Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Sarcocystis neurona are obligate intracellular parasites within the phylum Apicomplexa. The red-tailed Amazon parrot (Amazona brasiliensis) is a near-threatened species of psittacine that is endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil and has been designated as a bioindicator because of its sensitivity to environmental qualitative status and changes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of antibodies against T. gondii, N. caninum and S. neurona in wild red-tailed Amazon parrot nestlings on Rasa Island, Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 51 parrots and plasma samples were stored at - 20 °C until immunofluorescence antibody tests (IFAT) were performed. Antigen slides were prepared using tachyzoites of T. gondii (RH strain) and, N. caninum (NC-1 strain) and using merozoites of S. neurona (SNR37 strain). Plasma samples were tested at initial dilutions of 1:16 for T. gondii, 1:50 for N. caninum and 1:5 for S. neurona. An anti-chicken antibody conjugated with FITC was used as a secondary antibody at 1:50 dilution. No antibodies for any of these three protozoa were found, thus suggesting that these wild red-tailed Amazon parrot nestlings had not been exposed to these parasites.
Highlights
IntroductionWild birds are susceptible to a wide range of infectious and parasitic diseases.Monitoring these infections in birds may be an important element of effective environmental and public health surveillance systems, given that these birds can act as sentinels for environmental hazards and provide early warning of the need for intervention (Polley, 2005; Hamer et al, 2012).The apicomplexans Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Sarcocystis neurona are obligate intracellular parasites that infect many species of wild and domestic animals, including birds (Dubey et al, 2007; Dubey, 2010; Prakas & Butkauskas, 2012).Birds may become infected through ingestion of food and water contaminated with sporulated oocysts of T. gondii and N. caninum or with sporocysts of S. neurona, and they can become infected through ingestion of cysts in infected tissues (Dubey, 2010; Dubey et al, 2016a).T. gondii is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, and birds can play an important epidemiological role in the transmission and maintenance of this zoonotic disease, whose definitive host is the cat family
No antibodies to T. gondii, N. caninum or S. neurona were found in any of the wild redtailed Amazon parrot nestlings that were sampled
Wild nestlings may be less exposed to Survey of Apicomplexa parasites in A. brasiliensis infection than adult birds, since they stay in the nest and probably do not have contact with contactants and pathogens
Summary
Wild birds are susceptible to a wide range of infectious and parasitic diseases.Monitoring these infections in birds may be an important element of effective environmental and public health surveillance systems, given that these birds can act as sentinels for environmental hazards and provide early warning of the need for intervention (Polley, 2005; Hamer et al, 2012).The apicomplexans Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Sarcocystis neurona are obligate intracellular parasites that infect many species of wild and domestic animals, including birds (Dubey et al, 2007; Dubey, 2010; Prakas & Butkauskas, 2012).Birds may become infected through ingestion of food and water contaminated with sporulated oocysts of T. gondii and N. caninum or with sporocysts of S. neurona, and they can become infected through ingestion of cysts in infected tissues (Dubey, 2010; Dubey et al, 2016a).T. gondii is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, and birds can play an important epidemiological role in the transmission and maintenance of this zoonotic disease, whose definitive host is the cat family. Wild birds are susceptible to a wide range of infectious and parasitic diseases. Monitoring these infections in birds may be an important element of effective environmental and public health surveillance systems, given that these birds can act as sentinels for environmental hazards and provide early warning of the need for intervention (Polley, 2005; Hamer et al, 2012). The apicomplexans Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Sarcocystis neurona are obligate intracellular parasites that infect many species of wild and domestic animals, including birds (Dubey et al, 2007; Dubey, 2010; Prakas & Butkauskas, 2012). Only a few studies on the seroprevalence of T. gondii in birds within Psittaciformes have been carried out (Dubey, 2010; Zhang et al, 2014)
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