title: Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in shellfish and fish in parts of China.
abstract: In this study, a total of 3432 aquatic animals covering eight species were tested by specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to investigate the presence of Toxoplasma gondii, in China. The results showed that, out of 618 Procambarus clarkii samples collected from the different areas in southeast China, four samples from Jiangxi province were positive. Of 456 Hypophthalmichthys molitrix samples, one sample from Jiangsu province was positive. In addition, there was only one positive sample collected from Shandong province out of 813 Macrobranchium nipponense samples. All other samples, including 309 Cyprinus carpio, 398 Concha Ostreae, 98 Momopterus albus, 426 Penaeus monodon Fabricius and 309 Carassius auratus were negative. The results suggested that the level of T. gondii in aquatic animals was low in China. However, the importance of T. gondii in aquatic animals should not be ignored. Consumption of contaminated raw shellfish may represent a considerable health threat.
authors: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, PR China.
authors: Meng
authors: M
authors: Zhang
authors: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, PR China.
authors: Zhen
authors: Z
authors: Yang
authors: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, PR China.
authors: Shuai
authors: S
authors: Wang
authors: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, PR China.
authors: LongFei
authors: L
authors: Tao
authors: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, PR China.
authors: LiXin
authors: L
authors: Xu
authors: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, PR China.
authors: RuoFeng
authors: R
authors: Yan
authors: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, PR China.
authors: XiaoKai
authors: X
authors: Song
authors: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, PR China. Electronic address: Lixiangrui@njau.edu.cn.
authors: XianRrui
authors: X
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005399:Fishes / Q000469:parasitology*; D016266:Food Parasitology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012758:Shellfish / Q000469:parasitology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000502:physiology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: Aquatic animals; China; PCR; Toxoplasma gondii