Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in slaughtered pigs from Northeast, Brazil.
The aims of this study were to evaluate the presence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii and anti-Neospora caninum antibodies, to identify associated risk factors and to isolate T. gondii from slaughtered pigs in Paraíba State, Brazil. A total of 190 pigs from public slaughterhouses were used in the study. An indirect immunofluorescence test was used to detect antibodies, and the isolation of T. gondii was performed with a bioassay in mice based on tissues from seropositive animals. A total of 50 g of brain, heart and tongue tissue from 37 positive pigs with titres ≥ 1:64 was ground, digested with acidic pepsin and inoculated into mice. The prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies was 19.5% (95% CI: 14.1%; 25.8%) (37/190), with titres ranging from 1:64 to 1:2048. Viable T. gondii parasites were isolated from 13 of the 37 (35.1%; 95% CI: 20.2%; 52.5%) seropositive pigs. We found that the virulence of the isolates varied; three of these isolates were able to kill all of the inoculated mice. The risk factors for infection were extensive husbandry and feeding with leftovers. The prevalence of antibodies to N. caninum in pigs was 3.2% (95% CI: 1.2%; 6.7%) (6/190), with titres ranging from 1:100 to 1:3200. None of the variables studied were considered to be risk factors for N. caninum. These results show that the prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in swine is high in Paraíba State, that the percentage of viable T. gondii parasites recovered from these animals is also high and that infection by this parasite is closely related to the management of swine. Despite the low prevalence of N. caninum in pigs, further studies are necessary to determine the importance of this parasite for the species.
Programa de pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, UFCG, Patos, PB CEP 58.708-110, Brazil. Electronic address: feitosa_tf@yahoo.com.br.
Thais Ferreira
TF
Feitosa
Programa de pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, UFCG, Patos, PB CEP 58.708-110, Brazil.
Vinícius Longo Ribeiro
VL
Vilela
Programa de pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, UFCG, Patos, PB CEP 58.708-110, Brazil.
Lídio Ricardo Bezerra
LR
de Melo
Programa de pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, UFCG, Patos, PB CEP 58.708-110, Brazil.
João Leite
JL
de Almeida Neto
Programa de pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, UFCG, Patos, PB CEP 58.708-110, Brazil.
Diego Vagner de Oliveira
DV
Souto
Programa de pós-graduação em Zootecnia, UFCG, Patos, PB CEP 58.708-110, Brazil.
Dayana Firmino
DF
de Morais
Programa de pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, UFCG, Patos, PB CEP 58.708-110, Brazil.
Ana Célia Rodrigues
AC
Athayde
Programa de pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, UFCG, Patos, PB CEP 58.708-110, Brazil.
Sérgio Santos
SS
Azevedo
Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP CEP 05508-270, Brazil.
Hilda Fátima de Jesus
HF
Pena
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D051379:Mice; D018688:Neospora / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
Neosporosis; Swine; Toxoplasmosis; Zoonosis