title: Toxoplasma gondii B1 Gene Detection in Feces of Stray Cats around Seoul, Korea and Genotype Analysis of Two Laboratory-Passaged Isolates.
abstract: The increasing prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in the human population in the Republic of Korea (= Korea) is due to various reasons such as an increase in meat consumption. However, the importance of cats in transmitting T. gondii infection through oocysts to humans has seldom been assessed. A total of 300 fecal samples of stray cats captured around Seoul from June to August 2013 were examined for T. gondii B1 gene (indicating the presence of oocysts) using nested-PCR. Fourteen (4.7%) of 300 cats examined were positive for B1 gene. Female cats (7.5%) showed a higher prevalence than male cats (1.4%). Cats younger than 3 months (5.5%) showed a higher prevalence than cats (1.5%) older than 3 months. For laboratory passage of the positive samples, the fecal suspension (0.2 ml) of B1 gene positive cats was orally inoculated into experimental mice. Brain tissues of the mice were obtained after 40 days and examined for the presence of tissue cysts. Two isolates were successfully passaged (designated KNIH-1 and KNIH-2) and were molecularly analyzed using the SAG5D and SAG5E gene sequences. The SAG5D and SAG5E gene sequences showed high homologies with the ME49 strain (less virulent strain). The results indicated the importance of stray cats in transmitting T. gondii to humans in Korea, as revealed by detection of B1 gene in fecal samples. T. gondii isolates from cats were successfully passaged in the laboratory for the first time in Korea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
authors.forename: Bong-Kwang
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Division of Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongwon 363-951, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyemi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
authors.forename: Jaeeun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
authors.forename: Deok-Gyu
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyemi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Jae
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea ; Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 463-707, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Hee
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Yil
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D002415:Cats; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D066106:Seoul / Q000453:epidemiology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins
keywords: Toxoplasma gondii; genotype; nested-PCR; prevalence; stray cat