title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii from free-ranging black bears ( Ursus americanus ) from Florida.
abstract: Toxoplasma gondii is a significant worldwide parasitic protozoan. In the present study, prevalence of antibodies of T. gondii was examined from 29 free-ranging black bears ( Ursus americanus ) from south-central Florida where the host species was listed as state threatened during this project. Overall T. gondii prevalence was found to be 44.8%, specifically 46.2% in male and 43.8% in female U. americanus , using a modified agglutination test (1:25 titer). Seroprevalence differences between sexes were not significant (P > 0.05). Results of the present study add supportive data to the growing body of evidence suggesting that U. americanus has one of the highest T. gondii seroprevalences among all known intermediate hosts. In addition, our data emphasize the importance of understanding parasitic disease dynamics from a conservation perspective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Sciences, University of Virginia's College at Wise, Wise, Virginia 24293, USA. chambers@uvawise.edu
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Ulrey
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Guthrie
authors.forename: O C H
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Kwok
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Maehr
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001503:Ursidae / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan