title: TOXOPLASMA GONDII ANTIBODY PREVALENCE AND TWO NEW GENOTYPES OF THE PARASITE IN ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN GEESE (NENE: BRANTA SANDVICENSIS).
abstract: Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite transmitted by domestic cats ( Felis catus ) that has historically caused mortality in native Hawaiian birds. To estimate how widespread exposure to the parasite is in nene (Hawaiian Geese, Branta sandvicensis), we did a serologic survey for T. gondii antibody and genetically characterized parasite DNA from the tissues of dead birds that had confirmed infections by immunohistochemistry. Of 94 geese sampled, prevalence on the island of Kauai, Maui, and Molokai was 21% (n=42), 23% (n=31), and 48% (n=21), respectively. Two new T. gondii genotypes (ToxoDB #261 and #262) were identified by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism from four geese, and these appeared segregated geographically. Exposure to T. gondii in wild nene is widespread and, while the parasite is not a major cause of death, it could have sublethal or behavioral effects. How to translate such information to implement effective ways to manage feral cats in Hawaii poses challenges.
authors.affiliation: 1   US Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Honolulu Field Station, PO Box 50187, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850, USA.
authors.forename: Thierry M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Work
authors.affiliation: 2   US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Bldg. 1001 BARC-East, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350, USA.
authors.forename: Shiv K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: 3   University of Tennessee, Department of Microbiology, College of Arts and Sciences, M409 Walters Life Sciences, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-0845, USA.
authors.forename: Chunlei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: 4   State of Hawaii, Division of Forestry and Wildlife-Maui, 54 S High Street #101, Wailuku, Hawaii 96793, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: 5   State of Hawaii, Division of Forestry and Wildlife-Kauai, 3060 Eiwa Street #306, Lihue, Hawaii 96766, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaiakapu
authors.affiliation: 2   US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Bldg. 1001 BARC-East, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350, USA.
authors.forename: Oliver C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Kwok
authors.affiliation: 2   US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Bldg. 1001 BARC-East, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350, USA.
authors.forename: Jitender P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D046090:Anseriformes / Q000469:parasitology*; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D056727:Endangered Species; D005838:Genotype; D006254:Hawaii / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Birds; PCR-RFLP genotyping; cats; genotype; island; strain