title: First report of Toxoplasma gondii Seroprevalence in Farmed Arctic Foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in Eastern and Northeastern China.
abstract: Until now, no information on Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) was available in China. A serological survey was undertaken to assess T. gondii seroprevalence in farmed Arctic foxes in eastern and northeastern China. Antibodies to T. gondii were examined in 1346 farmed Arctic foxes using the modified agglutination test (MAT). A total of 113 (8.39%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.91-9.87) serum samples were positive to T. gondii at a 1:25 cutoff. Seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in male Arctic foxes was 8.68% (95% CI 6.75-10.6), which was higher than that in the female Arctic foxes (7.95%, 95% CI 5.65-10.26). The prevalence in polar foxes was 7.07% (95% CI 5.14-8.99), which was lower than that in the blue foxes (9.75%, 95% CI 7.49-11.99). T. gondii seroprevalence in Arctic foxes in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, and Shandong Provinces was 9.85% (95% CI 5.75-13.95), 9.21% (95% CI 5.54-12.87), 7.37% (95% CI 5.22-9.51), and 8.68% (95% CI 5.66-11.70), respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between T. gondii seroprevalence and morphs, sex, or regions of Arctic foxes in logistic regression analysis (p < 0.05). The results of the present survey indicated that T. gondii infection in farmed Arctic foxes is prevalent in China. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in Arctic foxes in China.
authors.affiliation: 1 College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University , Changchun, Jilin Province, P.R. China .|2 State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Zhi-Long
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: 1 College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University , Changchun, Jilin Province, P.R. China .|2 State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.affiliation: 3 Jilin Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau , Changchun, Jilin Province, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Qing-Feng
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: 1 College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University , Changchun, Jilin Province, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Wu-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: 1 College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University , Changchun, Jilin Province, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Si-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: 1 College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University , Changchun, Jilin Province, P.R. China .|2 State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Xiao-Xuan
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 2 State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, P.R. China .|4 Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University College of Veterinary Medicine , Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Xing-Quan
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: 1 College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University , Changchun, Jilin Province, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Ai-Dong
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Qian
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005589:Foxes / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Arctic foxes; China; Modified agglutination test; Seroprevalence; Toxoplasma gondii