title: Clinical observations, pathology, bioassay in mice and serological response at slaughter in pigs experimentally infected with Toxoplasma gondii.
abstract: Experimental infections of a total of 47 pigs with tachyzoites of the Toxoplasma gondii RH-strain, tissue cysts of the SSI-119 and R92 strains as well as oocysts of the SSI-119 strain were performed to determine the sensitivity of an indirect IgG-ELISA, using tachyzoite lysate of the RH-strain as antigen. The infections led to a dose dependent moderate clinical affection (inappetence, fever and poor general condition). Pigs infected with 10000 oocysts or with 1/2 mouse brain containing tissue cysts of the SSI-119 strain showed a significant decrease in weight gain compared to uninoculated pigs during the first 2 weeks p.i., followed, however, by compensatory growth during the next 6 weeks. At slaughter 3 to 4 months after inoculation 39/41 (95.1%) of pigs positive by bioassay in mice were seropositive in ELISA. Tissue cysts were not demonstrable by immunohistochemistry. ELISA OD-values obtained by analysis of meat juice from heart muscle and tongue (diluted 1:40) correlated strongly with OD-values by analysis of serum (diluted 1:400) (r heart juice = 0.942; r tongue juice = 0.915). Thus, meat juice samples were shown to provide a suitable alternative to serum for serological detection of Toxoplasma infection in pigs.
authors.affiliation: Federation of Danish Pig Producers and Slaughterhouses, Copenhagen V, Denmark.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wingstrand
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lind
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haugegaard
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Henriksen
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bille-Hansen
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sørensen
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001681:Biological Assay; D001831:Body Temperature; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008460:Meat / Q000469:parasitology*; D051379:Mice; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D013552:Swine; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G