Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in wild birds in Taiwan
Date Issued
2015
Date
2015
Author(s)
Chen, Ju-Chi
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoon which is well known for infecting humans and wild animals. In the present study, antibodies to T. gondii were evaluated in 394 wild birds, belonging to 37 species, from 17 different counties or cities in Taiwan. Serum samples were collected from five wild bird rehabilitation centers between April 2013 and August 2014. Using a modified agglutination test (MAT), the overall seroprevalence of infection was 23.35% (CI 95%= 19.17%-27.53%). Antibodies were detected in birds of prey (25.73%; CI 95%= 19.76%-31.70%, Strigiformes, n=111; Accipitriformes, n=93; Falconiformes, n=2), birds living in freshwater or marine systems (34.29%; CI 95%= 18.56%-50.01%, Gruiformes, n=1; Charadriiformes, n=2; Anseriformes, n=1; Pelecaniformes, n=30; Coraciiformes, n=1) and ground-feeding birds (18.12%; CI 95%= 11.94%-24.31%, Columbiformes, n=102, Passeriformes, n=45; Galliformes, n=2). No antibodies were detected in birds of the order Cuculiformes (n=2) and Piciformes (n=2). The latex agglutination test, which has been used to evaluate the prevalence of the disease in Taiwan in past decades, was performed on 383 sera and showed lower sensitivity than the MAT. Age category and the presence of clinical abnormalities were associated with T. gondii seropositivity. No statistically significant associations were observed between seropositivity and the species, the geographic area of the sample and feeding behavior. The results showed that this zoonotic pathogen has spread widely in Taiwan: seropositivity in birds was detected in 13 of 22 administrative regions of Taiwan. This suggests the zoonotic potential of the disease, with transmission from urban to rural regions, and from terrestrial to aquatic systems. Antibodies were detected in birds with or without clinical abnormalities, which indicates that wild birds can be infected asymptomatically. The pathogenicity of T. gondii infection in wild birds in Taiwan needs further investigation. This is the first study of the seroprevalence of T. gondii in wild birds in Taiwan.
Subjects
Toxoplasma gondii
wild animals
avian species
Taiwan
modified agglutination test
Type
thesis
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