title: An outbreak of lethal toxoplasmosis in pigs in the Gansu province of China.
abstract: In October 2004, a swine farm in Jinchang, Gansu Province, China, experienced an outbreak of toxoplasmosis. Most of the affected pigs had a rectal temperature greater than 40 degrees C and gradually lost their appetite. Morbidity reached 57%, and mortality was approximately 2%. Analysis of blood samples from affected pigs using hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay, immunoglobulin G-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IgG-ELISA), and IgM-ELISA tests showed high titers of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody. Tachyzoites of T. gondii were found in body fluids of mice inoculated intraperitoneally with ground samples from the heart, liver, spleen, and brain of 2 sick pigs. In addition, the inoculation of 5 pigs with T. gondii tachyzoites caused death in 2 of the pigs. The origin of this outbreak was concluded to be food-borne T. gondii infection.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China.
authors.forename: Xuerui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yanhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fenggang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Tongxiang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Delin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002980:Climate; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000469:parasitology; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice / Q000469:parasitology; D009017:Morbidity; D019318:Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D019316:Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013154:Spleen / Q000469:parasitology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality