title: Fatal Toxoplasma gondii infection in the giant panda.
abstract: Toxoplasma gondii can infect nearly all warm-blooded animals. We report an acute fatal T. gondii infection in the endangered giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in a zoo in China, characterized by acute gastroenteritis and respiratory symptoms. T. gondii infection was confirmed by immunological and molecular methods. Multilocus nested PCR-RFLP revealed clonal type I at the SAG1 and c29-2 loci, clonal type II at the SAG2, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, and L358 loci, and clonal type III at the alternative SAG2 and SAG3 loci, thus, a potential new genotype of T. gondii in the giant panda. Other possible pathogens were not detected. To our knowledge, this is the first report of clinical toxoplasmosis in a giant panda.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, 2888 Xincheng Street, Changchun 130118, Jilin Province, China - Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Military Veterinary Institute, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Hongyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Military Veterinary Institute, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Zedong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Ya'an, China.
authors.forename: Chengdong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Ya'an, China.
authors.forename: Caiwu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, 2888 Xincheng Street, Changchun 130118, Jilin Province, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Military Veterinary Institute, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D005838:Genotype; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000469:parasitology; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001503:Ursidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D014781:Viscera / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan