Use of filter papers to determine seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii among hunted ungulates in remote Peruvian Amazon.

Emily J Aston,J.P Dubey,Pedro Mayor,Dwight D Bowman,Oliver Kwok,Hussni O Mohammed,Janice L Liotta

doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2013.12.001

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, and it is found worldwide. To determine whether ungulates are reservoirs of T. gondii in an isolated and remote region of the northeastern Peruvian Amazon, antibodies to T. gondii were determined in 5 species of ungulates by the modified agglutination test (MAT). These animals were hunted by subsistence hunters along the Yavarí-Mirín River, in the northeastern Peruvian Amazon. Blood samples were collected by hunters on filter papers. For determination of T. gondii antibodies, blood was eluted from filter papers, and a titer of 1:25 was considered indicative of exposure to T. gondii. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 26 (31.0%) peccaries (Pecari tajacu, Tayassu pecari), six (17.1%) brocket deer (Mazama americana, Mazama gouazoubira), and four (40.0%) lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris). We also introduced a modification to the MAT protocol that allows the extraction of fluid samples from several types of laboratory-grade filter paper, thus enabling researchers to easily adapt their approaches to the materials presented to them.

Highlights

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan that infects warm-blooded animals (Montoya and Liesenfeld, 2004; Dubey, 2010)
The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of T. gondii exposure among 129 hunted ungulates in the Peruvian Amazon and to introduce a modification to the modified agglutination test (MAT) protocol that allows the extraction of fluid samples from several types of laboratory-grade filter paper
Antibodies to T. gondii were found in some samples of all species tested (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan that infects warm-blooded animals (Montoya and Liesenfeld, 2004; Dubey, 2010). The two most important modes of transmission of the parasite are the consumption of raw or undercooked meat contaminated with tissue cysts and ingestion of oocysts shed by felids in the environment (Dubey, 2010). Felids are the definitive hosts of T. gondii and are the only source of oocysts found in the environment (Dubey, 2010). In immunocompromised patients, toxoplasmosis may be life-threatening, and infection of pregnant women with T. gondii may lead to congenital defects (Montoya and Liesenfeld, 2004)

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Results