title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in England and Wales.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Toxoplasma gondii is found on all continents and can infect all endothermic vertebrates. Toxoplasmosis is a globally important zoonosis with potentially devastating health impacts both for humans and a range of domestic and wild species. The World Health Organisation have repeatedly recommended the collection of accurate epidemiological data for T. gondii, yet despite recognised links between infection of wildlife, domestic animals and humans, seroprevalence in wild species is rarely monitored. Here, serological investigation using the Gold Standard Sabin-Feldman Dye Test was used to test for T. gondii in Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) found dead, mainly as road-kill, in England and Wales. This is the first spatially widespread study of T. gondii in UK wildlife, and the first extensive survey of T. gondii in Eurasian otters, a sentinel species of fresh waters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infection was both common (39.5% prevalence, n = 271) and widespread, with significantly more infection in the east than the west of the UK. There was an increase in seroprevalence with age, but no sex bias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relatively high prevalence of T. gondii in a predominantly piscivorous freshwater mammal suggests widespread faecal contamination of freshwater ecosystems with oocysts. Continued surveillance of the Eurasian otter for T. gondii is valuable because of conservation concerns due to the otter's 'near threatened' status on the IUCN Red List and because of the host's role as a sentinel for freshwater health.
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Sir Martin Evans Building, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK. ChadwickEA@cardiff.ac.uk
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Chadwick
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cable
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chinchen
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guy
authors.forename: Eleanor F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Kean
authors.forename: Sarah C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: Ellie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sherrard-Smith
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Dan W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Forman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010041:Otters / Q000469:parasitology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan