title: Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of two Toxoplasma gondii isolates in free-range chickens from Uberlândia, Brazil.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in free-range chickens from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, and characterize the genotypic and phenotypic features of two isolates of this parasite, considering the importance of these hosts in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis. Serum samples from 108 free-range chickens were obtained from ten different districts, and submitted to the modified agglutination test (MAT) for the presence of anti-T. gondii antibodies, and brain and heart tissue samples from infected chickens were processed for mouse bioassay. An overall seroprevalence of 71·3% was found and antibody titres ranged from 16 to 4096. After confirmation of seropositivity by mouse bioassay, the determination of the T. gondii genotypes of two isolates was performed by PCR-RFLP, using primers for the following markers: SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, new SAG2, Apico and CS3. These T. gondii isolates, designated TgChBrUD1and TgChBrUD2, were obtained from heart samples of free-range chickens. The TgChBrUD1 isolate belonged to ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype 11 and the TgChBrUD2 isolate belonged to ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype 6. Both isolates demonstrated high virulence in a rodent model, with the TgChBrUD1 isolate able to induce brain cysts, in accord with its pattern of multiplication rates in human fibroblast culture. Taken together, these results reveal high prevalence of T. gondii infection in free-range chickens throughout Uberlândia, indicating an important degree of oocyst environmental contamination and the existence of considerable risk for T. gondii transmission to humans by consumption of free-range chicken as a food source.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoparasitology,Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology,Federal University of Uberlândia,Brazil.
authors.forename: C S
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2644-7949
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunophysiology of Reproduction,Federal University of Uberlândia,Brazil.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunopathology,Department of Histology and Embryology,Federal University of Uberlândia,Brazil.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoparasitology,Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology,Federal University of Uberlândia,Brazil.
authors.forename: D A O
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunophysiology of Reproduction,Federal University of Uberlândia,Brazil.
authors.forename: E A V
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ferro
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases,Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and Animal Health,School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny,University of São Paulo,Brazil.
authors.forename: H F J
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Pena
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases,Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and Animal Health,School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny,University of São Paulo,Brazil.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases,Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and Animal Health,School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny,University of São Paulo,Brazil.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gennari
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoparasitology,Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology,Federal University of Uberlândia,Brazil.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mineo
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001681:Biological Assay; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002645:Chickens / Q000469:parasitology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006321:Heart / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D044967:Serum / Q000276:immunology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan
keywords: Food protection; Toxoplasma gondii; free-range chicken; phenotyping; tissue cyst