t254 = −2.21, p = 0.028) and North East Regions (51%) (t254 = −2.61, p = 0.010), and there was a close to significant difference in prevalence between South West Region (30%) and North East Region (51%) (t254 = 1.74, p = 0.084)
Summary
Toxoplasma gondii is found on all continents and can infect all endothermic vertebrates. The World Health Organisation have repeatedly recommended the collection of accurate epidemiological data for T. gondii, yet despite recognised links between infection of wildlife, domestic animals and humans, seroprevalence in wild species is rarely monitored. Serological investigation using the Gold Standard Sabin-Feldman Dye Test was used to test for T. gondii in Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) found dead, mainly as road-kill, in England and Wales. This is the first spatially widespread study of T. gondii in UK wildlife, and the first extensive survey of T. gondii in Eurasian otters, a sentinel species of fresh waters
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