title: Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in wild birds in Taiwan.
abstract: Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoon which is well known for infecting humans and wild animals. In the present study, antibodies to T. gondii were evaluated in 394 wild birds, belonging to 37 species, from 15 different administrative regions in Taiwan. Using modified agglutination test (MAT), the overall seroprevalence of infection was 23.35% (CI 95% = 19.17%-27.53%). Antibodies were detected in birds of prey (25.73%, CI 95% = 19.76%-31.70%), birds living in freshwater or marine systems (34.29%, CI 95% = 18.56%-50.01%) and ground-feeding birds (18.12%, CI 95% = 11.94%-24.31%). Adult birds showed higher seroprevalence than that in juvenile birds, and the presence of clinical abnormalities was associated with T. gondii seropositivity. The results showed that this pathogen has spread widely in Taiwan. This suggests the zoonotic potential of the disease, with transmission from urban to rural regions, and from terrestrial to aquatic systems. The pathogenicity of T. gondii infection in wild birds in Taiwan needs further investigation. This is the first study of the seroprevalence of T. gondii in wild birds in Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary Clinical Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Da'an Dist., Taipei City 106, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: r01643012@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Ju-Chi
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Taipei City Animal Protection Office, No.109, Lane 600, Wuxing Street, Xinyi Dist., Taipei 11048, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: tcapo019@mail.taipei.gov.tw.
authors.forename: Yu-Jen
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary Clinical Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Da'an Dist., Taipei City 106, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: wuyl@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Ying-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D001717:Birds; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Avian species; Modified agglutination test; Taiwan; Toxoplasma gondii; Wild animals