title: Epidemiological and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in urban pigeons from the area of Lisbon (Portugal).
abstract: Circumstantial evidence suggests that birds may be a good indicator of soil contamination, since they feed from the ground. Therefore a study was conducted to assess the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in urban pigeons (Columba livia) from different areas of the city of Lisbon and to genetically characterize T. gondii strains isolated from infected animals, in order to assess circulating genotypes. Sera from 695 pigeons captured at 33 different localities of the city of Lisbon were assayed by the direct agglutination test (DAT) showing a 4.6% prevalence. One third of flocks sampled revealed to be infected with T. gondii, with prevalence ranging between 5% and 62.5%. T. gondii DNA could be characterized directly from brain tissue from 12 of 23 seropositive pigeons. Microsatellite typing revealed that 9 strains belonged to type II, 2 were type III and one was type I. No recombinant or atypical genotypes were found. Attempts to recover viable T. gondii strains through bioassay in mice resulted in the isolation of 9 strains.
authors: Laboratório Nacional de Investigação Veterinária, Estrada de Benfica 701, 1549-011 Lisboa, Portugal. helga.waap@lniv.min-agricultural.pt
authors: Helga
authors: H
authors: Waap
authors: Anabela
authors: A
authors: Vilares
authors: Eugénia
authors: E
authors: Rebelo
authors: Salomé
authors: S
authors: Gomes
authors: Helena
authors: H
authors: Angelo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D010856:Columbidae; D005838:Genotype; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*